Adult Autism Waiver - Supports Coordination

   

What is the Autism Waiver?

The Autism Waiver is a statewide program of services designed specifically to meet the needs and profile of people 21 years of age and older with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Who is eligible?

To be eligible for the Autism Waiver individuals need to:

  • Have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
  • Be 21 years of age or older at time of application
  • Live in Pennsylvania
  • Meet financial and functional eligibility

Find more info at www.autisminpa.org.

Community Resources for Independence is a Pennsylvania Adult Autism Waiver Supports Coordination Provider

As the Supports Coordinator (SC), our role is to ensure that the participant is receiving the services to which he or she is entitled. The SC’s role is divided into four parts: 

1.  ASSESSMENTS – The SC will ask the participant and/or family members to complete tests, which are: the Scales of Independent Behavior-Revised (Sib-R), the Parental Stress Scale (PSS), the Quality of Life Questionnaire (QOL.Q) and Baseline Outcomes. This process is timely in order to ensure the accuracy of information with the participant. The SC will also leave a questionnaire with the family in order to expedite the information needed for plan development. 

2.  INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT PLAN (ISP) DEVELOPMENT – This involves calling a meeting of the planning team to create the participant’s support plan. The team is made up of the SC, the participant getting services and other people chosen by the participant. A participant may ask current service providers or extended family members who have a good understanding of the abilities of the participant. The services in the ISP should be based on the participant’s goals and needs.
Once the ISP has been approved, the SC will get the team together to coordinate the services to meet the participant’s needs effectively.

3.  PLAN MONITORING – The SC will visit or call the participant or his/her family at least once every month. The SC has to visit the participant either in their home or outside of the home while they are getting services, at least once every three months. During those visits, the SC will check to see that the participant is getting the services that are on his/her ISP and that the providers of those services are doing what they are supposed to be doing. The SC also checks to make sure the participant is doing well.

4.  COORDINATION OF NON-WAIVER SERVICES – The SC also helps the participant find and access services that they may need that are not part of the Adult Autism Waiver (AAW). Some of those services might be: finding a doctor or a dentist, applying for job training and finding services offered by the participant’s community.

Every year before the annual review date, the SC will do the assessments again to measure progress and to review goals and objectives before the next ISP team meeting. The ISP is revised at least once a year. This process continues until the participant no longer needs services from the BAS.

CRI provides Supports Coordination to seven counties in PA:  Erie, Clarion, Crawford, Forest, Mercer, Venango & Warren.

 


[ back to top ]