Community Connect Let's foster peer connections and build a supportive network by sharing success stories in our community! Self-Directed Services Team Member Spotlight Hello, I am Carrinna Caldwell, and I am a Program Field Representative (PFR) for our Self-Directed Services Department. I am over our vendor onboarding and training, and I also help one of our other team members review Plans of Care that are submitted by our Case Management staff. I have been with OKDHS in DDS since 2022. I have a master's degree in special education administration and have always enjoyed working with this population. I have a son with special needs who is now grown and has his own family, but he is the reason I pursued a career in developmental disabilities all those years ago. I am excited to be here and eager to start working with our vendors to help make this a successful program. See below for helpful information on the work I do with SDS! What are the requirements for a business to become a vendor? - The business must be established and have a W-9.
- The business must provide a good or service that can be approved for self-directed funds based on Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) and DDS policy.
How does a business become a vendor? When an Employer of Record (EOR) wishes to utilize a good or service provided by a business, they will contact the business to explain that their individual is enrolled in a program that could provide funding for their services. They will also confirm that payment will be made after the service is provided or the good is delivered.
The EOR will then send the business’s contact information to their Case Manager (CM), who will forward it to me. I will reach out to the vendor to provide additional information and training.
Is training provided for vendors? Once contact is made with the vendor, I or another member of our Self-Directed Services (SDS) team will provide onboarding training. What do you see as the number one struggle for CMs and EORs when it comes to requesting vendor services through SDS? The primary challenge is determining whether a requested good needs to go through the SDS department or if it will be funded through traditional services via the Resource Development Requests (RDQ) process.
Helpful Hint: If the requested goods relate to exercise, recreation, or entertainment, the request should go through SDS. If the goods are intended to promote safety, independence, or address a critical health concern, they should be submitted through the RDQ process.
If a family is looking for a specific service, do they have to use an already approved vendor on the approved vendor list? No, while families can access any of the vendors already approved, we are always looking to add new vendors to our list. Click here to access a list of vendors already approved with SDS! If an EOR already knows how to explain this program to a new vendor, should they collect the W-9 and send it to Acumen? No, to ensure that the SDS team has approved the vendor, the W-9 must come from a member of the SDS team. For all new vendors contacted for onboarding, we will request their W-9 and submit it. |
