Once you are approved for Missouri Consumer Directed Services, it can be tempting to assume that every CDS provider essentially does the same thing. After all, CDS is a Medicaid-funded program with state requirements, and the basic purpose of the program does not change depending on the organization you choose.
But the organization behind your CDS can matter.
A provider helps with important administrative responsibilities, including payroll, documentation, and helping consumers understand the requirements of the program. But when questions arise, your circumstances change, or you need assistance beyond CDS itself, your experience can look very different depending on the organization you have chosen.
There is another difference worth considering. Some CDS providers operate as for-profit businesses. The Whole Person is a nonprofit Center for Independent Living that has served people with disabilities in the Kansas City area since 1978. Its Missouri Consumer Directed Services program is one part of a much larger mission centered on disability, independence, advocacy, and community participation.
Choosing a CDS Provider Is About More Than Payroll
Consumer Directed Services is built around an important idea: people with disabilities should have greater choice and control over the assistance they receive. Rather than an agency selecting and managing a caregiver, eligible CDS consumers can recruit, hire, train, schedule, and supervise their own attendant. That makes the relationship with the organization administering the program particularly important.
Of course, you want the administrative side of CDS to work well. You want questions answered, paperwork handled correctly, payroll processed, and knowledgeable people available when you need assistance. But there are other questions worth asking. Does the organization have significant experience working with people with disabilities? Does it understand the philosophy of independent living? Can someone help you understand your responsibilities as a CDS consumer? And if another need develops in your life, is there somewhere you can turn?
People’s lives rarely fit neatly inside a single program. Someone receiving CDS may later have questions about accessible housing, transportation, employment, disability benefits, home modifications, advocacy, peer support, or simply how to become more connected to the community.
That is where choosing a provider that is also a Center for Independent Living can make a meaningful difference. Your CDS provider may help administer one program. A Center for Independent Living can help you navigate a much bigger question: How do I live the life I want in my community?
More Than 45 Years of Understanding Disability and Independent Living
The Whole Person was founded in 1978 and has spent more than 45 years working alongside people with disabilities in the greater Kansas City area. As a nonprofit Center for Independent Living, its purpose extends well beyond administering a single program. Its work is centered on helping people with disabilities have greater choice, independence, and opportunities to participate fully in their communities.
That distinction is particularly relevant to Consumer Directed Services because CDS and Independent Living share an important philosophy. Independent living does not mean doing everything without assistance. It means having choices, directing your own life, and having access to the support and resources that allow you to live in your community on your own terms.
The scale of The Whole Person’s work helps illustrate that broader mission. The organization has served 1,630 consumers with disabilities and provided 4,037 Independent Living services. Those services extend beyond personal assistance to include Information & Referral, Independent Living Skills, peer support, employment assistance, advocacy, home and community resources, and other forms of support.
Those numbers represent more than the number of programs available. They reflect decades of experience working with people whose circumstances, goals, and needs are different. That perspective can matter when the organization you choose is helping support something as personal as how you direct your own care.
Why Being a Nonprofit Center for Independent Living Matters
There are organizations providing CDS that operate as for-profit businesses. There is nothing inherently wrong with choosing a for-profit provider, and consumers should choose the organization that best fits their needs. But it is reasonable to understand the difference between organizations when deciding who you want supporting your services.
The Whole Person is a nonprofit organization. Its mission is not built around generating profits for owners or shareholders. It exists to connect people with disabilities to resources, support individual choice and independence, and advocate for positive change within the community. That broader purpose shapes what surrounds its CDS program.
Someone may first come to The Whole Person because they need Consumer Directed Services. Months or years later, the question may be completely different. Maybe getting to medical appointments has become difficult. Maybe someone wants to return to work, make their home easier to navigate, understand disability benefits, request an accommodation, or connect with other people who have experienced similar challenges. Those issues may have little to do with an attendant’s paycheck, but they can have everything to do with living independently.
The Whole Person’s broader services are designed around those realities. Independent Living services help people develop skills and find resources that support greater independence. Employment Services can help people pursue meaningful work. Peer Support and Mentoring creates opportunities for connection and shared experience. Advocacy focuses on removing barriers and advancing disability rights.
Sometimes a person does not even know which service or resource they need. The Whole Person has provided 1,081 Information & Referral services, helping connect people with programs, resources, and organizations that may address their circumstances. If you are unsure where to begin, you can contact The Whole Person and start by explaining what is happening rather than trying to identify the right program on your own.
So when comparing CDS providers, the practical questions still matter. You want to know how an organization handles payroll, communication, training, documentation, and questions about the program. But it can also be worth asking about the organization itself. How long has it worked with people with disabilities? Is it nonprofit or for-profit? Does it understand Independent Living? Does it advocate for people with disabilities? If your needs change, can it help you find other resources?
Taken together, those questions move the decision beyond simply asking, “Can this organization administer my CDS?”
They lead to a different question: “What kind of organization do I want behind my CDS?”
The Right CDS Provider Should Support Your Independence
There is no single CDS provider that will be the right choice for every person. Consumers have different priorities, circumstances, attendants, and expectations. Choosing a provider should be an informed decision based on what matters most to you.
The right provider should help you feel confident that you understand the program, know where to turn when questions arise, and remain in control of the services that support your daily life. For some people, it may also matter to know that if a new challenge arises, the organization they already know can help them understand what resources may be available.
That is ultimately what makes the choice of a CDS provider worth thinking about. You are not simply choosing an organization to handle paperwork. You are choosing an organization that will become part of the support system surrounding your Consumer Directed Services.
Because Consumer Directed Services is about more than receiving assistance. It is about having greater control over your life. The organization you choose should understand why that matters.
Have Questions About Consumer Directed Services?
Learn more about Missouri Consumer Directed Services at The Whole Person or contact The Whole Person if you have questions about CDS, eligibility, transferring your services, or getting started.
The Whole Person
3710 Main Street
Kansas City, MO 64111
Phone: (816) 561-0304
