Self-Direction

Hiring Your Own Staff in OPWDD Self-Direction

Hiring people you choose is one of the biggest reasons families self-direct. Here's how it works, and the rules to know before you start.

Last reviewed October 8, 2026

Who does what

With employer authority, you recruit, interview, hire, train, schedule, and supervise your staff, and you can end their employment if it isn't working. Your Fiscal Intermediary is the employer of record: it handles payroll, background checks, and the paperwork. Your Support Broker helps you plan staffing and build it into the budget.

The steps

Plan the hours. Work out what support is needed, when, and how many hours, within the budget.
Find candidates. Many families start with people they know: a neighbor, a family friend, a former aide. Local colleges and community groups can help too.
Interview. Include the person who will receive support, as much as they can be.
Start the FI's hiring process. The FI verifies employment eligibility, runs the required background checks, and tracks the OPWDD trainings staff must complete before they start.
Train on the person. Routines, communication, sensory needs, what helps on a hard day. You know this best.
Start work and submit time through the FI's system.

Clearance takes time. Start the process for backup staff before you need them.

Can you hire relatives?

Often, yes, but there are limits:

A parent or legal guardian of an adult generally can't be paid to provide services, except in extraordinary circumstances OPWDD approves.
A Live-in Caregiver can't be related to the person by blood or marriage.
Other relatives may be hired in many cases, if the service is needed, authorized, and would otherwise be provided by another qualified worker.

Rules can be specific to your situation, so check with your Support Broker or Care Manager before you make an offer.

Keeping good staff

Be clear about expectations, schedule, and how to reach you.
Give feedback early and often, and say thank you.
Spread hours across two or three people so one absence doesn't stop everything. Our post on backup plans when staff call out has more.

Sources: OPWDD Self-Direction Guidance (March 2022); OPWDD, FI Checklist; OPWDD, FI Memorandum of Understanding.

Looking for a Support Broker in the Capital Region?

Spectrum Arch is in the process of offering Support Brokerage across Saratoga, Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and the surrounding counties. Join the waitlist and we will contact you as soon as we can begin.