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Chapter 6: Working with a Provider Agency

When you use supported living services, the provider’s role is to support the lifestyle and personal choices of people with developmental disabilities, not to change them. Here’s how it works:

  1. Supporting Personal Preferences:
    The provider should respect and support the individual’s choices about how and where they want to live. This includes being flexible and finding creative solutions to meet their unique needs.

  2. Provider Responsibilities:
    The agency cannot own the home where services are provided and must respect the individual’s right to change providers without having to move. Providers must offer 24-hour support, including emergency backup, and should use technology and other methods to ensure safety when staff are not present.

  3. Staffing Plan:
    An individualized staffing plan is created based on the person’s needs, preferences, and a risk assessment. This plan includes regular and backup staffing to ensure the person’s health and safety.

  4. Role of the Direct Support Professional (DSP):
    DSPs assist with daily activities like meal prep, personal hygiene, medication, budget management, and more. They also help the individual participate in community activities, manage their health, and use any necessary mobility devices or technology.

  5. Overall Responsibilities of the team:

    • Communication: Building trust through clear and respectful interaction.
    • Person-Centered Practices: Helping individuals make choices and achieve their goals.
    • Evaluation and Observation: Monitoring health and wellbeing and adjusting services as needed.
    • Crisis Prevention: Identifying and managing risks to prevent crises.
    • Professionalism and Ethics: Maintaining confidentiality and respecting rights.
    • Health and Wellness: Supporting physical and emotional health.
    • Community Inclusion: Assisting individuals in becoming active community members.
    • Cultural Humility: Respecting cultural differences and adjusting services accordingly.
    • Education and Training: Continuously improving skills and knowledge.

  6. Partnership with the Team:
    The team members should view themselves as partners with the people they support, working creatively to solve problems and adapt to individual needs. They should maintain clear communication with everyone involved in the supported living arrangement and help the individual manage their life effectively.