Updated December 2019
An Independent Service Coordination (ISC) agency will enroll individuals in the PUNS database based on the categories listed below:
Seeking Services
This category is for people who currently need or desire DD Waiver supports and are in any of the following situations:
- Persons whose caregiver is clearly progressing toward being unable to provide care for any number of reasons (age of the caregiver, physical/psychological/health condition of caregiver, health or other situation of the individual). The individual and/or family are coping for now but supports are needed.
- The individual him/herself has a deteriorating situation, which requires formal supports.
- Cases where, although the caregiver and person with developmental disabilities have not been directly affected, a death in the family (especially of a care giver's spouse or other family member who may have assisted in providing care) or other circumstance has affected their situation requiring a need for additional support.
- Situations where the caregiver(s) must work to provide income to pay the rent, etc. If services are not provided, the caregiver(s) would have to remain at home to provide support, and effectively be unable to continue working.
- Persons who have (or will shortly) graduate from school and will need day supports (i.e., there are no other employment or other day support options available/planned).
- Person is dissatisfied with current setting and would like to have DD residential services.
- Person prefers to live in his/her own home rather than in a funded residential setting but would need supports to do so.
- Person currently lives in out-of-home residential setting that is not funded by the Division of DD and wishes to return to their family home (and family concurs). The family is capable of providing care but would like support to return this person to the home.
Planning for Services
The Planning for Services category is for people who do not currently want or need supports but may in the future. It is helpful to know about these situations even though the person/family is not seeking services now. The Planning for Services category is for persons who are:
- Not currently seeking services but will be seeking if something happens to the caregiver (e.g. caregiver becomes ill or passes away) or other family circumstances change.
- Currently receive funding or services through entities other than DD, and whose eligibility will be terminating primarily due to the age of the individual. This person is not in crisis and does not have a current need or desire for DD services. This might include, but is not limited to, persons who are funded through:
- Early, Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) program
- Medically Fragile/Technology Dependent Children's Waiver
- Individual Care Grant supports through the mental health system
- Illinois State Board of Education or public school system.
Individuals who want to be on PUNS should contact the ISC agency in their area. You can locate your ISC agency by:
- Calling Division of Developmental Disabilities Hotline at 1-888-DD-PLANS and 1-866-376-8446 (TTY) during business hours. When prompted by the recording, type in your ZIP Code and you will be connected with your local ISC agency.
- Accessing the DHS Office Locator.
Note: Completion of a PUNS form does not guarantee that an individual is eligible for services or will be provided services.
