Spectrum Arch, Inc.What IDGS is
Individual Directed Goods and Services (IDGS) are services, equipment, or supplies that aren't otherwise provided through the OPWDD waiver or the Medicaid State Plan, and that address a need identified in the person's plan. IDGS is available to people who self-direct with Budget Authority.
The rules an IDGS purchase has to meet
Under OPWDD guidance, an IDGS item has to:
- Connect to a need or goal in the person's Life Plan
- Increase independence, or substitute for human assistance that would otherwise be paid for
- Support community living and inclusion
It also can't be something available through the Medicaid State Plan. If Medicaid already covers it, the self-direction budget can't buy it.
What that can look like
Whether a specific item is approved depends on the person's plan and OPWDD's review, but IDGS is commonly used for things like a community class tied to a social or skills goal, a membership that supports health and community participation, or supplies that help someone do more on their own. The key is the "why": how this item moves a goal forward.
Making a strong case
- Start from the goal, not the item. "Build friendships outside the family" leads naturally to a weekly class.
- Explain the link in plain words: what will change for the person.
- Show it's not covered elsewhere.
- Review it. At Circle of Support meetings, check whether it's actually helping.
A Support Broker builds IDGS into the budget with you and documents the reasoning. See the Self-Direction budget and PRA for how it fits with the rest of the budget.
Sources: OPWDD Self-Direction Guidance (March 2022); OPWDD, Self-Direction.