Who We Are
About the Center
The National Resource Center for Participant-Directed Services (NRCPDS) assists states, agencies and organizations in offering participant-directed services to people with disabilities. We are the only national resource that performs this function.
Many people with disabilities can benefit from participant-directed (also known as consumer-directed or self-directed) services. These services promote independence by helping participants decide for themselves what mix of personal-assistance supports and services best fits their needs.
At the NRCPDS, our mission is to infuse participant-directed options in all home and community-based services. We provide national leadership, technical assistance, training, education and research that improve the lives of people of all ages with disabilities.
The NRCPDS has a National Advisory Committee composed of leaders in our field. View our NAC membership.
View the NRCPDS Overview Video
Our Goal: Lasting Change
The NRCPDS effects lasting change by:
- Delivering sophisticated technical assistance to both Medicaid and non-Medicaid funded programs
- Offering the best trainings, toolkits and educational opportunities for programs to build quality participant-directed options in every state
- Coordinating our research and policy efforts to spark the expansion of quality participant-directed programs
- Supporting participants and caregivers through our National Participant Network
Housed at the Boston College Graduate School of Social Work, the NRCPDS builds on lessons learned as the national program office for the Cash & Counseling grant program. Through this program, we have helped introduce participant-directed programs into 15 state Medicaid programs.
- Sponsors Many friends over the years have supported the NRCPDS and thus the development and growth of participant direction throughout the country.
- Success Stories People with disabilities and their caregivers have experienced great success with participant-directed programs across the country. We've compiled a few of their stories.
- Staff Profiles Our staff includes more than 20 professionals dedicated to the success of participant-directed programs nationwide.