Frequently Asked Questions
What is Support Coordination?
Support Coordination helps you plan for the life you want and connect with the supports you need to reach your goals.
Your Support Coordinator will work alongside you to:
- Learn what is important to you and help you build a plan around your goals.
- Explain your options and help you understand DDD services.
- Help you choose the supports that fit your life and needs.
- Explore self-direction and how to have more control over your services.
- Connect you with providers, community resources, and opportunities.
- Help you make the most of your funding and available supports.
- Check in regularly to make sure your services are working well.
- Help solve problems and make changes when your needs or goals change.
We’re more than a service. We’re a partner you can count on as you build the life you want.
How long have you provided Support Coordination services in New Jersey?
Since 2007, Values Into Action has helped people with disabilities and their families navigate services, direct their supports, and build lives that reflect their goals and dreams.
As one of New Jersey’s original Support Coordination agencies and a founding member of the Collaborative for Citizen Directed Supports – New Jersey, we have been at the forefront of advancing self-direction, person-centered planning, and community inclusion.For more information please visit the website: https://www.thecollaborativenj.org/
How will you know which Support Coordinator will be right for me?
We assign Support Coordinators based on where you live. This helps ensure your Support Coordinator knows your local community, available services, and opportunities close to home.
Because our coordinators work in the communities they serve, they can help you find not only DDD-funded supports, but also local opportunities that match your interests and goals, such as recreational activities, fitness programs, classes, transportation options, volunteer opportunities, and community events.
Most importantly, your Support Coordinator takes the time to get to know you, understand what matters to you, and help you build connections that support the life you want to live.
How many other people will my Support Coordinator work with?
Support Coordinators work with multiple people and families, but you’ll never be supported by just one person. At Values Into Action, we use a team-based approach. While you will have a dedicated Support Coordinator who gets to know you and your goals, you’ll also have access to experienced team members who can help when needed.
Because every member of our leadership and support team has experience as a Support Coordinator, there is always someone available to assist if your coordinator is out of the office, on vacation, or unavailable.
How long will I work with the same Support Coordinator?
We believe great support starts with strong relationships. We hope you’ll work with the same Support Coordinator for many years. If a change becomes necessary, our team approach helps ensure continuity so you remain supported by people who know you, understand your goals, and are committed to your success.
How does your agency respond to issues and needs that occur after typical business hours?
Values Into Action has an on-call administrator available outside of regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM) to provide assistance when unexpected issues arise.
If you reach out after hours, our on-call administrator will respond, provide support as needed, and ensure your Support Coordinator is informed so they can follow up with you on the next business day.
If you are experiencing an emergency or are in immediate danger, please call 911.
Describe the experience your Support Coordinators have working with people with disabilities.
Our Support Coordinators meet or exceed New Jersey’s training and experience requirements for supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Just as importantly, we believe you are the expert in your own life. Our coordinators bring knowledge of services, supports, and resources, while taking the time to listen, learn, and understand what matters most to you.
We bring expertise in the system. You bring expertise in your life. Together, we build a plan that works for you.
How will your Support Coordinators work with me to understand my needs and wants and the way I communicate them?
Your Support Coordinator will take the time to get to know you, understand what is important to you, and learn how you communicate your goals, needs, and preferences.
Together, you’ll create a plan based on your strengths, interests, and vision for the future. We’ll help you explore services, supports, and community opportunities, but you’ll decide what works best for you.
Building strong relationships takes time, and we’re committed to listening, learning, and partnering with you every step of the way.
How will you involve me, my family, and others that care about me in planning for and choosing services?
You are in charge of your plan and your supports.
Your Support Coordinator will help you explore options, provide information, and connect you with services, providers, and community opportunities. We’ll help you make informed choices, but the decisions are yours.
You choose who is part of your planning team, whether that’s family members, friends, advocates, or others who know and support you.
If you’re interested in a service or provider, we’ll help you learn more, ask questions, and meet with them before making a decision.
Our role is to provide guidance and support. Your role is to decide what works best for you.
How will my Support Coordinator consider my background when working with me and helping me find services? (including culture, traditions, and language, etc.)
Your plan should reflect who you are.
Your Support Coordinator will take the time to learn what’s important to you, including your culture, traditions, language, beliefs, communication preferences, and the people who matter most in your life.
These important parts of who you are will be considered throughout the planning process and when exploring services, supports, and opportunities.
We believe the best support starts with understanding and respecting the whole person.
What training do your Support Coordinators receive in addition to what’s required?
Our Support Coordinators complete all required state training, plus additional mentoring and hands-on learning through our team-based approach.
New coordinators learn alongside experienced staff, build relationships with the people we support, and gain real-world experience in person-centered planning and self-direction.
Most importantly, we believe the best teachers are the people we support. We bring expertise in services and supports, while continually learning from each person’s goals, experiences, and vision for their life.
We never stop learning because every person is unique.
How will my Support Coordinator make sure my needs are being met in the ways that I want?
Your Support Coordinator will stay in regular contact with you and the people you choose to be part of your support team. By building a strong relationship and getting to know what matters to you, they can help ensure your services continue to meet your needs and support your goals.
As your needs, interests, or circumstances change, your Support Coordinator can help update your Individual Service Plan (ISP) so your supports continue to work for you.
Because Values Into Action is authorized by DDD to approve the ISPs we develop, changes can often be reviewed and approved more quickly, helping you access the supports you need sooner.
We don’t just create a plan. We work alongside you to make sure it continues to reflect the life you want to live.
How will your agency make sure that Support Coordinators are available to meet outside of required meetings?
We believe that strong support is built through ongoing relationships, not just scheduled meetings.
Your Support Coordinator is available to answer questions, provide guidance, and help you address concerns as they arise. If you’d like to meet, simply reach out in the way that works best for you.
We’ll work with you to find a time and place that is comfortable and convenient, whether that’s in your home, in the community, virtually, or another location of your choosing.
We’re here to support you when you need us, not just when a meeting is scheduled.
How will you use my suggestions to make Support Coordination services better?
Your voice matters.
We believe the best supports are built by listening to the people who use them. That’s why we regularly ask for feedback about what’s working well and where we can improve.
We use your ideas, experiences, and suggestions to strengthen our services, improve our practices, and better meet the needs of the people we support.
If you’d prefer, you can also share feedback or concerns anonymously through our website.
When you share your feedback, we listen, learn, and take action.
The featured photo was taken by Tojo Andrianarivo, with make-up artistry from Lana Shapiro.