Self-Directed Services is an OPWDD initiative that provides a person and his or her family the opportunity to make decisions about what supports and services they need to help them enjoy meaningful relationships, experience personal health and growth, and live in the home and community they choose. It also gives the person and family the opportunity to choose their own service providers and a flexible budget to purchase needed supports and services in their community. 

Self-Directed Services (SDS) is a way for people to: 

  • Self-direct their supports and services
  • Choose the mix of supports and services that work best for them 
  • Choose how and when these supports and services are provided 
  • Choose the staff and/or organizations who provide them

People may also choose levels of control they desire with regard to Employer Authority and/or Budget Authority.
Employer Authority is making decisions about who works for them, recruiting, how the self-hired staff will support them and how often. The person also provides supervision to the support staff they hire. Budget Authority is the person making choices about the services and support they need based on their funding, deciding what services will be paid and who is paid to provide them, how much to pay self-hired staff and managing their OPWDD budget in a responsible manner. 

With Self Direction, people may choose not to manage their budget, depending on the type of self directed services they opt for.

For more information about Self-Directed Services, please contact Intake and referral at 716-805-1555.

Individual and therapy dog