Individual Supports are services that provide direct support and assistance for participants, with or without the caregiver present, in or out of the participant’s residence, to achieve and/or maintain the outcomes of increased independence, productivity, enhanced family functioning, and inclusion in the community, as outlined in his/her Service Plan.
Individual Supports may include but are not limited to: assistance with community-based activities and assistance to, as well as training and supervision of, individuals as they learn and perform the various tasks that are included in basic self-care, social skills, and activities of daily
living.

Examples of Individual Supports
* Please note that examples are not all inclusive of everything that can be funded through this service.
a) Support from staff to assist an individual participating in activities such as: assistance in completing activities of daily living, ordering off a menu, purchasing items, learning basic cooking, laundry skills, etiquette, travel training, accessing activities in the community, etc.
b) Support from staff to assist in activities of daily living in their residence – dressing, personal care, eating, etc. Support from staff to enable an individual to attend an event, take a class, etc.
c) Support on a job site to assist in basic self-care, social skills, and activities of daily living.
*Please note that Individual Supports can be used in addition to but cannot replace Supported Employment services (such as job coaching). Supported Employment services must be provided in accordance with the standards described in this manual by professionals who have completed the Employment Specialist/Job Coach series of trainings. For example, Individual Supports can be provided to assist an individual on a job site with safety awareness, remaining focused on work tasks, self-care needs, eating lunch, etc., but cannot assist the individual or his/her supervisor in learning work tasks, setting up accommodations to complete work tasks, or the training associated with learning new aspects of his/her job duties. Those activities must be conducted by an appropriately qualified and approved Supported Employment provider.