Resource: Service options for individualized home supports (IHS)

Page updated: 2/1/23

Individualized home supports (IHS) is a service that provides support and/or training in community living service categories for people who live in their own home or their family’s home. IHS can be provided in the person’s own home, family’s home or in the community, and either in person or remotely. For policy information, refer to CBSM – IHS.

IHS is a single service authorized in three different ways, depending on the type of support or training a person and/or their family needs. This resource provides lead agencies with information about the differences between service options and when to authorize them.

Service options

There are three service options for IHS:

· IHS without training: Provided to adults or children when they need support, assistance and supervision in at least one of the community living service categories.

· IHS with training: Provided to adults when they need support and training in at least one of the community living service categories.

· IHS with family training: Provided to adults or children living in their family’s home when the person and/or their family needs support and training in at least one of the community living service categories.

Which option do I authorize?

The options available to the person are based on their age, living arrangement and type of support and/or training they need. Lead agencies can use the following questions to determine which option to authorize.

If the person is a child who lives with their family, does the person and/or their family need training to enable the person to remain in their family home?

· If yes, authorize IHS with family training.

· If no, authorize IHS without training.

If the person is an adult who lives in their own home, does the person need training?

· If yes, authorize IHS with training.

· If no, authorize IHS without training.

If the person is an adult who lives with their family, does the person and/or their family need training to enable the person to remain in their family home?

· If only the person needs training, authorize IHS with training.

· If both the person and their family need training, authorize IHS with family training.

· If neither the person nor their family needs training, authorize IHS without training.

Can a person have separate authorizations for IHS with training and IHS with family training?

A person can receive IHS with training and IHS with family training when all of the following is true:

· Services are delivered by different providers.

· The person is an adult who lives with their family

· Services are delivered at different times.

The lead agency must ensure there is no service duplication.

If a person wants the same provider to deliver both services, the lead agency should authorize IHS with family training because it includes both:

· Support in community living service categories.

· Training or habilitation (for people on the DD Waiver) in community living service categories, including training to increase the person’s and/or their family’s capabilities to care for and maintain the person’s ability to live in the home.

This allows IHS with family training to be authorized to meet both the person’s support and training needs flexibly in a single service.

Can a person have separate authorizations for IHS without training and IHS with training?

A person can receive IHS without training and IHS with training when delivered by different service providers. The lead agency must ensure there is no service duplication.

If a person wants the same provider to deliver both services, the lead agency should authorize IHS with training because it includes both:

· Support in community living service categories.

· Training or habilitation (for people on the DD Waiver) in community living service categories.

This allows the IHS with training service option to be authorized to meet both the person’s support and training needs flexibly in a single service.

Can a person have separate authorizations for IHS without training and IHS with family training?

A person can receive IHS without training and IHS with family training when delivered by different service providers. The lead agency must ensure there is no service duplication.

If a person wants the same provider to deliver both services, the lead agency should authorize IHS with family training because it includes both:

· Support in community living service categories.

· Training or habilitation (for people on the DD Waiver) in community living service categories.

This allows the IHS with family training service option to be authorized to meet both the person’s support and training needs flexibly in a single service.