Supports Broker Services

The purpose of the Supports Broker service is to assist and support Common Law Employers (CLE) and Managing Employers (ME) to perform employer-related functions independently and to assist participants to be as successful as possible in self-directing their services.  The Supports Broker’s goal is to maximize the CLEs or MEs knowledge of all functions of their role and minimize or eliminate the need for Supports Broker Services.  This range of supports can include:

• Providing education, support, and guidance to CLEs/MEs to:
  • Complete employer or managing employer responsibilities as outlined in the CLE Agreement or ME Agreement form.
  • Understand and participate in orientation and trainings provided by the Vendor/Fiscal Employment Agency or Agency with Choice.
  • Develop effective recruiting and hiring techniques
  • To recruit and retrain Support Service Professionals and expanding and coordinating informal, unpaid resources and networks within the community to support meeting the participant’s needs through participant-direction, which may include facilitating a support group that helps to meet the participant’s self-direction needs. These support groups are separate and apart from the service plan team meetings arranged and facilitated by the Supports Coordinator (SC).
  • Establish a process for creating work schedules that include both Support Service Professionals and unpaid supports, including developing, implementing, and modifying back-up plans when paid or unpaid supports are unable to work.
  • Develop a performance review process for Support Service Professionals, including but not limited to creating a performance review tool and review schedule.
  • Responding to notices for corrective action from the FMS, SC, AE, or ODP.
  • Complying with the standards, regulations, policies, and waiver requirements related to that participant direction of services.
  • Secure a new surrogate if necessary.
  • Providing or arrange for training that will aid the CLE/ME in developing their management skills, including but not limited to:
    • Conflict resolution
    • Effective communication
    • Workplace safety and injury prevention
    • Expanding and coordinating informal, unpaid resources and networks within the community to support success with participant directed services
    • Problem solving
    • Decision making
    • Achieving desired personal and assessed outcomes

In addition, the Supports Broker will work collaboratively with the Supports Coordinator and service plan team but may not perform Supports Coordination functions. 

For more information, please contact Shayla Andrews at (814) 806-6408 or shaylaandrews@barberni.org.