District of Columbia (D.C.) law and regulations require the D.C. Department on Disability Services (DDS) to ensure collection of contributions to costs for people receiving DDS Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) residential supports. The principle in the law and regulations is this: regardless of whether a person’s income comes from public benefits, employment, other sources, or a combination of sources, all people receiving DDA residential supports will be required to contribute to the costs of their own residential supports.

This applies to people who have these residential supports: Host Home, Residential Habilitation and Supported Living, with or without Transportation.

As DDS continues to incentivize employment for people with disabilities, these regulation say that people who work will be required only to pay up to the amount of the current Supplemental Security Income maximum or to make up the difference in the amount their public benefits were reduced because of their employment income.

People receiving public benefits are already paying contribution to costs of their residential supports. DDS will release a policy and procedures to determine the standards and processes by which DDA will determine whether, what amount and how a person who receives DDA residential supports and has other sources of income such as from work or other sources is required to make required contributions. Determinations will be made at a person’s Individual Service Plan meeting.  People will be provided with information about how to appeal those determinations.  People who do not pay their required contribution to costs may face negative consequences.

For details, please see the final rulemaking for the Contribution to Costs of DDA Residential Supports can be found in the D.C. Municipal Regulations (29 DCMR § 13100 et seq.), which were published in the D.C. register on November 30, 2018 (65 DCR 013201.