Category: People Services

FAPTO Policy for 2026

Dear Participants, Families and Stakeholders! As we step into the new year, we would like to share our FAPTO policy for 2026. You may click on the link below. Wishing you all a bright and successful year ahead, filled with new opportunities and amazing achievements. We look forward to achieving our goals together and making […]

Important Information regarding Self-Hired Support Staff Mileage and Activity Fee Reimbursements

Effective December 1, 2025, all mileage and activity fee reimbursements for Self-Hired Support Staff must be submitted through eTime. We will no longer accept reimbursement requests through our accounts payable process. You can find instructions for submitting mileage and activity fee reimbursements through eTime on our help website at the following link: https://help.issny.org/books/etime/chapter/etime-mileage-and-expenses We will […]

Contract to Direct Bill and Contract to Direct Invoice Updates

Dear Stakeholders, To streamline communications and reduce the frequency of class, membership, and service confirmation emails and calls, we’ve updated the Contract to Direct Bill and Contract to Direct Invoice process. Below is an outline of the updated procedure: Service or Item Request: When a participant expresses interest in signing up for a class, membership, […]

2025 Support Staff Holiday and FAPTO

2025 Holiday Schedule Family Approved Paid Time Off (FAPTO) Effective 1/1/25 Policy: Staff working for Participants accrue Paid Time Off bi-weekly per the agency’s Paid Time Off Policy. Paid Time Off is budgeted in the Participant’s Self-Directed Plan through the fringe rate. However, Independent Support Services, Inc. recognizes that there are times when Participants want […]

Important Information from People Services

Good morning, In October of this year, we had an OPWDD full agency audit. While overall we did well, the state communicated that we must make changes to our hiring process and the DSP evaluation. These changes are required per regulations. As of this month, we have begun making these changes. The changes are as […]

Self Hired Support Staff Employee Handbook Announcement

We have revised the Self Hired Support Staff Employee Handbook. The Employee Handbook will be available on our Portal through the Learning Management System in the next few days. All Self Hired Support Staff will have 60 days from the time it is on the portal to review the Employee Handbook and the attestation in the […]

Important Updates from People Services

First update: Recently there has been a revision made to the ADM that allows for the use of remote technology to deliver Home and Community Based Services. As of 11/11/23 and Per ADM# 21-ADM-03R there has been an extension granted until 4/11/24 allowing for Life Plans to reflect the election of the use of remote […]

2024 Support Staff Holiday Schedule

The 2024 Support Staff Holiday Schedule is now posted on the People Services page. Scroll down to the 2024 Support Staff Holiday Schedule, click on the link to open the document.

Workforce Incentive Distribution Plan

We are happy to announce we have received some of the workforce incentive money and are working diligently to ensure the money is properly distributed. As you may know, the state has invested money to give bonuses to DSPs who have worked as Community Habilitation Staff, Respite Staff and SEMP staff during the pandemic and […]

Learning Management System Announcement

Dear Stakeholders, As promised we have developed our own Learning Management System (LMS) to meet the mandatory training requirements of OPWDD and New York State.  Our new Learning Management System is available now through our portal. You will no longer have to remember another website address, username and password. This new feature is displayed on your […]