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 program requirements. When questions arise or circumstances change, however, your experience can look 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 part of a 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. The organization administering CDS helps support the consumer in carrying out the responsibilities of the program.
Payroll and paperwork matter, but they are not the only things worth considering.
Why the Organization Behind CDS Matters
When looking at a CDS provider, there are several questions that can help you understand the organization behind the program:
- How much experience does it have working with people with disabilities?
- Does it understand the philosophy of Independent Living?
- Are knowledgeable people available when I have questions?
- How does it handle payroll and administrative support?
- Can it help me understand my responsibilities as a CDS consumer?
- If another need arises, can it help connect me with resources?
These questions matter because 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 other community resources.
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
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 work is centered on helping people with disabilities have greater choice, independence, and opportunities to participate in their communities.
That experience is relevant to CDS because Independent Living is based on choice and self-direction. Independent Living does not mean doing everything without assistance. It means directing your own life and having access to resources and support that help you live in your community on your own terms.
The scale of The Whole Person’s work reflects that experience. The organization has served 1,630 consumers with disabilities and provided 4,037 Independent Living services.
Those numbers represent people with different circumstances, goals, challenges, and definitions of independence. That perspective can matter when an organization is helping support something as personal as how you direct your own care.
Does Nonprofit or For-Profit Matter?
Some organizations providing CDS 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 understanding the organization itself can be part of making an informed choice.
The Whole Person is a nonprofit organization. Its mission is to connect people with disabilities to resources, support individual choice and independence, and advocate for positive change in the community.
For someone comparing providers, that provides another factor to consider alongside responsiveness, payroll support, knowledge of CDS, and overall experience with disability services.
The question is not simply whether an organization is nonprofit or for-profit. The more useful question is: What is the purpose of the organization behind the service I am receiving?
What Happens If You Need Something Beyond CDS?
Someone may first connect with The Whole Person because they need Consumer Directed Services. Later, the question may be completely different.
Transportation may become difficult. Someone may want to return to work or make their home easier to navigate. They may have questions about disability benefits, accessibility, advocacy, or connecting with other people with disabilities.
The Whole Person’s broader work includes Independent Living services, employment support, peer support, advocacy, Information & Referral, and connections to home and community resources.
Sometimes a person does not even know what kind of resource they need. The Whole Person has provided 1,081 Information & Referral services, helping people identify programs, organizations, and resources 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.
What Kind of Organization Do You Want Behind Your CDS?
There is no single CDS provider that will be the right choice for every person. Consumers have different priorities, circumstances, attendants, and expectations.
The practical details still matter. You want an organization that understands CDS, handles its administrative responsibilities well, communicates clearly, and helps you understand the program.
But it is also worth looking at the organization behind those services.
How long has it worked with people with disabilities? What is its mission? Does it understand Independent Living? Does it advocate for people with disabilities? If your circumstances change, is there a broader network of knowledge or resources available?
Those considerations 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?”
Choosing a CDS provider is ultimately a personal decision. The right organization should help you feel confident that you understand the program, know where to turn when questions arise, and remain in control of the services supporting your daily life.
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
