Build Your Support Team
Why a Support Team Matters
The Self-Determination Program (SDP) gives you more choice and control over your services. That freedom means you are directing your services, not just receiving them.
A strong support team helps you:
- Turn your goals into a clear, workable Person-Centered Plan (PCP) which is the compass for your whole SDP journey
- Hire and manage the people who support you
- Understand SDP rules and paperwork without feeling overwhelmed
- Solve problems and adjust your plan as your needs change
You are the ultimate decision-maker. Your team exists to support your vision for your life.
What Is a Support Team?
Your support team is a group of people you choose to help you plan, organize, and manage your supports and services.
Your team can include:
- Family members or trusted friends
- Paid professionals
- Community resources — coaches, SDP support groups, resource fairs (see our Events page)
- Workers you hire directly
You decide who is on your team, what tasks each person helps with, and how involved each member is. There is no single “right” team — the best team is the one that works for you and your goals.
How to Build Your Team: Step by Step
- Start with your vision: what does a good life look like for you?
- Identify your needs: where specifically do you need help — planning, hiring, skill-building, coordination?
- Add supports intentionally: focus on quality roles, not just adding more people.
- Adjust over time: be ready for your team to change as your life and needs evolve.
Core Members of a Support Team
1. You (or the client) and Your Allies
You are the central decision-maker in SDP. Your allies are the people you choose to involve — parents, caregivers, siblings, relatives, trusted friends, or paid professionals who help you carry out your plan.
Best Practice for Allies:
- Define roles clearly — who handles major decisions, who manages day-to-day tasks, and who provides emotional support
- Maintain authority — be clear about your decision-making power so others don’t unintentionally take over
- Plan for the unexpected — have backup providers or alternates for key roles
2. Independent Facilitator (IF) - (Optional)
If a participant chooses to use an Independent Facilitator (IF), the cost remains in the Spending Plan and is paid through the SDP budget. An IF is an optional, but highly recommended, support person who does not work for the Regional Center or a service provider.
An IF helps participants understand Self-Determination Program (SDP) requirements, develop and implement a strong Person-Centered Plan, and prepare for planning meetings. They can assist with identifying life goals, exploring service options, coordinating communication with the Regional Center and team members, and supporting ongoing IPP implementation. The participant determines the level of involvement they want from the IF and should select someone who uses person-centered practices.
The IF’s responsibilities, time commitment, cost, and reporting requirements should be documented in a written agreement between the participant and the facilitator.
Best practices for choosing an IF:
- Look for someone who supports follow-through and advocacy, not just meetings and paperwork
- Choose someone familiar with your specific Regional Center’s SDP process;
- Interview more than one IF before deciding. Many participants use their IF heavily at the start, then reduce hours once they feel confident.
3. Coaches and Community Support
A coach helps you build specific skills over time — like managing your team or your budget — to increase your independence.
Coaching is often used:
- During SDP onboarding
- Transition planning (such as school to adult life)
- Build your knowledge of SDP planning and management.
Each Regional Center has a Self-Determination Local Advisory Committee which is comprised of members who have been chosen jointly by the State Council on Developmental Disabilities Bay Area Office and your local Regional Center. The purpose of the SDLAC is to meet monthly to discuss how the Self Determination Program is being implemented at the Regional Center as well as to support SDP and its participants. Check with your Regional Center to learn more about your SD Local Advisory Committee.
Staff Costs & Hiring Best Practices
Participants should think carefully before becoming an employer. They may need to recruit, hire, manage, and end employment with staff. They should also plan for wages, raises, and benefits.
If a participant hires staff, they should work with the FMS to review all employer costs. These may include wages, health insurance, and other expenses. These costs affect how much the staff person can be paid and how many hours they can work.
Background Checks
Anyone who gives direct personal care to a SDP participant must complete a background check and be cleared before starting work, including family members. Participants or their FMS provider may also ask other service providers to show proof of a cleared background check.
Background checks help protect SDP participants. They help participants choose workers who have not been convicted of a serious crime.
To complete a background check, providers go to a Live Scan location to have their fingerprints taken. Providers pay the Live Scan cost. The FMS provider can tell candidates where to go and how much it may cost.
Service providers should know how they will be paid. Participants should build a good working relationship with each provider. They should explain the purpose of the service and the supports needed. They should also agree on how to communicate, what to do in an emergency, and how to track progress. Participants may share their one-page person-centered profile with the provider.
4. Participant-Directed Services (PDS) / Self-Directed Supports
If you’ve completed SDP orientation, you may request an Initial Person-Centered Plan under service code 024, instead of working with an Independent Facilitator. Ask your Regional Center Service Coordinator whether a vendored or certified person-centered planner is available to help write this plan, which can then inform your Individual Program Plan (IPP).
General Self-Directed Supports (service code 099) — coaching or training support — may also be available if you or your family need more help to successfully enroll in SDP. Up to 40 hours of these supports can be provided to potential SDP participants.
5. Financial Management Service (FMS)
Financial Management Services (FMS) is the agency that pays service providers and staff. The way services are managed depends on the FMS model selected. Each participant in the SDP must use an FMS provider that is vendored by a regional center. Your FMS manages the financial side of your budget — it pays your workers and vendors, handles payroll and taxes, tracks your spending, and sends you monthly budget reports.
Your FMS does not decide which services you’re authorized to receive, and it does not approve or deny your goals — that connects back to your Person-Centered Plan and your Regional Center.
Best practices: treat your FMS as a financial partner, not just a gatekeeper. Review your monthly budget reports, and ask questions right away if anything looks incorrect or confusing.
Choosing Your FMS Model
This table compares the three Financial Management Services (FMS) models, describing the employer responsibilities for each, helping you find the best fit.
| Model | Who Handles Employer Tasks? | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Sole Employer | You are the direct employer with full legal responsibility. Your FMS provides payroll, tax filing, and insurance/legal support. | People who want maximum control and don’t mind more administrative work. |
| Co-Employer | You and the FMS share employer responsibilities. The FMS handles liability and worker’s comp insurance; you choose who to hire and manage. | People who want a middle ground between control and support. |
| Bill Payer (Fiscal Agent) | The FMS pays businesses and vendors directly for goods and services. | People who do not want to hire or manage their own employees. |
How to choose: think about whether you want the flexibility of hiring your own staff (Co-Employer or Sole Employer) or prefer a simpler bill-paying arrangement (Bill Payer). Talk with different FMS providers or your Independent Facilitator to compare services and fees, then select the model that best fits your situation.
Find an FMS provider through the DDS FMS directory. FMS providers must be vendored (contracted) with a Regional Center, but it does not have to be your own Regional Center.
DDS Financial Management Service Provider List →
When moving into SDP, participants must choose the FMS model that works best for them. Participants should contact the FMS provider, discuss expectations, and make plans for services. They should ask about invoices, payroll steps, payment timing, waitlists, delays, and the best way to share information. This helps prevent service gaps. For types of Financial Management Services for Self-Determination Program Participants, please visit the DDS site FAQs page and click on the tab labeled “Financial Management Services.”
6. Regional Center Service Coordinator / Social Worker/ Case Manager
Your Service Coordinator (SC) or Social Worker (SW) or Case Manager works with you to authorize your SDP budget and make sure your services follow program rules. In SDP, their role shifts from directing your services to overseeing your plan and partnering with you.
- Keep communication clear and in writing when possible.
- Make sure decisions connect back to your Person-Centered Plan.
- Ask for clarification promptly if anything seems unclear or inconsistent.
Best Practices from SDP Leaders and Advocacy Groups
- Focus on the person, not the service — keep your plan centered on your strengths, preferences, and goals.
- Document everything — keep a record of decisions and expectations for clear accountability.
- Pace yourself — avoid overloading during the initial onboarding period.
- Seek community support — join local support groups, workshops, and roundtables through your Regional Center.
- Advocate for the system — engage with Local Volunteer Advisory Committees (LVACs) to help protect program funding and integrity.
- Remember SDP is flexible — you’re allowed to learn and make changes as you go.
Key Takeaway
Self-determination is not about doing everything alone. It’s about choosing the right people for the right roles to help you live the life you want. You are the director — your support team helps make your plan real.