Agency With Choice

What is Agency With Choice?

Participants in the Lifespan Medicaid waiver, funded by the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services (DDDS), may choose the self-directed services made available through Agency With Choice (AWC). Easterseals Delaware provides participants who direct their own services through Agency With Choice the supports necessary for their program success. 

Self-Directed Service Options 

There are three services that the AWC program makes available to participants. One may participate in one or any combination of these services, depending on personal preference and funding made available by DDDS. The three services are:

• Personal care
• Respite care
• Respite camp

Personal Care Services  

Personal care services provide assistance with essential daily activities, often referred to as activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). 

Some activities included in personal care are: 

• Meal preparation
• Laundry
• Routine household care and maintenance
• Bathing
• Eating
• Dressing
• Personal hygiene
• Shopping
• Money management
• Transportation
• Participation in regular community activities

Respite Care Services        

Respite Services are provided to give the participant's primary caregivers short-term relief from ongoing responsibilities. The respite care worker may provide personal care tasks during the respite period. 

Respite Camp Services       

Camp services allow participants to experience safe and healthy achievement-oriented recreational opportunities. Camp provides fun and friendship through participation in inclusive activities. The camp experience allows family and other caregivers a short break from the responsibility of continuous care. Program activities vary but may include arts and crafts, music, and adventure activities. 

Only camps approved by Easterseals and DDDS can be attended.  If a participant has an interest in a camp that is not currently approved, Easterseals may contact the camp to go through the approval process upon the participant’s request. The Easterseals coordinator can help with obtaining camp information and with the application process. 

Self-Direction Means the Participant Decides:

• Which services to enjoy 
• Who provides the services 
• How and when the services are provided

Through Agency With Choice, the participant, as household employer, recruits and hires personal care and respite caregivers and manages their schedules and employment activities. A surrogate, if necessary, may perform these duties on behalf of the participant. 

Many participants choose a family member or friend as a caregiver. 

Easterseals Delaware, the financial management services (FMS) agency, is a joint employer along with the participant and provides technical support to the participant in fulfilling the duties and obligations of the household employer. Among Easterseals’ responsibilities are providing caregiver payroll and paying camps. 

Budget Authority 

Participants in the Agency With Choice program enjoy budget authority, which means that they decide how much to spend for desired services based on an annual budget determined by DDDS. Funds pay for caregiver payroll and camp attendance. 

How To Get Involved:

To participate in Agency With Choice, there are 5 basic steps:

1. One must participate in the Lifespan Waiver, funded through the Division of Disability Services (DDDS).

   For questions about Lifespan Waiver enrollment, contact DDDS:

   New Castle County: contact Carmen Harmon at 302-836-2100 or carmen.harmon@delaware.gov

   Kent/Sussex Counties: contact Gisele Landry at 302-744-9600 or Gisele.landry@delaware.gov

2. One must receive the services of a community navigator who helps participants develop a person-centered plan and choose their service options under the Lifespan Waiver. Currently, The Columbus Organization provides community navigation services.

   For questions about working with a Columbus community navigator, contact:

   Renee Fortune, Executive State Director, at 302-443-3166 or rfortune@columbusorg.com

3. The community navigator refers the participant to Easterseals for AWC enrollment.
4. Easterseals assigns an AWC coordinator to the participant. The coordinator will schedule an in-home visit with the participant and/or participant’s surrogate and orient them and any caregivers they have selected to the program.

5. DDDS authorizes the chosen AWC services and sets the participant’s budget.

   For more information on Easterseals Agency With Choice, contact:

   The AWC coordination team at (302) 324-4444 or DDDS-AWC@esdel.org