Person-Driven Services Project with Kristin Ahrens

"All people with disabilities shall have the option to design, control and direct their own services and funding." This is the aim of the Person-Driven Services Project which is funded by the PA Developmental Disabilities Council and managed by the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University.  Join us for a discussion on person-driven services and supports with Kristin Ahrens, Policy Director for the Institute on Disabilities. We will talk about what we mean by “person-driven services and supports” and a give summary of the research on this model of service delivery. We will explain the work being done through the cross-disability Person Driven Services Project. 

Many people who want to direct their own services have expressed that they need support to direct their own services - help with things like recruiting and managing workers. Many people have also expressed the need for more flexibility in terms of what the funding for services and supports will cover. This is where the Supports Broker and Cash and Counseling can be important for real opportunities for self-direction. We will talk in detail about the role of the Supports Broker and what is happening to make Supports Brokers available. Cash and Counseling (known in PA as "Services My Way") will also be discussed as a possible way to offer more flexibility for what service funding can purchase.

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