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OPWDD & Self-Direction

OPWDD & Self-Direction Support for New York Families

Caring for a loved one with a developmental disability? Recruitment NYC guides families through OPWDD eligibility, Self-Direction, and the services your loved one may qualify for — in English, Spanish, and Russian.

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Experienced Self-Direction brokersMany services at no out-of-pocket cost through Medicaid

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What is OPWDD?

The New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) supports people with developmental disabilities — including intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, and neurological impairments. To qualify, the disability must have been present before age 22, be expected to be permanent, and significantly affect the person’s ability to live independently.

Children can qualify for OPWDD from a young age, and provisional eligibility may be available for younger children until standard eligibility is established. Ages and eligibility are determined by OPWDD on a case-by-case basis — these are general notes, not guarantees.

Services

Services your loved one may qualify for

Once OPWDD is approved

  • Home Health Aide (HHA) — help with daily personal care at home
  • Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) — therapy and support for autism and developmental needs
  • Occupational, Physical & Speech Therapy (OT / PT / ST) — where needed
  • Care coordination — a Care Manager who helps organize services

Then you can apply for Self-Direction

After your loved one’s OPWDD eligibility is approved, you can apply for Self-Direction to manage your own services and budget — including:

  • Community Habilitation (Com Hab) — building daily living, social, and community skills
  • Respite — relief and support for family caregivers
  • Day Habilitation (Day Hab) — skill-building and community programs
  • Independent living & housing supports
  • Community Classes — art, exercise, cooking, computer skills, and more
Every situation is different — what your loved one can access depends on their needs and approval. OPWDD and your Care Manager determine what applies. We help you understand your options at each stage.

Self-Direction

What is Self-Direction?

Self-Direction gives families the most control over their loved one’s services. Instead of having an agency decide everything, you choose the providers, the staff, and the supports that fit your loved one best — and you manage a personal budget to pay for them, with help from a partner who handles the paperwork and payments for you.

To use Self-Direction, your loved one will need to:

  • Be approved for OPWDD services
  • Have a Care Manager
  • Build a Circle of Support — family, friends, and staff who help plan
  • Attend a short (about 2-hour) Self-Direction information session
  • Work with a Support Broker (that’s where we come in) to build a plan and budget

In short: Self-Direction lets you hire your own staff and spend a set budget on the services your loved one needs — with us guiding you the whole way.

Families usually pursue Self-Direction once OPWDD has approved their loved one. Exact timing varies by case and is determined by OPWDD — these are general estimates, not guarantees.

How we help

Guiding your family through every step

Eligibility & documents

Understanding OPWDD eligibility and gathering the documents you’ll need.

CCO connection

Connecting you with a Care Coordination Organization to submit the application.

Waiver & enrollment

Navigating the HCBS Waiver and Self-Direction enrollment.

Plan & budget

Building and managing your Self-Direction plan and budget.

Providers & supports

Connecting you to the right providers and supports.

Multilingual support

English, Spanish, and Russian throughout.

Documents

Documents typically required for an OPWDD application

Gathering the right documents up front helps avoid delays. OPWDD generally requires:

  • Psychological evaluation — less than 3 years old, including IQ testing (e.g., WISC-IV, WAIS-IV, or Stanford-Binet V) with all summary scores
  • Adaptive behavior assessment (e.g., Vineland)
  • Documentation of the developmental disability diagnosis (diagnosed before age 22)
  • For autism: a diagnostic evaluation such as ADOS or CARS
  • Social / developmental history
  • OPWDD may also request the child’s IEP or additional evaluations
If your family doesn’t have the required evaluations, they can often be obtained at no cost through an Article 16 Clinic. We can help you understand what’s needed.

Timeline

What to expect

Important: The following are general estimates based on experience — not official OPWDD timelines or guarantees. Every case is different, and OPWDD makes all determinations. Processing can take longer.

OPWDD eligibility

Gathering documents, submitting through a CCO, eligibility review, the Front Door information session, and assessments can take several months.

Self-Direction

Once eligibility and Waiver enrollment are in place, building and approving a Self-Direction plan can take additional time — often a few months.

We keep things moving

We help guide you at every step so nothing stalls.

Get OPWDD help

Talk to a Self-Direction broker

Tell us about your loved one and where you are in the process. As experienced Self-Direction brokers, we’ll help with eligibility, Self-Direction, and the services they may qualify for — in English, Spanish, or Russian.

Prefer to talk? Call (347) 629-9916, Mon–Fri 9 AM – 5 PM.

Why families choose us

Experienced Self-Direction brokers who handle the paperwork — so you can focus on your loved one. Many services at no out-of-pocket cost through Medicaid.

Get OPWDD Help Call (347) 629-9916