As mentioned in the previous post, What is iBudget?, iBudget is designed to give individuals more self-direction over their services and be a simpler system in terms of the review and approval of services. iBudget users will also have flexibility to select services they need, which may differ from month to month. As long as an individual’s health and safety needs are met, they are free to use their funds on the services that will meet their current needs. For example, one month Adult Day Training may be a big priority, but the next month transportation may be the bigger need. Each individual with the assistance of their Waiver Support Coordinator will need to budget the funding to last the entire fiscal year (12 months). The current tier system does not allow for this same flexibility.
The biggest question about iBudget is, “how will my services be affected?” Many things will stay the same or be very similar such as Waiver Support Coordinators, providers, and available services. To determine your new budget a QSI or, Questionnaire for Situational Information, will be performed. Your age and living situation (whether you live with family, in your own home, or in a group home) will also be considered. All these factors will be used to determine the amount of money approved to assist you in meeting your needs, especially those involving health and safety. Most people will not see any reduction in their budgets. For those who do receive a reduction and feel that their health and safety needs cannot be met by the new budget, you can request that the budget be reviewed based on your concerns.
For more information on iBudget visit us online at http://apdcares.org/ibudget/.
Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities 