Self-Empowered Life Funding (SELF) Waiver
An older man and an younger woman sit at a table together. A young girl with blond hair sits between them, coloring.
What is the Self-Empowered Life Funding (SELF) Waiver in Ohio?
The SELF waiver helps people control their own services using participant direction. Participant direction allows you to remain in your own home and community—and get the support you need.
With SELF, this includes choosing who provides your services—you can even hire friends and family. You also have authority over your budget. This means you get to decide what services to spend your budget on. If you want, you can choose a representative to handle everything for you.
The goal is for you to decide how and where you’re supported. And who delivers that support.
Self-Directed Services Available in the SELF Waiver
Participant-Directed Homemaker/Personal Care
Homemaker and Personal Care Services is a waiver service that helps Ohioans like you control your own care and support with participant direction. This gives you the freedom to choose the support that best fits you and your life.
Self-Directed Transportation
In Ohio, you have several choices for transportation services, including ground transportation and mileage reimbursement. This gives you access to transportation services so you can go out into the community whenever you like.
A man rolls his wheelchair up a wheelchair into a gray van. He’s enrolled in self-directed transportation in Ohio.
Participant Directed Goods and Services
Participant-direction helps people live the life they choose. That includes choosing vendors that best fit their preferences. With this waiver service, you can get the services, equipment, or supplies you need.
Eligibility and Services for the SELF Waiver
Who the SELF Waiver Serves
- Are eligible for Medicaid
- Need at least one SELF waiver service
- Need a level of care equivalent to an intermediate care facility
- Can be healthy and safe while using the SELF waiver
- Are able to manage their budget, manage their support providers, or choose someone to do these things for them
With the SELF Waiver, You Can…
- Hire people you know and trust to provide support, including friends and family
- Be in charge of your budget
- Decide when and where you should get support
- Choose what services you need
- Train your own support providers
- Decide on pay for your support providers
- Create schedules and sign off on time sheets
- Choose a representative to handle things for you
How GT Independence Supports You
At GT Independence, we believe you should be able to live life on your own terms. As a family-founded and disability-led financial management service (FMS), we’ve sat on your side of the table. And our goal is to make it easy and convenient for you to control who delivers your support and how that support is delivered.
As your advocates for participant-direction, we’re here to help you live the life you choose. We do this by:
- An online portal with easy-to-read monthly budget reports
- A simple e-enrollment process for employees
- An app to track time and submit timesheets
- An online caregiver directory
- Dedicated support specialists who understand you and your waiver service
- Tax specialists on hand to file your taxes for you
- More than 15 years supporting families
- CARF accredited fiscal employer agent (FEA)
Helpful Forms for Ohio
View select forms on the Ohio forms page. To view all forms, sign into your portal account and visit the resources tab.
Don’t have access to a portal account? Get in Touch
Helpful Resources and Flyers for Ohio
See a comprehensive list of resources and flyers relevent to Ohio.
Want to get started?
Have questions about managing your own services with SELF? Contact our Ohio support specialists to learn how to get started.
Call: 1.877.659.4500
Email: customerservice@gtsd.org