GT IndependenceWhere We ServeOhio

Ohio

How do I get services that are right for me or my family?

With participant direction, 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, participant direction 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, participant direction helps you choose the services that are right for you.

With participant direction, you make all the important choices—like who to hire, when to schedule support, and how to manage your care. We take care of the paperwork and are here to answer any questions you may have.

GT Independence works with these waiver services in Ohio:

  • Self-Empowered Life Funding (SELF)
  • Individual Options (IO)
  • Level One (L1)

You deserve to live the life you choose. GT is here to make that easier.

How GT Independence Can Help You

GT Independence is a financial management service (FMS) company that helps you live a life of your choosing. You decide what kind of services and support you want; we handle the details. For example, you hire employees (also known as providers or caregivers) you know and trust. We assist you by taking care of all the necessary paperwork, such as timesheets, paychecks, taxes, and insurance.

At GT, we believe everyone should be able to decide where to live and who provides their care. Through participant direction, they can. Each person has a unique situation and personalized needs. GT is here to help you learn about how participant-direction works in Ohio, so you have the information to decide what is best for you.

Learn What Participant Direction Means

Understand Your Long-Term Care Options
Participants
Caregivers
Agencies & MCOs
Case Managers

Why Choose GT as Your FMS?

  • We’ve Been In Your Shoes

    People with disabilities own and lead GT, and we have focused on participant-direction since our start in 2004. We understand that participant-direction for your care can feel complicated, but we are here to walk you through the process—from start to support.

  • Participant-Direction Is All We Do

    GT is an FMS company that focuses all our attention on one thing: participant-direction. Our people understand how programs work in Ohio and in states all across the country. We serve thousands of participants nationwide, helping each person live the life of their choosing.

  • Support Specialists That Care About You

    Our support specialist team is here to help you live life on your terms. Our Ohio team is trained on your programs. This ensures you always have access to the information you need to make informed decisions. And, we can support more than 200 languages on request.

    At GT, we’re ready to assist the participant, their family, and their employees. We’re also here for service and support administrators (SSAs) and the State of Ohio. Our goal is to find frustration-free solutions for everyone involved in participant-directed services.

  • Tools and Resources Designed for the Details

    GT has designed many tools to help manage the details of participant-direction. The secure online GT Portal helps people directing their services and their families keep track of services and spending. And the Caregiver app by GT lets employees log their hours and check the approval status of their time entries. We take care of the details, so you can focus on living your life.

“With participant-direction, I am in charge of my son’s caregiving, with the most authority over his care. We hire our own staff through participant-direction and GT Independence because we have the choice and know who is best for our loved one.”

Mom of Person Served

Find a Waiver or Waiver Service

Self-Empowered Life Funding (SELF)

With the SELF waiver, you can choose to direct your own care. This includes deciding who provides your services—you can even hire friends and family. You also have authority over your budget. This means you get to choose what services to spend your budget on.

Learn More
View Waiver Services

Individual Options (IO)

With the IO waiver, you get a comprehensive choice of many different services. This can be helpful if you need a lot of support. With IO, you can choose the services that fit best with your needs and life. You can also hire people you trust to provide your support—even friends and family.

Learn More
View Waiver Services

Level One (L1)

With the L1 waiver, you get to choose different services that best meet your needs. Many of these services rely on natural support (people such as friends, family, or co-workers who can help out without getting paid). This waiver can be a good choice if you only need a small amount of support.

Learn More
View Waiver Services

Helpful Forms and Resources for Ohio

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.

Go to Ohio Forms Page
Go to Portal

Don’t have access to a portal account? Get in Touch

Portal

Helpful Resources and Flyers for Ohio

See a comprensive list of resources and flyers relevent to Ohio.

View Ohio Resources

Your GT Support Team in Ohio

Paul Sheffield

Director of Operations

Ohio Customer Support
Call: 877.659.4500
Email: customerservice@gtsd.org

Learn More About Participant-Direction