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Administrations & Offices
Service Planning and Coordination Division
Ijeoma L. Oji, Division Director
The purpose of the Service Planning and Coordination Division is to assist all persons served as part of the DDS service delivery system, in receiving those services identified in their respective person-centered Individual Support Plan (ISP). The function of this division is to plan and facilitate the provision of quality services and supports, to review the implementation and delivery of services and supports identified in the person-centered ISP, to take corrective action when necessary, to assist with problem solving and to advocate for the individual and his/her family and to coordinate and/or link to various services.
Service Coordination helps individuals qualified for DDA services and their families through self determination and informed choice, to find utilize and coordinate available resources and opportunities in the community on the basis of individual needs. The Service Coordinator works with the individual to develop an Individualized Service Plan (ISP) that identifies the supports needed to maximize capabilities and reach goals. They also play an active role in advocating for quality services & promote healthy lifestyles and wellness. The key to improving the quality of life for persons with disabilities is dependent upon the efforts of a qualified, trained staff dedicated to providing services for this population.
The Division is made up of two administrative units. Each unit supports individuals who live on their own, with families, in apartments or homes with support from a provider of their choice selected from a network of residential provider organizations, in Intermediate Care Facilities for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/ID), or in residential settings located in other states. Some individual service coordinators or branches have specialized expertise to support individuals who may be at risk due to medical, psychiatric, behavioral issues, or involvement in the criminal justice system.
The responsibilities of the service coordination division staff also include identification and reporting of gaps in services and supports, coordination of resources to assist the person served and their service provider(s) in meeting the requested services and supports, assisting each person supported in maintaining and exercising their rights and assisting with crisis intervention as needed. Service Coordinators work with nurses and clinicians from the DDA Health and Wellness Division, and pursue collaborative efforts with other governmental agencies (DHCF, DMH, and others) to lead efforts to minimize barriers to the receipt of optimal and appropriate health care and support needs for those receiving services.
A Service Coordinator works for the individual in need of services and is key to helping the person identify and access desired supports and services. The Service Coordinator’s activities include advocating, developing an Individual Support Plan and monitoring the implementation of the plan. Service Coordination activities promote self-advocacy, informed decision making and self-determination.
Service Coordinators locate resources, make referrals, monitor services that are being provided and help assure that the person’s ISP is being implemented. The main role of a Service Coordinator is to help coordinate, link and connect eligible individuals to resources and services as identified in the Person-Centered Planning process. Our Service Coordinators meet and talk with the individuals that we serve, their families/significant others and providers to gather information in order to help develop each persons’ Individual Support Plan (ISP). The ISP meeting provides the individual and/or family a forum to discuss concerns, future plans, needs and preferences. The ISP can be revised or updated at any time, but MUST be reviewed and discussed annually.
The Service Coordinator also works in partnership with the individual and/or family to plan for the needs of the individual. If you have concerns about your service coordinator you are encouraged to contact the Program Manager for that Unit and express your concerns. You can ask for another service coordinator to be assigned.
People with intellectual disabilities have the same basic rights and responsibilities as all other legal residents of the United States:
• A right to treatment and habilitation services and supports in the least restrictive environment.
• A right to dignity, privacy and humane care.
• A right to participate in an appropriate program of publicly-supported education, regardless of degree of disability;
• A right to prompt medical care and treatment;
• A right to religious freedom and practice;
• A right to social interaction and participation in community activities;
• A right to physical exercise and recreational opportunities;
• A right to be free from harm, including unnecessary physical restraint or isolation, excessive medication, abuse or neglect;
• A right to be free from hazardous procedures;
• A right to make choices in their own lives including, but not limited to: where and with whom they live; their relationships with people in their community; the way they spend their time; including education, employment and leisure; the pursuit of their personal future; and program planning and implementation;
• A right to have relationships, marry, be part of a family, and to parent if they so choose.
Other Professional Services:
Assistive Supports
• Personal Emergency Response Services (PERS)
• Environmental Accessibility Adaptation Residential Supports
• Personal Care Aide (PCA)
• Residential Habilitation
Health/Financial Benefits:
• Supplemental Security Income
• Family Cash Reimbursement Program Recreation:
• Community Recreation Programs
Referrals to community agencies for:
• Food, clothing, furniture, household items
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