Manage Services Your Way with Confidence
Self-Directed Assistance
Self-Directed Assistance (SDA) helps families design supports that fit their lives. From hiring and managing Personal Support Workers to planning community activities and coordinating day services, SDA offers flexibility and choice. Expert guidance and practical tools make managing supports simpler and less stressful.
What Self-Directed Assistance Looks Like
With SDA, families gain a team of experts dedicated to making the process easier. We understand that managing supports can feel overwhelming, which is why we walk alongside families to help them navigate options and make choices that fit their lives. Participants can also choose to take part in Search360 Community Day Services, creating a seamless experience that connects home-based supports with engaging day services opportunities.
SDA Under Home-Based Services
SDA is an optional service within Illinois’ Home-Based Services (HBS waiver) program, which helps people and families who have qualified through the PUNS process to manage supports in a way that works best for them. It is available to adults and school-age children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) who qualify for HBS funding and want more control over how their services are delivered. Families enrolled in SDA may also access our Behavioral Health Clinic services without using their HBS budget, providing additional support when it’s needed most.
Supports at a Glance
Guidance to understand and use HBS budgets effectively
Support to recruit, train and assist Personal Support Workers (PSWs), caregivers or staff
Help navigating employer responsibilities, including fiscal management services (FMS) support for timesheets, payroll and annual documentation
Access to community resources and services
Coordination with other supports, including Community Day Services or employment programs
Information on additional funding opportunities and HBS waivers
Strategies to build self-advocacy skills and plan for the future
Optional access to Behavioral Health Clinic services without using HBS budgets
Ready To Take the Next Step?
Contact us today to explore how Self-Directed Assistance can help you manage services with independence and confidence.
