Independent Facilitator
Self-Determination Program- Independent Facilitator
Amster Law Firm provides Independent Facilitator services to children and adults in the Self-Determination Program. The California statewide Self-Determination Program is an alternative to the traditional way of providing regional center services. In Self-Determination, clients of the Regional Center have more control over selecting their services and supports. This is done by giving clients (or their parents or legal representatives) a specific budget to purchase the services and supports that they need to make their person-centered plan work better for them. Clients can choose their services and pick which providers deliver those services. It can be totally life changing for some!
Note: As of August 22, 2022, Amster Law Firm will only be receiving funds from the regional center for the drafting of the Person Centered Plan. All services beyond that will be billed to the client at an hourly or flat rate.
Services
Pre-Planning for Person Center Plan
Pre-Planning allows the facilitator to get to know the person and his/her circle of support in order to plan and facilitate a meaningful, efficient and person-center meeting.
Person Center Meeting
At the Person-Centered meeting (aka “Party with a Purpose”) the team listens to the person’s hopes and dreams for the future and agrees to support the person along the way. The outcome of the meeting is a set of ideas and commitments that the facilitator uses to draft a written action plan.
Create Actionable Person Center Plan
During plan creation, the facilitator compiles ideas and information learned in the pre-planning and the person-center meeting. The facilitator creates a written document that discusses the person’s wants for his or her life, where he or she wants to live, how he or she wants to spend time, who he or she wants to spend time with, and hopes for the future. The document describes the supports needed in order to achieve these goals and outlines the action plan to reach those goals.
Attend IPP
At this meeting or meetings, the independent facilitator will present the Person-Center Plan and discuss goals and service needs to support the plan. The participants will review 12-month payment history and discuss possible new/unmet needs that should be addressed in the budget.
Negotiate Budget
The budget is the total amount of the last 12 months of service expenditures for the participant. Adjustment (up or down) may be necessary due to change in participant’s circumstances, needs, or resources; or the IPP identifies prior needs or resources that were unaddressed in the IPP, which would have resulted in an increase or decrease in expenditures.
Through the IPP process, the independent facilitator will review the regional center’s proposed budget and lead a discussion around the budget and whether it meets the client’s needs. The independent facilitator will use the IPP process to come to an agreement regarding the budget or take the next steps to resolve the disagreement.
Create Spending Plan
The spending plan identifies the type and amount of the services and supports to achieve the IPP/PCP goals. It must provide for the health and safety of the participant. The spending time must identify the cost of each service, activity, or item that will be purchased with SDP budget, including the cost of the FMS, independent facilitator, and employee benefits, payroll taxes, and insurance. The spending plan is then attached to the IPP.
On-going Independent facilitation services
Ongoing Independent Facilitation Services can include tracking spending and coordinating with the FMS, revising and resubmitting the spending plan, advocacy, identifying service, resources, staff, negotiating for best prices, coordinating support team, helping achieve Person-Center Plan goals, and preparing for the next year’s process.