What are Consumer Directed Community Support Services?

Consumer Directed Community Supports (CDCS) is a flexible service option that offers people who need long-term care more choice and control over the supports they use.

Under this service option, you:

• Direct the decisions that affect your life
• Control how resources are used, within set limits, for service delivery
• Accept responsibility for and the risks for choices you make
• Account for the money you spend

What is a Fiscal Support Entity (FSE)?

Fiscal Support Entity (FSE) is the term used to describe Orion ISO. A Fiscal Support Entity (FSE) service is the umbrella service for the continuum of supports offered to Minnesota consumers under the Consumer Directed Consumer Support (CDCS) option of the waivered services program including the Fiscal Conduit model, Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent model, and the Agency with Choice model.

What are the Different Models of Service I Can Choose From?

Fiscal Conduit Model - This model allows you the most flexibility and control. As the Common Law Employer, you are responsible for managing all aspects of your household business including: paying your support workers and other vendors for goods and services directly and managing or purchasing the management of you own payroll related tasks. Orion ISO, as your Fiscal Support Entity (FSE) will reimburse you for payments you have made after the services are rendered.

Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent Model (Payroll Agent) - This model allows you more autonomy and self-direction in managing your supports. As the Common Law Employer, you will hire your own employees, train, supervise, evaluate and discharge them at your own discretion. You also take on the responsibility for following all applicable federal and state employment laws, completing employment paperwork and obtaining the proper insurance. Orion ISO is your payroll agent, meaning we provide administrative support by processing your payroll, including paying your employees wages, handling the payroll taxes, processing employment related information and record keeping. We will also provide you with all of the forms and information you need to become an employer and to manage your employees.

Agency with Choice - Under this model, Orion ISO is the Common Law Employer, and the Consumer is the Managing Employer. As the Managing Employer, you would be responsible for hiring and managing your support workers, developing and managing your budget, and verifying services provided. Orion ISO as the Common Law Employer would provide payroll processing services and tax administration. We would carry the necessary insurances, including liability, and worker's compensation, and will also support and advise you with employment related issues.

Orion ISO also offers Flexible Case Management Services

Flexible Case Management is an optional service that can help you manage your CDCS services. A Flexible Case Manager is a person who has been certified by the Department of Human Services as someone who understands the CDCS service and the process of developing a Community Support Plan. A flexible case manager can help you with things such as developing your Community Support Plan, find services and supports, make arrangements for purchases and delivery of services and supports, help you with scheduling and staffing needs and monitoring your plan.

What is the history of Consumer Directed Services?

Consumer-directed services have their origins in the concept of self-determination.

The Self-Determination movement in Minnesota was spearheaded by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that funded the Minnesota Self-Determination Project from 1997 through 2000.

Self-determination is a movement aimed at changing the service system for people who have disabilities. Self-determination means that each person who has a disability has the same rights as all other citizens to have a meaningful life that is:

• Fully integrated into their communities
• Rich in relationships
• Individually crafted

The Self-Determination Project showed that when consumers are given control over the funds allocated for their support, they create the type of supports they need to live the life that they want instead of a life determined by others.

What are the advantages of Consumer Directed Services?

• People plan their own services to lead self-directed lives.
• People choose where and when services are provided.
• People can hire, manage and direct support workers.
• People use support workers from their own network of family, friends, neighbors and local organizations.
• People access support workers familiar with their own language, culture and traditions.
• People strengthen and maintain informal networks of community support and opportunities for integration in the community.

Why Choose Orion ISO?

Orion ISO will strive at all times to provide you with the highest quality service to efficiently and effectively access the supports you need to implement the CDCS option. We believe that the integrity of the Consumer Directed Consumer Support Program includes provider systems that effectively implement and monitor the procedures and practices that support consumers and their representatives. We will measure the quality of our services not only by your satisfaction with our services but by the increase in meaningful supports in your life.

Our experienced staff at Orion ISO are deeply committed to the principles of Self-Determination and to the implementation of the Consumer Directed Community Support program. Orion ISO's Fiscal Support Entity's (FSE) service delivery reflects the integrity we believe is essential for the support of consumers' self-determination. We will provide financial and technical support to consumers and their families without influencing your choices as you design your own supports.