NIAGARA network
Unpacking the Role of the Supports Coordinator
Cait Barton, Director of ODP Service Coordination Unlimited, Inc.
CALLING ALL ATHLETES & VOLUNTEERS
GET IN THE GAME! www. specialolympicspa. org
Coordinating services that help people to live independently in their homes and communities.
WE’ RE HIRING would you like to:-Work from Home-Create Your Own Schedule-Have a Work-Life Balance-Have Generous PTO, Well-Being Days and Holidays-Work for an Agency that Focuses on Well-Being and Self-Care-Have Paid Mileage and Drive Time
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Phone: 888-854-7474 www. sc-unlimited. org / careers
PERSONALIZED SUPPORTS COORDINATION serving individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities( IDD) and Autism through the Office of Developmental Programs( ODP)
SCU Supports Coordinators help you create a vision for your life by locating, coordinating and monitoring personcentered services. If you’ re interested in individualized supports coordination, contact Cait Barton, ODP Director, at 888-854-7474 ext. 2211.
In the world of intellectual disabilities and autism, the distance between a person’ s current reality and their ultimate goals is often bridged by a single, pivotal role: the Supports Coordinator. It is a position that sits at the intersection of strategy and advocacy. While the system can often feel like an overwhelming maze of regulations, Supports Coordination is designed to cut through the noise and put the individual back at the center of the frame.
At its core, the work is about deep-level discovery. A coordinator doesn ' t start with a list of services; they start with the person. In practical terms, this means the coordinator acts as a dedicated project manager for a person’ s life. They facilitate " person-centered " planning meetings to identify goals- like finding a job, moving into a home, or joining community groups, and then handle the heavy lifting of locating and screening providers who can actually deliver those services. They manage the Individual Support Plan( ISP), ensuring that funding is secured and that medical, educational, and social resources are all pulling in the same direction.
The true value of this role emerges in the day-to-day monitoring. A Supports Coordinator doesn ' t just set up a plan and walk away; they are frequently in the field, visiting individuals in their homes or workplaces to ensure they are safe, healthy, and happy with their progress. They are the professional problem-solvers who step in when a provider isn ' t the right fit or when a sudden change in health requires a total pivot in strategy. For participants and their families, this offers a rare commodity: certainty. It is the reassurance that they are not navigating a complex journey in isolation.
For the community, the mission is twofold. For those seeking a self-directed life, the message is that you don ' t have to settle for a " one-size-fits-all " existence. For those looking for a career with genuine gravity, the call to become a Supports Coordinator is a call to uphold the dignity of your neighbors by becoming their fiercest advocate and most reliable navigator. Ultimately, this work is the engine of community inclusion. It is a commitment to the idea that every person- regardless of diagnosis- deserves to be the primary author of their own story. www. sc-unlimited. org www. facebook. com / ServiceCoordinationUnlimited
“ The call to become a Supports Coordinator is a call to uphold the dignity of your neighbors by becoming their fiercest advocate and most reliable navigator.”
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