DDA DDA Family Support & Collaboration 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a Family Support Plan (FSP) in the context of developmental disability services?
- A legal document that transfers guardianship to the service agency
- A document outlining supports and services to help the family care for their family member (Correct answer)
- A behavioral intervention plan developed without family input
- A medical treatment plan approved by the individual's physician
Correct answer: A document outlining supports and services to help the family care for their family member
A Family Support Plan identifies the supports and services the family needs to care effectively for their family member with a developmental disability.
Question 2: Which of the following BEST describes 'family-centered care' in developmental disability services?
- Services designed primarily around agency staffing and resource availability
- Services that recognize and respect the family's central role in the individual's life (Correct answer)
- Care provided exclusively within the family home setting
- Services that require families to attend all therapy sessions
Correct answer: Services that recognize and respect the family's central role in the individual's life
Family-centered care recognizes and respects the family as central to the individual's wellbeing and incorporates family strengths and priorities into all service planning.
Question 3: When sharing information about a client with their family, a DDA associate must:
- Share all information freely since family members have an automatic right to it
- Obtain appropriate consent and follow HIPAA/confidentiality requirements (Correct answer)
- Refuse all information sharing to protect client privacy absolutely
- Only share information approved by the agency director
Correct answer: Obtain appropriate consent and follow HIPAA/confidentiality requirements
Confidentiality laws such as HIPAA require that client information only be shared with appropriate consent, even with family members.
Question 4: A mother reports she is overwhelmed and exhausted from caring for her adult son with a severe developmental disability. The DDA associate should FIRST:
- Suggest the family consider residential placement immediately
- Acknowledge the caregiver's feelings and assess the family's support needs (Correct answer)
- Remind the family that this is their responsibility as parents
- Schedule a meeting with the agency director to discuss placement options
Correct answer: Acknowledge the caregiver's feelings and assess the family's support needs
Acknowledging the caregiver's experience and conducting a thorough needs assessment is the foundation for developing an appropriate support response.
Question 5: Which behavior by a DDA associate MOST supports a collaborative relationship with families?
- Providing unsolicited advice about parenting practices
- Following through on commitments and communicating proactively and consistently (Correct answer)
- Limiting contact with families to formal scheduled meetings only
- Filtering communication through the supervisor to maintain professional distance
Correct answer: Following through on commitments and communicating proactively and consistently
Trustworthy, consistent communication and following through on commitments are the foundation of strong collaborative relationships with families.
Question 6: What is the role of a DDA associate when a family and the individual with a disability have conflicting preferences?
- Always side with the family since they know the individual best
- Support the individual's self-determination while facilitating respectful dialogue with the family (Correct answer)
- Remove the family from the planning process to protect the individual's choices
- Defer the conflict to a supervisor without participating in resolution
Correct answer: Support the individual's self-determination while facilitating respectful dialogue with the family
DDA associates must uphold the individual's right to self-determination while also facilitating respectful communication to help the family understand and support the individual's choices.
DDA DDA Family Support & Collaboration 2
What is a Family Support Plan (FSP) in the context of developmental disability services?