In recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we want to highlight how support at home can contribute to success at work. Remote Supports can assist with everyday moments surrounding the workday, such as a morning check-in to help someone get ready on time, a reminder to head out the door, or confirmation that the person arrived at work or returned home safely. It is one more way to support the independence people are building, both at home and on the job.
Seeing how Remote Supports fits into someone’s daily routine often begins with a conversation. When providers first explore the service, they tend to have thoughtful questions about technology, privacy, staffing, independence, and whether the service is the right fit for the people they support. Over the years, we have found that the same assumptions and concerns tend to surface repeatedly.
Some reflect common misunderstandings about Remote Supports as a service model, while others are shaped by how providers have seen the service described, implemented, or discussed. This conversation is becoming more relevant as additional states incorporate Remote Supports into their waivers. Interest is driven by several factors: a growing preference for supporting individuals in their own homes, ongoing workforce challenges across the field, and a broader effort to give people more independence in how they receive support.
While remote supports are different from traditional staffing models, the goal is not to reduce the quality of support. Rather, it’s to design the right combination of tools, people and response processes so individuals can be supported safely, respectfully, and in alignment with their daily lives.
Our team recently developed a resource exploring five of the most common assumptions we hear about Remote Supports, including questions related to privacy, staffing, individual outcomes, technology, and implementation.
At its heart, this work is about something simple. When people feel safe and comfortable in their own homes, they carry that confidence into their jobs, their relationships, and their communities. A steady morning routine makes it easier to show up for a shift. Knowing help is there if something goes wrong makes it easier to try something new.
The independence someone builds at work strengthens the independence they feel at home. Each part of a person’s life supports the others, and when the right support is in place, individuals have the room they need to grow, contribute, and truly thrive.
