Disability Access Points Talking Points
Aging & Disability Services	April 2025

 

What is a Disability Access Point?

• Disability Access Points (DAPs) are local organizations that act as main entry points for information and services for people with disabilities and their caregivers.

 

• DAPs serve as Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) member organizations.

 

• Disability Access Points in each district will serve as a welcoming front door for people in need of support and services. DAPs will listen, support, refer, assess and plan with individuals based on their needs. DAPs may refer for additional assessments, provide short-term services and supports, and Service coordination of Long-term Services and Supports (LTSS) as appropriate.

 

What is an Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC)?

• An ADRC is a person-centered, community navigation and coordination organization. ADRCs blend service delivery activities and funding to ensure supports and services that contribute to a consumer’s ability to remain at home in their community.

 

• A Disability Access Point serves as an Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) and will help Iowans connect with local providers in their community, provide Information and Assistance, and Options Counseling.

 

• Iowa’s Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) Network ensures equitable access to aging and disability services statewide. The ADRC Network consists of ADRC member organizations and the ADRC Technical Assistance and Call Center. Member organizations provide ADRC Information and Assistance and person-centered services at the local level. ADRC member organizations are selected by HHS and include, at a minimum, Disability Access Points and Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs). The ADRC Technical Assistance and Call Center operates the statewide aging and disability services call center and provides training and technical assistance to ADRC member organizations.

 

What services are provided by DAPs?

Information and Assistance: DAPs will provide Information and Assistance also sometimes referred to as service navigation. This service focuses on providing individuals, their families, and caregivers access to information to help them make informed decisions about long-term services and supports (LTSS).

Service navigation includes:

• Identifying individual needs.
• Ensuring the individual is aware of opportunities and services.
• Connecting the individual to local providers for needed supports and services.
• Connection to local providers for needed supports and services (e.g., case management, home modification, etc.).

 

Options Counseling: Options Counseling is an interactive process where individuals receive guidance to make informed choices about long-term supports. The process is directed by the individual and may include others whom the individual chooses or those who are legally authorized to represent the individual. This service typically lasts around 90 days.

 

Short-Term Services and Supports (STSS): STSS are services time-limited activities focused on supporting people with disabilities to live in the home and community of their choice in an integrated manner and offering support to their family and caregivers as needed toward this purpose. STSS includes but is not limited to:

• Individual Assessment and Evaluation,
• Transportation,
• Respite,
• Peer and Parent Support,
• Time-limited Rental Assistance,
• Home and Vehicle Modifications,
• Adaptive Equipment,
• Other Basic Needs

 

Service Coordination for access to Long-term services and supports (LTSS): Service Coordination is an active, transitional, and ongoing process that involves assisting an individual in gaining access to and coordinating the provision of services through a person-centered approach. Individuals receiving service coordination will participate in the development of their care plan to identify their goals as well as services and activities to support those goals. LTSS services may include:

• Supported Community Living (SCL)
• Day Habilitation
• Medical Services and Supplies
• Personal Emergency Response System (PERS)
• Supported Employment
• Respite
• Prevocational Services
• Facility-Based Residential Programs

 

Will there be disruption in my services?

• The Disability Services System is a no wrong door system. If you’re unsure about if you’re service is covered by the Disability Services System or Behavioral Health Services System, reach out to your DAP and a system navigator will help guide you to the correct service.

 

• Current services and supports will remain in place through the initial implementation to ensure uninterrupted services for individuals.

 

• Between January and June, Iowa HHS will convene regular meetings between the MHDS regions and the Disability Access Point to facilitate a smooth transfer of responsibility to the new system. Some individuals with greater needs will be given additional focus to ensure a seamless transition.

 

• Iowa HHS will examine existing programs that are unique to each district and work with the Disability Access Points to preserve services and continuity of care.

 

What will be done differently as of July 1, 2025?

• A transfer of management will happen on July 1, 2025. Disability Services will be transferred from the Mental Health and Disability Services Regions to the Division of Aging & Disability Services at Iowa HHS.

 

• If a person was served by a MHDS Region, they will be assigned a DAP for their service needs and support. While the entity serving clients is changing, clients do not have to do anything.

 

• Payment for current and ongoing LTSS services will be managed through HHS’s Safety-Net Management Information System. To ensure continuity of care, current authorizations for services will be honored and paid out.

 

• Each district will have an advisory council made up of local providers, elected officials, and other partners to identify opportunities, tackle challenges, and advise the district Disability Access Point (DAP).

 

• The Disability Services System will fund Long-term Services and Supports (LTSS) activities that honor choice and value support for people with disabilities. This includes facility diversion or facilitated care transitions to community-based services as determined through the DAP processes for eligibility and service determination. LTSS will be outlined in the individual’s service plan between the individual, care team, and DAP.

 

• People who contact a DAP will receive person-centered support in navigating disability services including, at a minimum, Information & Assistance and Options Counseling. They will be able to call, text or chat with a DAP staff person about the services and supports available in the community.

 

When can we expect to learn more about Disability Access Points?

• The Disability Services team will begin engaging in a regular schedule of town hall meetings. FAQs are posted bi-weekly to answer questions from townhalls and those received in between.

 

What is the difference between DAPs and the Behavioral Health Districts?

• Disability Services:
  • Help with navigating disability services.
  • Provide referrals to agencies that offer personal care assistance, vocational training or independent living support.
  • Offer advocacy and guidance for people with disabilities and their caregivers/families.
  • Access to Long-Term Services and Support.

 

• Behavioral Health
  • Mental health counseling, psychiatric care, and case management.
  • Substance abuse prevention and treatment programs.
  • Crisis intervention, inpatient/outpatient care, and sometimes mobile crisis teams.
     

Who can I reach out to with concerns after July 1, 2025?

• If you have any concerns or experience any issues with your services, you can reach out to your Disability Access Point.