Assessment of personal support needs is a critical, foundational building block for guiding the delivery of services for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities or Autism who are eligible to receive services from the DDS.
DDS has decided that it is necessary to move from our current individual needs assessment tool, the ICAP, to a more current, person-centered assessment tool – Supports Intensity Scale- Adult Version®, 2nd Edition (SIS-A®, 2nd Ed.).
Over the next several years, the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) will work with DDS on the implementation of the SIS-A. The SIS-A will assess individual support needs and provide relevant information to improve our data and accuracy in service delivery, which contributes to improving our services for individuals.
DDS and SIS-A 2nd Ed.
DDS awarded a contract to AAIDD for the implementation of the SIS-A, 2nd Ed. The SIS-A tool:
- identifies the support needs of individuals from a strength-based approach,
- is a standardized assessment that measures the supports a person with an intellectual disability (ID) or autism needs to take part in community life,
- is consistent with modern best practices and in a person-centered format,
- is available in, or for translation in, other languages,
- uses a web-based platform to collect and export data, and
- can customize supplemental questions to meet Massachusetts’ specific needs.
DDS is now refining timelines, building a framework, and sharing plans to provide information, updates, and opportunities for feedback.
If you or your loved one self-directs their services and are interested in participating in the SIS-A, 2nd Ed. assessment please complete our Preference Survey.
Rollout Phases for the new DDS SIS-A 2nd Ed.
