Consumer-Directed Community Supports (CDCS)
An increasing number of individuals who
are elderly or disabled receive support through Medicaid "waivers,"
allowing them to live as independently as possible. In the case of
seniors, funds are disbursed through the Elderly Waiver. Now, many of
these people and their families can assume more control of their own
services through an option called Consumer-Directed Community Supports (CDCS).
Those who do not qualify for a Medicaid waiver can purchase the services
independently.
CDCS is a tool that gives families
greater involvement and more choices in planning and identifying support
needs, including directly hiring and managing the staff who deliver
services. Funds may be used for a broad array of services, such as
personal care, chore services or other kinds of programs that allow
individuals to live an active and safe life in their home communities.
While Consumer-Directed Community
Supports offers many advantages for an individual and/or families, it
does require certain administrative functions to be accomplished. Many
individuals and/or families who choose Consumer-Directed Supports use a
Fiscal Support Entity (FSE) to help them meet the challenges of this
kind of program, including:
- Managing the available funds.
- Supporting the hiring, training, and
supervising of employees.
- Ensuring that appropriate billing,
payment, payroll taxes, workers compensation insurance, and other
accounting procedures are in place.
- Complying with complex employment
requirements, medical assistance rules, and legal requirements of each
county.
Lutheran Social Service (LSS) partners
with an agency called Partners in Community Supports (PICS) in order to
offer those FSE services. PICS was created by six Minnesota non-profit
agencies, including LSS, to improve services for people with
disabilities as a Fiscal Entity, and has been providing superior
services for people and families choosing CDCS since 1999. PICS now
manages the finances required by CDCS for over 400 people in Minnesota.
Currently, CDCS is offered around the
state. Please view the Contacts & Locations page for information
about CDCS in your area of Minnesota.
