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The Consumer Directed
Services Program (CDS) |
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CDS History: |
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Many people with
severe-disabilities require assistance to perform everyday activities such as
personal hygiene, bathing, dressing, shopping, housekeeping, and assistance
at work or school. This assistance is typically provided by a hired worker,
who is commonly called an attendant. Traditionally, attendants were hired by
an outside agency, which required that they be trained and supervised by a
nurse or doctor. In the 1970's a group of
students with disabilities in Berkeley, California, realized that they knew
as much, or more, about their attendant needs than the medical personnel. The
students felt that if they were to live as independently as possible, they
should be responsible for hiring, training, and supervising their
attendants. In response to the lack of existing programs, they created
their own. From their work, the independent living (IL) movement was born. The IL movement is based on
the idea that people with disabilities (consumers) should be in control of
support services that permit them to live independently. In the past
when provider services have been exhausted, the task has fallen to friends
and/or family. If natural supports were not available, the individual did
without the much-needed service, sometimes with horrible consequences. |
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CDS Program: |
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Access II began the State funded Consumer Directed Services
Program on January 1, 1998. The program allows individuals with disabilities
to receive up to 42 hours of personal assistance each week. Trained
staff will help train the attendants, as well as, assisting the consumers. A
manual is also provided to each consumer. The manual is designed to help them
train and manage the attendant. These training techniques were adapted after
years of research, coupled with experience and reviewed by people who use
attendants themselves. The person with the disability actually interviews, hires, and
manages the personal attendant. A small amount of paperwork is all that is
necessary. The consumer has complete control and the choice over what attendant
services they want. A basic tenant of the Independent Living Philosophy is
that the consumer knows best what they need. Access II staff will check
and compute the time sheets and Paymaster a company from St. Louis, MO
handles all of the payroll functions. Contact our CDS STAFF for more information Link to CDS
Resources for more information Return
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