The Self-Determination Program (SDP) empowers individuals with developmental disabilities to exercise control over their services and supports. A crucial aspect of this program is the management of individual budgets and spending plans, which are essential for ensuring that participants can effectively meet their needs.
Determining the Individual Budget Amount
The individual budget amount is the total funding available to participants for purchasing services and supports. This amount is determined based on two primary scenarios:
Current Regional Center Service Recipients:
For participants who have received regional center services, the budget is calculated using the total expenditures from the previous 12 months. This includes all regional center purchases related to the Individual Program Plan (IPP)
Adjustments to this budget can only be made if:
The IPP team identifies a need for change due to shifts in the participant's circumstances or needs.
The regional center certifies that these expenditures would have occurred regardless of SDP participation.
Newly Eligible Participants:
For those newly eligible for services or lacking 12 months of expenditure history, the budget is calculated based on the estimated annual cost of necessary services and supports. This involves averaging costs for identified services and considering unique needs that may affect pricing, such as language preferences or specific medical support requirements
Creating a Spending Plan
Once the individual budget is established, participants must develop a spending plan that outlines how these funds will be utilized to achieve their goals as stated in the IPP. Key components of a spending plan include:
Cost Breakdown: The plan must detail the cost of each service and support purchased with regional center funds, including any necessary financial management services
Approval Requirements: SDP funds can only cover approved services not available through other funding sources like Medi-Cal or In-Home Supportive Services
Moving Funds Across Categories and Service Codes in the Self-Determination Program (SDP)
Managing finances effectively is a critical aspect of the Self-Determination Program (SDP), allowing participants to tailor their services and supports according to their unique needs. One of the key features of this program is the flexibility participants have in moving funds across different categories and service codes. Understanding these processes can help ensure that participants make the most of their individual budgets.
Moving Funds Within a Service Code
Participants have the ability to move funds between vendors and employees within a specific service code at any time. This flexibility means that if a participant finds a more suitable provider or needs to reallocate funds among existing providers, they can do so without requiring revisions to their spending plan or additional approvals. This ease of movement allows for quick adjustments that can enhance service delivery and meet changing needs. However if you are increasing the provider count or adding a new vendor to the existing plan, this will require an approval or revision based on your Regional Center guidelines.
Transferring Funds Between Service Codes
When it comes to transferring funds between service codes, the process is straightforward but has specific guidelines:
Same Category Transfers: If you need to transfer funds between service codes within the same category, you need to send the spending plan to your Regional Center approval - no revision is typically needed. However if it's more than 10%, your Regional Center might require you to revise the spending plan. This is usually dictated by your Regional Center guidelines. This allows participants to adapt their spending plans with minimal bureaucratic hurdle.
Different Category Transfers: For transfers across different categories (e.g., from Employment and Community Participation to Health and Safety), participants need to send their spending plan to Regional Center approval - no revision is typically needed. However if it's more than 10%, your Regional Center might require you to revise the spending plan. This is usually dictated by your Regional Center guidelines. This requirement ensures that larger reallocations are justified and aligned with the participant's overall goals as outlined in their Individual Program Plan (IPP).
Spending Plan Revisions
At times, participants may need to add a new service to their approved spending plan to better meet their evolving needs. This process involves notifying your Service Coordinator, Financial Management Service (FMS), and Independent Facilitator (IF). From there, a formal revision of the spending plan is required, which must be approved by the Regional Center. The Regional Center's approval process can take anywhere from 1 to 3 months. Traditional FMS providers often add several more weeks to this timeline due to a lack of technology.
Conclusion
Managing and revising spending plans in the Self-Determination Program can be complex, but Accura FMS, being digital-native simplifies this with its real-time dashboards and digital plan management. Participants gain full visibility into their spending, with up-to-the-minute updates and the ability to click through categories to see detailed breakdowns across service codes. This intuitive view helps participants easily understand how to reallocate funds between categories and service codes, empowering them to optimize their budgets while staying compliant with Regional Center guidelines. With digital spending plan management, spending plan revisions are completed much faster, ensuring you get the services you need without unnecessary delays.
Ready to take control of your SDP budget with real-time insights and dynamic planning? Book a free consultation with Accura FMS experts today and see how a technology driven new age FMS look!
References:
DDS Directive - INDIVIDUAL BUDGET DEVELOPMENT AND SPENDING PLAN (1/11/2019) : https://www.dds.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/SDP_IndividualBudget_Jan19.pdf?fbclid=IwY2xjawFyvzhleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHa5XWFiQZMFQexoeN5X3FaghEx7PIZ5NSOSsrok88ucZuvYr23d78O_Rpg_aem_zNKNnajnPJQIFcqVn9C1bQ
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