Informed Choice

Persons who receive case management services have many decisions and choices to make. Case managers must provide information about all of the services for which persons are eligible and resources that may be available to them. Assuring that persons are given an informed choice is an important responsibility of case managers. Case managers must take reasonable steps to provide information in formats that can be understood by the individual and document the information that is provided to the individual.

If a person is unable to make an informed choice or act on his or her own behalf, they are considered vulnerable. Legal representation must be established, before screening or service planning can occur to protect their rights and act on their behalf.

Informed choices are voluntary decisions made by a person or their legal representative, after familiarizing themselves with alternatives to:

• Select from a number of feasible alternatives
• Select an alternative that may be developed in the future
• Refuse any or all alternatives.

 

 

 

 

 

© 2005 Disability Services Division, Minnesota Department of Human Services.
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