Customized Support Services

A shift in funding in Minnesota in 1999 gives people with disabilities and their families more control over the services they receive. Lifeworks’ Customized Support Services (CSS) offers the Agency with Choice and Fiscal Support Entity services required for families to access these waivered funds. This allows children to continue to live at home, gives families the freedom to live a more normal life, and saves money for Minnesota taxpayers.

We work with individuals or families who want to hire their own staff to provide the support they need. We are proud to be able to say “yes, you can do that” to simple requests that have been out of reach for so many people. We listen and plan with each individual so they can design services that truly help them make life work.

Agency with Choice Services

The individual with disabilities, their family or guardian acts as the support manager. Lifeworks manages the employment tasks and bills the state for services. Employment tasks include:

Completing background and driving record checks.
Verifying citizenship.
Issuing paychecks.
Withholding and filing employment taxes.
Providing Workers Compensation and liability insurance.
Assisting with the employment relationship, including hiring, firing, and benefits.

Payroll Model Support

When the individual or their family becomes the common law employer, Lifeworks provides payroll and invoice payment services.

Fiscal Support Entity Services (FSE)

Lifeworks bills the waiver on behalf of the individual with disabilities for goods and services in their approved plan. Then we make payments or reimbursements for them. We can also pay for staff if the support manager is the employer of record.

PCA Choice

PCA Choice – a Personal Care Assistance program option that gives individuals more control over their own care by allowing them to hire, supervise and train their PCAs. Lifeworks is a PCA Choice provider with the State of Minnesota and offers this fiscal intermediary service as a co-employer with the individual.

Flexible Case Management

This service can also be purchased with an individual’s waiver budget. The flexible case manager assists the individual or family with writing, implementing or monitoring their plan. They may also help arrange the day-to-day services covered in the plan.

Customized Support Services Forms

Expense Summary Login

October 1, 2007 COLA Distribution Plan
(.doc, 26k)

2008 CSS Timesheet and Payday Calendar
(.pdf, 94k)

Hourly Time Card
(when printing, choose "no scaling")
(.pdf, 72k)

PCA Time Card
(when printing, choose "no scaling")
(.pdf, 110k)

Expense Report (.pdf, 27k)

Informe del Costo (.pdf, 75k)

2008 Employee Handbook (.pdf, 261k)

Training (.doc, 37k)

First Report of Injury (.pdf, 2.5m)

Customized Support Services Resource Links

Map to Lifeworks Administration Office

Department of Human Services CDCS Information

Arc Minnesota

Rachel Swanson has cerebral palsy and has a personal care assistant who helps her with daily chores. Lifeworks' Customized Support Services help Rachel manage her fiscal resources and obtain special adaptive equipment, such as computer software.