Individual Supports and Services

Jewel Human Services, Inc. is an ISS provider Agency. Along with your Care Manager and the DDRO housing subsidy contact person, will work together to assist people to identify their choice of housing options in the community. The New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) supports people to live as  independently in the community as possible by helping with housing costs. This help comes in the form of an OPWDD Housing Assistance Subsidy known as Individual Supports and Services (ISS). The OPWDD ISS Housing Subsidy is funded by OPWDD using 100% state dollars and is not Medicaid funded. It is designed to support income eligible people with developmental disabilities (I/DD), who choose to live independently in the community and who are or will be financially and legally responsible for their housing unit as an owner or a responsible tenant. The ISS Housing Subsidy supports individuals by assisting with housing and utility costs assisting in affordability in the private market in
the broader community. People can choose to live alone, with roommates and/or with a live-in-caregiver.

Eligible persons for this program must be:

• Developmental disability and be determined eligible for OPWDD services;
• Be 18 years of age or older;
• Have or will have appropriate support services and safeguards to meet his/her needs in non-certified community housing;
• Has applied for all other benefits that you may be entitled to
(e.g., SSI/SSD, Housing Choice Voucher Program/Section 8,
Social Service Shelter Payments, Food Stamps, HEAP, etc.);                                             • Identify a housing unit that meets OPWDD’s Housing Quality
Standards, which are based on the Department of Housing and
Urban Development
• Will have an enforceable lease and be financially responsible
for the housing unit; the same rights and responsibilities as any
tenant; and the property is legally eligible to be occupied by a
tenant