Family Reimbursement

Family Reimbursement provides the possibility of purchasing services and goods that are not funded through any other sources as long as prior approval has been obtained and the goods and services have been deemed appropriate to meet the needs of the person being served.

So if you need additional equipment that isn't funded, medical supplies, special things , including additional respite - you may be able to use this funding.

The funding is provided by OMRDD (office of Mental Retardation and Development Disability) for people with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. It does so through a regional system dividing the state into sections that are overseen by Developmental Disabilities Services Offices (DDSOs). Each New York State citizen lives in an area covered by one of the DDSOs. Our DDSO is the Western New York DDSO in West Seneca.

Family Support Services are designed to assist families in providing care for their loved ones with developmental disabilities who live full-time in their family home. Within each regional DDSO, there is one or more Family Support Consumer Council that is a partner with the DDSO in planning, developing and evaluating services on the local level. One area that the Family Support Consumer Councils is responsible for is Family Reimbursement dollars , that is distributed to certain approved providers of services for this population.

There is a limited number of dollars and once it is spent for the year, it is gone! Also funds that are not spent, are retuned back to the state.