Self-direction is a model of long-term care that prioritizes individual choice, control and flexibility. In self-direction, each person selects and trains their own staff and sets their own standards for how their services will be delivered. In recent years, UnitedHealthcare Community & State has been focused on improving access to self-direction for members and supporting consumer choice. We have worked in collaboration with national experts at Applied Self-Direction (ASD) to conduct research to uncover self-direction best practices.
Following our 2022 national evaluation of self-direction programs and recognizing program design challenges that make self-direction difficult to access in Ohio, UnitedHealthcare Community & State sponsored ASD’s Ohio Self-Direction Summit in Dublin, Ohio. The Summit convened stakeholders across the state, including advocates and representatives from the Area Agency on Aging, financial management services, managed care organizations, the Ohio Department of Medicaid and the Ohio Department of Aging. The participants discussed the current challenges of, and opportunities for, improving access to self-direction among older adults and people with disabilities in Ohio.
This report provides the key findings and recommendations from the Summit, including:
- Opportunities to simplify the self-direction enrollment process
- Support needed for case managers to improve administration
- Employers’ need for increased flexibility
- Need for expanded services to ensure greater control over one’s own care
