Self-Determination in Action: Giving Families Control, Dignity, and Better Care

In this episode, we’re joined by Kristianna Moralls, founder of the Self-Determination Institute and parent of a young adult with disabilities. She shares the real-world impact of self-determination, sometimes called self-direction or consumer-directed services, a model that lets individuals and families make their own decisions about who provides their care and how.

Kristianna explains how her son’s transition out of school revealed the “drop-off” many families face when traditional services end and meaningful support suddenly disappears. Discovering self-determination gave her family the ability to hire caregivers who fit her son’s life, choose meaningful activities like community college and Dungeons & Dragons nights, and build supports around his goals and personality rather than a rigid system.

Key themes explored:

• Self-direction as a civil rights movement: autonomy, choice, and dignity for people with disabilities
• The drop-off after high school: why so many families feel abandoned when services shift
• Cost-effectiveness with better results: families often pay caregivers more while saving public dollars by cutting agency overhead
• Administrative reality: empowerment comes with responsibility, and many families need support learning to recruit, hire, budget, and manage care plans
• Role of FMS providers and technology: the right Financial Management Service and the right tools can make budgeting, staffing, and compliance manageable instead of overwhelming
• California’s leadership: a robust and flexible program model other states are expanding toward

Kristianna also shares how the Self-Determination Institute supports families with training and advocacy, and why collaboration between families, FMS providers, technology platforms, and regional centers is essential for scaling self-directed services nationwide.

The big message: Self-direction works. It honors people’s abilities, supports independence, strengthens families, and builds more inclusive communities. And yes, it saves money too. When people have the freedom to choose, everyone wins.

Home Care Heroes and Day Service Stars is produced and sponsored by Ankota - If you provide services that enable older or disabled people to continue living at home , Ankota can provide you the software to successfully run your agency. Visit us at https://www.ankota.com.