Individualized Residential Alternative
Individualized Residential Alternative (IRA) Community Habilitation follows the same vision as traditional Community Habilitation, but the requirements differ. In order to be eligible, a person must live at an IRA group home and not attend any day program more than part-time. All services must start prior to 3 p.m. and can only take place Monday through Friday. All services must take place outside of the IRA.

Agency Supported Self-Directed
Agency Supported Self-Directed Community Habilitation follows all the same requirements and regulations as traditional Community Habilitation with the exception of staffing. It is a hybrid model made up of traditional and Self-Directed Community Habilitation.

People Inc. handles onboarding, training, payroll and any issues and/or concerns with staff. The person receiving the service and/or their family are responsible for finding their own staff and make their own schedules.

Our service delivery model continues to focus on identification of gaps that are inhibiting people and families from achieving the social determinants of health. Our staff support people who require language support in a variety of settings and provide education about their right to translation services in health and other settings, as required by law. We also assist families with the citizenship process, linking them to the appropriate resources.

Support and training are provided to people and their families who face challenges with healthcare or medical appointments and/or settings. Once barriers or gaps are identified, we can provide guidance on: questions that may be asked during appointments, requesting translation services, and developing systems to manage multiple appointments. Staff will advocate for the people they support and inform them of their healthcare rights. Additionally, staff will review transportation solutions, necessary training and community linkages, while working in partnership with care coordinators. Follow-up support is available for care coordinators after meetings and appointments.

Our staff educate parents/guardians about the advocacy process and train them to advocate for their children. We also act as a support between families and school districts by assisting in identifying needs and providing the student with the level of education necessary to facilitate learning in their zone of proximal development.

For students who are transitioning out of high school, our staff work with care coordinators, admissions, and families to help identify the appropriate OPWDD services based upon their vocational and cognitive abilities identified in school settings.

Our team recognizes that each person has unique educational developmental needs. Staff will communicate with teachers and families to obtain information about the student's academic needs and will adjust guidance accordingly.

Suggestions for improvement are provided, as well as additional resources to enhance a person's quality of life. Ultimately serving as a link between the school and the student, staff will assist students to make improvements in their life, develop their skills and improve their social and emotional wellbeing.

Additionally, staff will work to execute functioning skills (planning, task initiation, time management, organization, self-management etc.) that need to be addressed to increase independence at school and in the community.

Information and resources are available to families who need support in a variety of areas including:

• Financial benefits for people with developmental disabilities
• Guardianship Wills and Trusts
• Building a career path for your child: Discovery of career services
• Understanding positive parenting approaches to decrease challenging behaviors and increase desired behaviors
• How to deal with grief
• Caregiver stress and burnout: Helping caregivers take care of themselves
• Self-care for encouraging independence in your child
• Self-Advocacy: Helping your child find their voice
• Making decisions together: Looking at support decision making
• Practical person-centered training with your teen
• Deaf culture and language
• Transitional planning for students who are Deaf or hard of hearing

The program uses one-on-one coaching to achieve personalized goals. It is built on a system of mutual accountability between the PDM and the participant as they develop a contract with expected outcomes and goals, as well as respective roles in moving toward achieving that goal.

All goals are broken down into smaller achievable actions, and participants are guided through the steps necessary to complete their goal. The idea is for each person to have gained the confidence and tools needed to move forward with the goal on their own.

For more information on PDM, call 716.880.3700. Want to join the program? Ask your care coordinator to make a referral.

In order to qualify, the person must fit criteria for People Inc. Community Hab/Community Hab IRA. They must not require one-to-one supervision and must not have intensive behavioral concerns. The person must also have a goal that cannot be met by traditional services. This is a mentoring relationship that remains short-term in nature and is intended to give someone a boost of extra support at a specific time in their life.

In addition to gaining greater choice and control, a self-directed plan may include unique options such as:

• Gym memberships
• Classes
• Camps within New York State and accredited through the Department of Health
• Hiring your own staff
• Rent subsidies and housing supports
• Reimbursement for clothing, internet and cell phones (18 and over)
• Other items that may help increase independence

Contact your Care Coordinator. The Care Coordinator will work with you to ensure you are authorized for services. Should you choose People Inc. to provide your Fiscal Intermediary (FI) Services, your Care Coordinator will complete a referral form for you and return it to us with the requested documentation. Should you have any questions about FI or Brokerage, contact us.

A Fiscal Intermediary (FI) is required to Self-Direct your services. Your FI will assist you to manage the Medicaid money associated with your budget. The FI supports you to recruit and hire your own staff, review and process reimbursements, monitor expenses and ensure all the required documentation is in place for Medicaid billing and compliance.

Through person-centered planning, your Support Broker will help you build confidence in developing and navigating your budget, plus any self-directed supports. The broker works to develop a person's circle of support and works closely with your Care Coordinator and FI to develop a budget based on the support and services you want and need.

Brokers are important as they make changes to the budget to meet a person's changing needs, as well as identify which goals a person wants to achieve with staff support.

People Inc. has a team of agency brokers, as well as contracts with many independent brokers. Our team can provide a current broker list upon request.

• Making/maintaining conversation
• Making eye contact 
• Taking turns (during play, conversational activities, etc.) 
• Making socially appropriate comments 
• Participating in discussions about a range of topics outside of their own areas of interest 
• Demonstrating good manners 
• Following social rules (i.e. waiting their turn in line, placing an order in a restaurant, etc.)
• Establishing and maintaining friendships with same age peers