Service and Support Administration
The Service and Support Administration (SSA) is a mandated function that supports individuals in identifying and pursuing life goals through person-centered planning. At the same time, coordinating services across multiple systems and helping them become integrated into their communities to live a fulfilling life. The SSA acts as the primary point of coordination for an individual and performs the following activities:
- Assessing Needs: An SSA begins by determining the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities. This involves evaluating their physical, emotional, and social needs to understand what services and support are necessary to improve their quality of life.
- Developing Plans: Based on the assessment, the SSA develops a personalized, person-centered plan that outlines the specific services, supports, and resources required. These plans are tailored to help individuals achieve their personal goals, whether they involve skill development, social interaction, employment, or independent living.
- Coordinating Services: One of the SSA’s key responsibilities is coordinating the services outlined in the person-centered plans. This means working with various service providers, from healthcare professionals to educational instructors, to ensure that all services are delivered effectively and cohesively.
- Monitoring Progress: The SSA regularly monitors the effectiveness of services and supports. This includes checking in on the individual’s progress, ensuring services are being delivered as planned, and evaluating whether the outcomes meet the goals of the person-centered plan.
- Advocating: SSAs advocate for the rights and needs of individuals with developmental disabilities. They ensure that these individuals have access to necessary resources and are treated with respect and dignity in all aspects of their lives.
- Managing Crisis: SSAs are also prepared to intervene to ensure the safety and well-being of the individuals they support. This may involve coordinating emergency services or making urgent adjustments to care plans.
Overall, the role of an SSA is to empower individuals through personalized supports, facilitate their integration into the community, and help them lead fulfilling lives.
Service and Support Administration
1701 Colegate Drive, Marietta, Ohio 45750
Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Phone: (740) 373-5147
Fax: (740) 373-1386
24/7 on-call assistance is available to help resolve situations that require immediate action to help ensure an individual’s health and safety: (740) 516-5970
Common Questions
What is an SSA?
A Service and Support Administrator (SSA) is a person who works for a county board of developmental disabilities and is assigned to you to act as the main point of coordination and contact for services and supports you need. Your SSA is a trouble-shooter, problem-solver, and an advocate for you.
Why would I want an SSA assigned to me?
You may want an SSA assigned to you for several reasons. You may want to know what services, supports, and community resources are available to you. If you live in an ICF or nursing home and would like to move to a home in the community. Maybe you’re interested in finding employment in your community with meaningful pay. Or if you want help finding a provider (or a new provider) for some of the services you need.
Once you have an SSA, you can expect your SSA to:
- Call you back promptly
- Be honest with you about what services, supports, and community resources you may receive.
- Connect you with people who can help you achieve desired outcomes and promote independence in your community.
- Help you find housemates.
- Help you solve problems with providers, or other people in your life.
- Help you decide what is in your ISP.
What is an Individual Service Plan (ISP)?
Individual Service Plan (ISP) is the written description of services, supports, and community resources that support you. You, your team, and your SSA decide what services and supports will be part of your ISP for the following areas of your life:
- Advocacy and Engagement
- Safety and Security
- Social and Spirituality
- Daily Life and Employment
- Community Living
- Healthy Living
The services indicated in your ISP are based on your own personal outcomes and goals.
What is a “team”?
Your team is a group of people who can give you support to develop and change your ISP. The group that makes up your team includes your SSA, people who work with you, providers, professionals, your guardian (if you have a guardian), and any other people you choose to help support you. In thinking about the people you want to include, consider people you know and trust, such as family members, friends, and others who have your best interests in mind. Your SSA can help you decide who you want on your team, and who you want to invite to meetings about your ISP.
What is the role of a Natural Support?
Your SSA makes sure that your ISP includes all of your services and supports, no matter who provides it, who pays for it, or if it is a natural support or service that is not covered by a Medicaid waiver. Natural supports develop from your personal relationships, is not a paid support, and usually is provided by a family member, friend, neighbor, or other people or organizations that also do the same thing for other people who live in your community.
What is Person-Centered Planning?
Your SSA will help you develop or change your ISP after listening to you explain your needs and goals, how you would like things to be in the future, your interests in your education or job, what you think is working and not working well for you, and other things that are important to you. Your SSA will help you and your team use a person-centered approach to develop, review, and change your ISP. “Person-centered” means that your services and decisions depend on you and what you say, and that your input is critical in the discussion and planning of your services. It also means that you get to speak up about the things you want the team to know and what information you would like to include in your ISP.
Can my SSA help me have different things in my life in the future?
Yes. Your SSA and your team must support the outcomes that you want. “Outcomes” are your goals or things that you want to have in your life, learn to do, get, or do in the future. Outcomes are things that do not exist right now, but are something that you work towards. Your SSA must make sure that you and your team agree on the things that are important to you and the things that are important for you.
An SSA can be reached at the following numbers:
- Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 4:00pm (740) 373-5147
- Emergency or after hours at (740) 516-5970