CDCS (Consumer Directed Community Supports) is a service option that gives individuals more flexibility and responsibility to direct their services and supports, including hiring and managing direct care staff. When a person chooses CDCS that person may decide how to spend the budget allowance based on their specific needs, hire people such as family, friends, and neighbors to help, and can choose as much responsibility desired to hire, train, and manage workers.
As an organization that provides Support Planning services SMILES has individuals certified by the State of Minnesota who understand CDCS, person-centered planning and how to develop a support plan. A support planner is able to provide information about CDCS and provider options, help develop a community support plan, help monitor a plan, help individuals purchase and receive services and support, offer ideas to recruit, screen and hire support workers, help solve problems that may occur, as well as arrange for staff training specific to an individual’s needs.