This includes opportunities to seek employment and work in competitive integrated settings, engage in community life, control personal resources and receive services in the community to the same degree of access as people who do not receive HCBS.

What this Looks like in Practice:

• People have control over their personal funds and other personal resources as well as access to information about their income.
• People are offered financial literacy skills training, including how to use the personal resources they possess and how to protect those resources at home, work, and in the community.
• People have the opportunity to shop and make purchases consistent with their choices and available personal resources.
• The setting supports people to implement the decisions they make about how they want to spend their money (e.g., providing support and transportation to go to places they choose to spend their money, providing support for on-line and/or mail order purchases, etc.).
• People have a way to access their money when they choose, not just during a set timeframe or business office hours.
• The setting offers each person a separate place to keep their money, checkbook, ATM card (as applicable), and only the person (and necessary staff, if applicable) should have a key to this location. If a person does not have key, this modification must be justified and documented in the person-centered plan
• People choose their own banking and financial services.
• If designated as the Representative Payee, the provider ensures that commingling of funds does not occur.
• The provider does not require people to sign over their paycheck or another form of payment/income as a condition of receiving services (unless required by a state-funded program).