Two people walking in field in rural Wisconsin countryside.
How do I hire long-term services for myself or a loved one?
With Self-Directed Services (SDS), you have the right to live the life you choose—right in your own home and community, no matter your age or ability.
Everyone’s situation is different. For some, SDS means the ability to receive services and support from a loved one. For others, it’s supporting parents so that they can care for children with disabilities. Or, it may simply be that as you get older you want to continue living where you choose and get care from someone you trust. No matter your situation, SDS helps you get the long-term care services that are right for you.
People choose SDS to manage their care for many reasons. GT Independence is here to support your decision. You make all the important choices—like who to hire and when to schedule your support. We take care of the details and are here to answer questions you may have.
In Wisconsin, GT Independence works with these programs:
- Family Care—F/EA Services
- IRIS Program
- Family Care—PACE
- Family Care—Partnership
- Family Care—Community Supported Living
- Special Needs Trust
- Project SEARCH
You deserve to live the life you choose. GT is here to make that easier.
Find a Program
Family Care – F/EA Services
Family Care is a long-term care program for adults with physical, developmental, and/or intellectual disabilities. With Family Care, you can receive the services and supports you need to live in your own home and community. The program is funded by Medicaid and is available statewide.
About EVV for Family Care
Granddaughter supporting grandmother using mobility walker
IRIS Program
IRIS stands for “Include, Respect, I Self-Direct.” The program is for adults who are frail or have disabilities and who would need the type of care provided in nursing homes. By participating in this program, you can get quality care in your own home and community.
About EVV for IRIS
A young woman with a disability sits in a wheelchair on the porch of a home, smiling at her mom. They both have blond hair and wear light-colored cardigans.
Family Care – PACE
Through PACE, you have a team of health professionals working with you and your family to create a plan for your care. You might work with them at your local PACE center, and you may have services brought into your home.
About EVV for Family Care
woman in a wheelchair smiling and looking at her phone.
Family Care – Partnership
With the Partnership program, you have a team of professionals who help manage your health and your long-term care services together. You decide what those services will look like and who will deliver them (and when and where).
About EVV for Family Care
An older woman shows her smartphone to a teenage girl
Community Supported Living
With Community Supported Living (CSL), you or your loved one can live independently in your own home. And get the support that’s tailored to your unique needs by creating a support plan that fits your life.
A young woman sits in her kitchen in a wheelchair, making a salad on the countertop. She has a tan tank top on and light brown hair.
Special Needs Trust
The Special Needs Trust is a legal arrangement. It lets you have access to public assistance programs, while also providing some private funds to help with long-term care services.
Caregiver – woman helping senior man with shopping
Project SEARCH
Project SEARCH helps students with disabilities transition from high school to adult life. It is an internship program for students who are in their last year of high school eligibility (often aged 21). You get real-life work experience and classroom training to prepare for joining the workforce.
woman in a wheelchair smiling and looking at her phone.
Three Steps to Get Started
Contact your local ADRC (Aging Disability Resource Center)
Work with your local ADRC to determine your eligibility and choose the program that meets your needs
Choose GT Independence as your fiscal employer agent (F/EA) provider and begin self-directing care.
*Your eligibility does not depend on immigration status. Contact your regional center or GT for more information. Undocumented residents can get benefits.
Would you like someone to walk you through the process?
EVV mandate started May 1, 2023. Learn how to get compliant with EVV.
