5. Developing Your Child’s Individual Service Plan

#5 in our series on the Children’s Long-Term Support Waiver

What is the Children’s Long–Term Support (CLTS) Waiver Program?

The CLTS Waiver Program provides funding and support for families who have children with disabilities, who are Medicaid eligible, so they can care for their children at home and participate in their communities. This fact sheet will explain how to develop your child’s Individual Services Plan (ISP).

Creating an Individual Service Plan (ISP)

Once you’ve applied to this Program, your child is found eligible, and enrolled, your family will work with a service coordinator to create an ISP.

Your child’s ISP is the document that describes the supports and services to be put in place to help your family reach your goals or outcomes. The plan will also identify what the CLTS Program will pay for and what programs or services your coordinator will help facilitate over the next year.

For families new to the program, an initial ISP will be created after your family has met with the service coordinator and he or she has gotten to know your child and family’s goals and concerns.

Two times a year you will meet with the service coordinator to review and update your child’s ISP.

Tips for Families

Use your phone to take videos of your child during difficult or challenging times to show the screener a more realistic view of your child.

Does My Input Matter?

Yes! A family’s input is critical in creating the ISP. Your ideas, suggestions, and point of view will help identify and prioritize what will benefit your child and family the most.

Tips for Families

Don’t let the cost of an item stop you from considering it in your child’s service plan.

Does the Parental Payment Fee Depend on What is Included in my Child’s Plan?

Families may need to pay a Parental Payment, which is based on your family’s income and the CLTS-funded services included on your child’s Plan. Families with higher incomes (above 330% of the Federal Poverty Level), may receive a bill from the county for participating in the CLTS Program. The Parental Payment is usually a percentage of the total cost of the ISP.

However, there are limits to this fee and your child’s service coordinator can help answer questions or you can learn more at dhs.wisconsin.gov/clts/waiver-costs.htm.

Do I Need to Worry About the Cost of Services and Supports?

While there are limited funds and resources for any program, your role as a parent/guardian is to focus on outcomes for your child. As you work with the service coordinator you can review all items and services that have been identified, and then prioritize those needs. Think about what is most important for this year, and what you might consider to include in the plan in future years.

Focusing on Goals Rather Than Specific Items or Services

As you create your child’s service plan, it’s important to set goals or outcomes and think broadly about how to meet those goals, rather than focusing on a specific item or service. (See Family Voices of Wisconsin CLTS Fact Sheet #6.)

Some Examples of What You Might Include in an ISP:

Keeping Your Child Safe Outdoors: You want your child with autism to play in the back yard with her siblings (outcome). A fence may be the product that you’d like covered by the CLTS Program.

Step back and ask, “What do we hope to accomplish and why do we want a fence?” If your outcome statement is, “We want to keep my child safe and play outdoors with his siblings,” you can work with your service coordinator to consider what adaptive equipment or home modifications might get you to that goal. It might be a fence, a wander alarm or other item that will keep your child safe and able to be outside with her sisters.

Making New Friends and Spending Time with Peers During the Summer: You may want your child to be with friends and have fun during the summer (outcome) and you are aware of a camp at the local YMCA. Paying for summer camp may be a support program you want the CLTS Program to cover.

Step back and ask, “How can my child be in an inclusive summer program that will allow him to make friends and participate in activities with his peers?” With your service coordinator’s help, you could look at camps and other community-based or school-based programs. Once you have determined the best camp, tuition for that program would be part of your child’s ISP and your county would pay camp directly.

Making Our House Wheelchair Accessible: Your child uses a wheelchair and is getting too heavy to carry up the stairs into your house. A ramp may be the product that you want CLTS funds to pay for.

Step back and ask, “How can we make our home accessible so my child can independently get in and out of the house?” (outcome) You may consider a ramp in your garage, at your front or back door or install an elevator lift. With recommendations from your service coordinator, you could find a few contractors to give you a bid and include the cost of installing a ramp or lift in the ISP.

Remember, your service coordinator can help you make the connection between outcomes that you and your child define, and what might be provided through the CLTS Program or other programs.

If you have questions, contact your Regional Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs. To find your Center, go to dhs.wisconsin.gov/cyshcn/regionalcenters.htm or call 800.642.7837.