Eligibility Information

How to Get Started

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for supports funded through the Division of Developmental Disabilities individuals must meet the following definition of developmental disability, as stated in RI State Law:

"The term 'developmental disability adult' means a person, eighteen (18) years or older who is either intellectually developmentally disabled adult or a person with a severe, chronic disability which:

  • is attributable to a mental or physical impairment of combination or mental and physical impairments;
  • is manifested before the person attains age twenty-two (22)
  • is likely to continue indefinitely;
  • results in substantial functional limitations inthree or more of the following areas of major life activity:
  • personal care
  • communication
  • mobility
  • learning
  • self-direction
  • capacity for independent living
  • economic self-sufficiency;
  • reflects the person's need for a combination andsequence of special, interdisciplinary, or generic care, treatment or other services which are life-long or of extended duration and are individually planned and coordinated.

FAQ:

+ Who should submit an eligibility application?
Students who are at least age 16 years and 10 months should submit an eligibility application if they meet the criteria outlined in the eligibility criteria.
+ When should individuals/families apply?
Families are encouraged to apply 60 days before their son or daughter turns 17 years old, although individuals may apply at any time after age 16.
+ What happens after a completed application is submitted?
Once a complete application is submitted with all needed documentation, staff at the Division will send an acknowledgement letter that the application has been received. (Only completed applications can be processed). The application will then be processed, and a determination will be made in 30 days. After an eligibility determination has been made a letter will go out to the family and in some cases the school, if a teacher assisted in filling out the application. If Youth in Transition, the State Transition Coordinator will then be assigned the case to monitor until the student school exit year. At this time a social caseworker will be assigned and meet with the student, the family and the school prior to their transition from the school system to the adult system.

What to Expect

Once you apply and are determined eligible for services, you will be contacted by staff at the division and will then need to complete an assessment called the Supports Intensity Scale (SIS) to better understand your service needs. In addition, you will be assigned a social case worker who will contact you to discuss the services available to you.

If you are a Student, Submit an Application for Services if:

  • A student has an identified diagnosis of an Intellectual Developmental Disability;
  • A student has "Substantial functional limitation" which means the applicant performs substantially below the level expected for a student with respect to the skills necessary in three or more of the following areas:
  • "Substantial functional limitation in economic selfsufficiency" which means a student requires on-going supervision or frequent assistance and extensive training to perform the tasks required for a job, or to be able to work and maintain his/her employment as a result of his/her disability and not as a result of economic conditions or life style choice.
  • "Substantial functional limitation in expressive and receptive language" which means a student needs another person or alternative method to express or understand needs and wants or to effectively communicate with others or the individual is unable to understand/comprehend language or other forms of communication.
  • "Substantial functional limitation in independent living" which means a student needs ongoing assistance or frequent supervision to manage health care needs, to use community resources, to manage money, to perform routine housekeeping, or to maintain personal safety.
  • "Substantial functional limitation in learning" which means a student has tested two standard deviations below the mean on a comprehensive individual intelligence test or has had a comparable performance in two or more specific intellectual areas, such as memory, computation, reading/ writing and perception or that the person demonstrates the need for ongoing assistance or frequent supervision to use information or skills in different or new situations.
  • "Substantial functional limitation in mobility" which means a student needs the ongoing physical assistance of another person to move from place to place or needs the use of an extraordinary assistive device to move from place to place.
  • "Substantial functional limitation in self-care" which means a student needs on-going physical assistance, extensive training and/or frequent supervision in taking care of personal needs such as eating, personal hygiene and dressing.
  • "Substantial functional limitation in self-direction" which means a student requires ongoing assistance or frequent supervision in making decisions about social activities, personal finances, planning and setting goals, protecting one’s interests, establishing and asserting one’s rights and maintaining social relationships and resolving problems in daily living.

SIS

The Supports Intensity Scale - A (SIS-A) is a tool that is used to measure supports required for individuals, aged 16 years and older, with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The assessment is done during an interview with individuals and the people who know them well.

Rhode Island uses the SIS-A to determine service needs and related levels of funding for individuals receiving developmental disabilities services.

The SIS-A, which is supported by the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD), includes questions to better assess the practical supports a person needs to live the most independent life possible.

You can read Frequently Asked Questions about the SIS-A on the AAIDD site here.