A Supports Intensity Scale® (SIS) assessment determines the daily supports a person with intellectual and development disabilities needs to live as independently as possible in the community. Everyone enrolled in the Innovations Waiver will complete a SIS assessment. There is an assessment for adults and an assessment for children.
A trained intellectual and developmental disability professional conducts SIS assessments. Results from your SIS assessment are used to create your person-centered individual support plan. The SIS also helps set Individualized Budget Amounts to be used for services.
The Supports Intensity Scale® was developed by the American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD). SIS assessments identify what help a person with intellectual or developmental disabilities needs to do the same things everyone else does every day. Instead of measuring what you cannot do, it measures the type and amount of help you need to shop, prepare meals, get around from place to place, work, be social, have friendships, and do other activities.
Your assessment is a private meeting between you, two other people very familiar with you and your needs, and the trained professional. The meeting usually takes a few hours to finish and is at a place and time you are most comfortable with. At an adult assessment, you will discuss the support you need for 57 activities and 28 areas of health. The child assessment is for children 5 to 15 1/2 years old living with intellectual or developmental disabilities.