Subash Rajavel

Picture a California parent in the drop-off line at a swim lesson. The program has just announced that today is the last day to pay by credit card. Your family is in the Self-Determination Program (SDP), and your Financial Management Services (FMS) provider is the one that pays. If your FMS can only pay by invoice and check, you are stuck. This is the purchase request problem, and it is one of the least discussed frustrations for California SDP families. Why this matters SDP gives you choice...

Your daughter's swim instructor just moved to a new studio. Your son's needs shifted over the summer and you want to add a new service. You are a California family in the Self-Determination Program (SDP), the state option that lets you direct your own budget, and your approved spending plan no longer matches real life. The change is approved. Now you are waiting on your Financial Management Services (FMS) provider to update the plan before anyone can be paid. Why this matters SDP gives...

You finally found the right person. Maybe it is a neighbor your son already trusts, or a respite worker your daughter lights up around. You are a California family in the Self-Determination Program (SDP), the state option that lets you direct your own budget and hire your own team. Then the paperwork starts, and your Financial Management Services (FMS) provider asks for forms that bounce back and forth for weeks. Meanwhile, the support your family member needs sits on hold. Why this matters...