Dear Support Brokers,

Please accept this correspondence as a reminder of your vital role in assisting ISSNY participants with their Self-Directed services, as well as the OPWDD requirements surrounding Support Brokerage.

This information can be found in the attached documents, as follows:

  1. OPWDD Self-Direction Support Broker Checklist:

· The Support Broker’s main role is to develop and maintain the Self-Direction Budget. This includes working with the participant and their Circle of Support to review and update the budget as needed.

· Ensure that updates are made to the Staff Action Plan for self-hired Community Habilitation and self-hired Supported Employment staff, if these services are being used. Staff Action Plans must be reviewed at least twice a year.

  1. OPWDD Administrative Memorandum 2019-06: “Service Documentation for Support Brokerage Services”
    • Required Billable Support Brokerage services include:
      • Assisting the individual in developing and maintaining a Circle of Support/Planning Team and assisting in planning and directing meetings.
      • Meeting with the individual’s Circle of Support/Planning Team, at least twice a year.
      • Ensuring completion of and updates to Staff Action Plans.
      • Assisting the individual to develop a comprehensive Self-Directed Budget that is consistent with his/her Life Plan.
      • Working with the individual and his/her Circle of Support/Planning Team to ensure that all necessary safeguards are included and addressed in the Life Plan.
    • Staff Action Plans:
      • As a part of the Inter Disciplinary Team (also known as the Care Planning Team), the Broker is responsible for completing and updating the required Staff Action Plans for self-hired Community Habilitation staff and self-hired Supported Employment staff when the individual has chosen that option in his or her Self-Direction budget.
    • Circle of Support/Planning Team Meetings:
      • Support Brokers must have at least two face-to-face Circle of Support/Planning Team meetings with the individual during a one-year period [also known as the Broker Review Year (BRY)].
      • This one-year period begins on the date that the Broker signs the Support Broker Signature line on the initial Support Broker Agreement between the individual and the Support Broker.
      • The one-year period repeats on the anniversary date of the Support Broker Signature.
    • Billing:
      • For Support Broker services to be billable, the Support Broker must be authorized by OPWDD at the time of service delivery.
  2. For each continuous period of service delivery (or “session”), the Support Broker must contemporaneously document the services and supports provided by the Support Broker that are drawn from the Support Broker agreement between the individual and the Support Broker.
  3. OPWDD Administrative Memorandum 2018-09R: “Staff Action Plan Program and Billing Requirements”
    • General Guidance for Developing the Staff Action Plan:
      • Staff Action Plans must be developed based on the habilitation provider assigned goals and supports as outlined in the individual’s Life Plan.
    • Creating the Staff Action Plan
      • Staff Action Plans must be written by the habilitation provider and must be developed in collaboration with the individual, his/her advocate, Care Manager, and any other parties requested and approved by the individual.
      • The initial Staff Action Plan must be in place no later than 60 days of the start of the individual’s habilitation service, or the Life Plan review date, whichever comes first.
    • Reviewing and Revising the Staff Action Plan
      • The Staff Action Plan must be reviewed at least twice annually and revised as frequently as necessary based upon the individual’s needs.
      • It is recommended that Staff Action Plan reviews occur at six-month intervals coordinated with the Life Plan review.
      • At least annually, one of the Staff Action Plan reviews must be conducted at the time of the Life Plan meeting.

Please be reminded, in accordance with the above and attached OPWDD guidance, as the Support Broker of record, you are required to review the participants’ Staff Action Plans (SAPs) twice per calendar year (e.g. 1/1/2026 – 12/31/2026), one of which must be conducted at the time of the participant’s Life Plan meeting.

Additionally, please note that ISSNY requires the participant/designee’s signature on all finalized Staff Action Plans (SAPs). For more information, please refer to the ISSNY Portal Help Section on Staff Action Plan Q&A – SAP Specifics: https://help.issny.org/books/broker-resources/page/staff-action-plan-qa—sap-specifics.

Support Brokers must have at least two face-to-face Circle of Support/Planning Team Meetings (PTMs) with the participant during their Broker Review Year (BRY). This two-meeting/PTM requirement is consistent for the primary and all affiliate Support Brokers who submit billing in accordance with their Support Broker Agreement(s) with the participant. For more information, please refer to the ISSNY Portal Help Section on Broker Meeting Minutes: https://help.issny.org/books/broker-resources/chapter/broker-meeting-minutes.

The BRY begins on the date that you sign the initial Support Broker Agreement (SBA) and repeats on the anniversary date of your signature. For example, if you signed the participant’s initial SBA on 7/1/2026, your BRY for that participant will be 7/1/2026 – 6/30/2027 and will reset each consecutive year, such as 7/1/2027 – 6/30/2028, and so on.

Please be advised, for participants that are in Start-Up, the Broker’s BRY is calculated by the Start-Up Budget Effective Date, which will be the first of the month of the budget approval date, not the signature date on the SBA. For example, if a participant’s budget is approved on 12/15/2026, the Support Broker’s BRY will be 12/1/2026 – 11/30/2027.

If you have any questions, or require clarification about your Support Broker responsibilities, billing, BRYs, etc., please review the ISSNY Portal Help Section on Broker Resources (https://help.issny.org/books/broker-resources), contact the participants’ assigned Self-Direction Coordinator (SDC), and/or the ISSNY – Broker Compliance Manager (@Broker Support) at any time.

Respectfully,
ISSNY – Executive Management

Self-Direction Support Broker Checklist
OPWDD 19-ADM-06: Service Documentation for Support Brokerage Services
OPWDD 18-ADM-09R: Staff Action Plan Program and Billing Requirements