Self-Advocacy Services for People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A National Analysis

Self-advocacy plays an important role in facilitating the empowerment of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), and helps people with IDD develop the skills necessary for the participant direction of services. The purpose of this study was to examine Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) 1915(c) waivers across the nation to determine how states were utilizing self-advocacy services for people with IDD. Findings revealed approximately half of waivers provided self-advocacy services; however, less than .01% of waiver spending was projected for stand-alone self-advocacy services. States need to expand the provision of self-advocacy services for people with IDD in order to strengthen their ability to direct their waiver services and exercise their rights.