Blog

An FMS handles the money side of your self-directed services in California's Self-Determination Program — paying your providers, tracking your budget, and keeping the records. Here's what one does, why it's required, and what to ask before you choose.

From orientation to your first payment, here's the path most participants follow to join California's Self-Determination Program — and the parts that most often catch people out.

Choosing how much of the employer role to take on is one of the biggest decisions in the SDP. Here's a clear breakdown of the Bill Payer, Co-Employer, and Sole Employer models.

Your individual budget and your spending plan sound similar but play different roles. Here's how each works, the rules that govern them, and how your FMS carries them out.

The Self-Determination Program is far more flexible than people expect — but it isn't unlimited. Here's the test every purchase has to pass, what surprises people, and where the real boundaries are.

At the heart of the SDP is a simple idea: services should be built around the person. Here's how person-centered planning and independent facilitators work together.

You don't need to be a vendored regional center provider to be paid in the SDP. Here's how registration actually works, what documents DDS requires, and what most often delays a first payment.

You are not stuck with your Financial Management Service. Here's when it's worth switching, how the process works, and how to move without your providers missing a payment.