Coming January 2025: Changes to the Supports Intensity Scale
We are excited to announce changes to a section of our CARE assessment called the Supports Intensity Scale-Adult. Created by the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, the SIS is used by our case managers to conduct your DDA assessment. It measures the support you need to participate in life as fully as possible.
We are sending you this notice to help you understand this change and what to expect.
Why is this happening?
The AAIDD has updated the SIS to better reflect life today. This new version is called the modernized SIS-A, 2nd Edition.
Highlights of the modernized SIS-A 2nd Edition:
- It is a strengths-based assessment that focuses on the supports you need rather than deficits.
- It is consistent with community inclusion, self-direction, individual choice and control and person-centered thinking.
- It is intended to help you succeed, have a voice and be cared for at the level that best supports you.
What do the changes look like?
Simple changes to expect with the SIS-A 2nd Edition:
- Post-pandemic descriptions, and internet and social media examples have been added to the item descriptions.
- There will be the same number of domains as the current SIS, but some domains will have new names and will be reordered.
- Some questions will also be reordered.
- Six new Exceptional Medical Supports will be added to the SIS-A and the Children's Support assessments.
- One new Exceptional Behavioral Support will be added to both the SIS-A and the Children’s Support Assessment’s.
Will this affect my number of service hours?
No. The changes will not impact the algorithm that calculates your number of service hours.
When will these changes happen?
Your DDA case manager will begin using the updated assessment in January 2025.
Note: The AAIDD’s changes described above are separate from the recommendations made in a legislative report related to the CARE assessment being released this fall, which is called the Assessment Feasibility Report. We will publish the report on our website at https://www.dshs.wa.gov/dda when completed.
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