As my post A Place of His Own described, a key part of getting Dave a place of his own was securing a section 8 voucher to help him pay rent. With the voucher in hand, we discovered a new hurdle when I called the county assistance agency that provides support services to adults with disabilities.
When Dave’s Supports Coordinator, the person from the office assigned to him, came on the line, I enthusiastically reported that Dave now had the opportunity to get his own apartment. She wasted no time in bursting my bubble.
Yes, he’d have a place of his own. But, to live on his own, he would need additional financial support for Habilitation Aides as well as other services. He wasn’t likely to clean his apartment, do his laundry, get his groceries, or brush his teeth (among other things) without someone there to prompt and guide him. That kind of support is funded by a Person/Family Directed Support Waiver (P/FDS). The P/FDS waiver is a specific amount of money that the person spends in whatever way they or their family choose to best address their specific needs. Dave did not have one of those.
In my naivete and excitement, I figured we’d manage somehow. Luckily, I didn’t have to find out how we’d manage because serendipity struck the very next day. The county agency called to say they had offered a P/FDS waiver to another family who declined it. They offered it to Dave, and we accepted it!
Supports Coordinators are Fundamental to Success
Dave’s supports coordinator has been an integral part of his success. The supports coordinator does exactly what the name suggests – coordinates all of the supports Dave needs. They connect us with important agencies. They work beside us and help guide us through all the ups and downs of living with a disability as an adult. When we run into issues or have questions, we contact Dave’s supports coordinator first. They are a true lifeline.
The P/FDS Waiver
Fifteen years later, I know we couldn’t have “managed” it without the financial support. The P/FDS waiver has been an vital part of Dave’s successful independence. It funds habilitation aides who visit Dave for several hours each day to make sure he’s doing his chores, getting clean, and getting his groceries. The waiver also funds his job coach, his transportation to and from work, and a companion who hangs out with him once a week for several hours. On companion days, Dave likes to eat out and spend money buying supplies for his hobbies (don’t we all!).
For more information on the P/FDS waiver, see my post on Benefits that Support Independent Living.
We now had the necessary financial support to help Dave pay rent, and to pay staff to help him in his apartment and in the community. But we still had more work to do before Dave could begin living on his own. In my next post, I will share the story of finding an apartment for Dave.
Not only the power of financial support, but the variety of support agencies available to those with ID is outstanding. I appreciate this story, as it does an excellent job of recapping, informing and reminding….while giving us a real-life example. Well done.
I appreciate this post very much. Not only does it explain the value of financial support, but it also does a good job of recapping and reminding us of the plethora of support agencies available to this community. Well done and thanks.