Case managers work with persons with developmental disabilities of all ages. After a determination of eligibility is made, case managers work with individuals to access needed services across a variety of settings, including the family home, schools, residential and vocational settings.
Case Management / Service Coordination
Case Management Services are provided through DVHHS, and include things such as intake and eligibility, developing a service plan, identifying needs, locating providers, accessing services, monitoring and evaluation.
This is a mandated service, which means that anyone who meets eligibility criteria may receive the service.
Eligibility for Services
To be eligible for developmental disability services, the person must have a developmental disability or a related condition.
A person with a developmental disability means a person who has substantial limitations in present functioning, manifested as significantly sub average intellectual functioning (IQ under 70), existing concurrently with demonstrated deficits in adaptive behavior and who manifests these conditions before the person’s 22nd birthday.
A person with a related condition means a person who has been diagnosed as having a severe, chronic disability that meets all of the following conditions:
is attributable to cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, Prader-Willi syndrome, or any other condition, other than mental illness or an emotional disturbance, and is found to be closely related to a developmental disability because the condition results in impairment of general functioning or adaptive behavior similar to that of persons with a developmental disability and requires treatment or services similar to those required for persons with a developmental disability.
is manifested before the person reaches 22 years of age;
is likely to continue indefinitely; and
results in substantial functional limitations in three or more of the following areas of major life activity: self-care; understanding and use of language; learning; mobility; self-direction; or capacity for independent living.
Eligibility for Developmental Disability services includes significant delays in areas of cognition. While many times medical conditions and/or behavioral conditions are also a part of the person’s disability, these concerns alone would not result in eligibility for these services, and there are other services that would be more appropriate.
There are a variety of services available for people with developmental disabilities. There is no charge for case management services or some of the other programs available through the county agency. Many of the programs are funded through Medical Assistance and there may be fees or premiums for those programs.