A Support Coordination Agency in New Jersey is a provider approved by the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) to develop and monitor each participant's Individualized Service Plan under DDD's Medicaid waiver programs. Its requirements sit in Section 17.18 of the DDD Supports Program Policies & Procedures Manual (Version 10.0.1, September 2025) and in DDD's provider application steps. This service is for agencies seeking that approval. Integral Healthcare Solutions (IHS) drafts the support coordination procedures and approval package to New Jersey DDD requirements; your coordinators own individual planning.
Last reviewed: October 2026. DDD provider application page and Supports Program manual v10.0.1 checked on October 2, 2026. This page covers New Jersey only; other states use different rules.
What is a DDD Support Coordination Agency?
DDD funds home and community based services through two Medicaid waiver programs. Its application page says: "To apply to become a DDD-Medicaid provider of home and community based services (HCBS) through one of DDD's two Medicaid waiver programs (Community Care Program, Supports Program), follow the steps below" (DDD Apply to Become a Provider).
The governing text for this page is the "Supports Program Policies & Procedures Manual (Version 10.0.1)," September 2025, Section 17.18 Support Coordination. It includes 17.18.4 Provider Qualifications and 17.18.5 Support Coordination Policies/Standards, with 17.18.5.7 Conflict Free Care Management and 17.18.5.8 Caseloads & Capacity (DDD Supports Program manual). DDD also publishes a separate Community Care Program manual, which this page does not quote.
The manual defines the role: "The Support Coordinator is responsible for developing and maintaining the Individualized Service Plan with the participant, their family, and other team members designated by the participant. The Support Coordinator is responsible for the ongoing monitoring of the provision of services included in the Individualized Service Plan" (Supports Program manual v10.0.1, 17.18.1).
Contact is monthly: "All Supports Program participants receive monthly contact with their Support Coordinator" (Supports Program manual v10.0.1, 17.18.2).
Who needs it and what triggers it
The trigger is a decision to provide Support Coordination services to DDD participants. Before an agency files DDD's Combined Application, DDD says agencies interested in providing Support Coordination services must "Review the DDD policy manuals, particularly the sections related to Support Coordination. Review DDD's revised Conflict-Free Policy.pdf (revised January 2022). Submit (1) an Agency Letter of Interest, and (2) an Agency Conflict-Free Policy (both on agency letterhead)" by email to the DDD Provider Helpdesk (DDD Apply page).
Two rules shape whether the business works before anyone applies:
- A census floor. "Effective April 1, 2025, any Support Coordination Agency operating for 12 months or longer must serve a minimum of 60 individuals and serve at least one county. Support Coordination Agencies serving less than 60 individuals after one year of operation may not continue operations" (Supports Program manual v10.0.1, 17.18.5.8). The manual adds: "The Division of Developmental Disabilities is not responsible for referring individuals to a Support Coordination Agency to meet this or any other metric." (17.18.5.8).
- No selection or discharge. "The Support Coordination Agency must accept all individuals as assigned and cannot discharge individuals from services" (Supports Program manual v10.0.1, 17.18.5.9). The manual also states an agency "cannot specialize in providing Support Coordination services to individuals with a particular type of disability or deny services because of the level of support an individual may or may not need." (17.18.5.9).
How IHS helps
IHS works from Section 17.18 of the Supports Program manual (v10.0.1) and the DDD provider application steps. The process:
- Gap assessment. Questionnaires on coordinators, supervisors, training, caseloads and coverage, compared against Section 17.18 and the application steps.
- Document and evidence mapping. A crosswalk from each requirement to the procedure, record or credential that shows it is met.
- Drafting. IHS drafts qualification verification, supervision, Individualized Service Plan and monthly monitoring, conflict-free, coverage, quality assurance and documentation procedures. Your coordinators and supervisors review and approve the planning content.
- Application text. IHS drafts the Agency Conflict-Free Policy against DDD's Conflict-Free Policy once your agency supplies the current copy, the Letter of Interest text and the Combined Application narrative for your agency to put on letterhead, sign and submit.
- Mock review. IHS reviews sample records against the procedures and the manual and lists what is missing.
What you supply: staff credentials, current procedures, your organizational structure and qualified coordinators who own individual planning.
The limit: individual planning and service judgments stay with your coordinators, and approval is DDD's decision. This page covers New Jersey; an agency in another state needs separate scoping against that state's rules.
What to have ready
- The current Supports Program manual (Version 10.0.1), Section 17.18, read by the person who will run the agency, since DDD tells applicants to "Review the DDD policy manuals, particularly the sections related to Support Coordination" (DDD Apply page).
- DDD's revised Conflict-Free Policy (revised January 2022) and a draft Agency Conflict-Free Policy on agency letterhead (DDD Apply page).
- An Agency Letter of Interest on agency letterhead (DDD Apply page).
- An NPI plan by location: "You need to apply for an NPI for each location from which you plan to provide services" (DDD Apply page).
- Credentials for each Support Coordinator showing a "Bachelor's Degree or higher in any field" and "1 year of experience working with individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD)" (Supports Program manual v10.0.1, 17.18.4). Section 17.18.4 also lists State and Federal criminal background checks, Child Abuse Registry Information (CARI) checks and Central Registry checks, and completion of Division-required Support Coordination trainings within the Appendix E timeframes; the experience may include paid employment, volunteer experience or family caregiving. Supervisors must meet all Support Coordinator qualifications and cannot be related by blood or marriage to anyone whose plan they supervise or sign off on.
- A census plan that reaches "a minimum of 60 individuals" and "at least one county" within the first year of operation (Supports Program manual v10.0.1, 17.18.5.8).
- A staffing and capacity plan. "Currently, there are no mandated caseload ratios, but the Support Coordination Agency must be able to meet the deliverables and fulfill the roles and responsibilities outlined in Sections 6.1 and 6.2" (Supports Program manual v10.0.1, 17.18.5.8). The manual also says the Division will monitor caseload ratios as reported by the agency and may institute caseload limits or a reduction in census if an agency is not meeting deliverables or if there is an overall concern about ratios.
- A monthly contact and monitoring procedure, since "All Supports Program participants receive monthly contact with their Support Coordinator" (Supports Program manual v10.0.1, 17.18.2).
- An intake procedure that accepts "all individuals as assigned" with no discharge pathway (Supports Program manual v10.0.1, 17.18.5.9).
- Your organizational structure and the DDD Conflict-Free Policy for Support Coordination Agencies, since 17.18.5.7 describes conflict-free care management as separation of care management from direct services provision and of eligibility determination from direct services provision, and requires agencies to comply with that policy (DDD Supports Program manual).
To go through the list with IHS, book the introductory call below.
How it compares
| Route | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| Support Coordination Agency | Develops and monitors the Individualized Service Plan (Supports Program manual v10.0.1, 17.18.1); monthly contact (Supports Program manual v10.0.1, 17.18.2); 60-individual floor after 12 months (Supports Program manual v10.0.1, 17.18.5.8). |
| Supports Brokerage provider | A separate DDD service. DDD says supports brokerage services "supplement[s] but do[es] not duplicate Support Coordination services" (DDD Supports Brokerage page). |
| Direct-service DDD provider | IHS's reading of 17.18.5.7 Conflict Free Care Management, as of October 2026: the manual separates care management from direct services, so an agency generally takes one role for a given individual. This is not a DDD statement about agency business models; confirm against the current manual and DDD's Conflict-Free Policy. |
| IHS gap assessment and drafting | A crosswalk, drafted procedures, the application text for your signature, and a mock review of sample records. It does not replace your coordinators or DDD's approval decision. |
What it costs
DDD does not publish a fee schedule on the pages we reviewed; the provider application page does not state an application fee, and fees depend on scope. IHS scopes each engagement after a free introductory call.
What this is not
- IHS is not DDD and does not grant, predict or influence a provider approval.
- IHS does not contact, email, submit to or speak for your agency to DDD. IHS drafts; your agency signs and submits.
- IHS does not make individual planning decisions, and this page is not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
How does an agency become a DDD-approved Support Coordination Agency in New Jersey?
DDD's provider page lists the steps to apply as a DDD-Medicaid provider through the Community Care Program or the Supports Program. Support Coordination applicants first review the policy manuals and the Conflict-Free Policy, send an Agency Letter of Interest and an Agency Conflict-Free Policy, and then file the Combined Application.
What must a Support Coordination applicant send before the Combined Application?
DDD asks for two documents on agency letterhead: an Agency Letter of Interest and an Agency Conflict-Free Policy, sent by email to the DDD Provider Helpdesk. Your agency sends them; IHS can draft the text for your review.
What qualifications do Support Coordinators need in New Jersey?
Section 17.18.4 of the Supports Program manual lists a bachelor's degree or higher in any field and one year of experience working with individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. Section 17.18.4 also lists State and Federal criminal background checks, Child Abuse Registry Information (CARI) checks and Central Registry checks, and completion of Division-required Support Coordination trainings within the Appendix E timeframes; the experience may include paid employment, volunteer experience or family caregiving. Supervisors must meet all Support Coordinator qualifications and cannot be related by blood or marriage to anyone whose plan they supervise or sign off on. Check the current manual for the full qualification text, including supervisors.
Is there a minimum census for a New Jersey Support Coordination Agency?
Under the Supports Program manual, yes. Effective April 1, 2025, an agency operating 12 months or longer must serve at least 60 individuals and at least one county. Agencies serving fewer than 60 individuals after one year of operation may not continue operations. The manual adds: "The Division of Developmental Disabilities is not responsible for referring individuals to a Support Coordination Agency to meet this or any other metric." (17.18.5.8).
Are there mandated caseload ratios?
The manual says there are currently no mandated caseload ratios. The agency must still be able to meet the deliverables and fulfill the roles and responsibilities in Sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the manual. The manual also says the Division will monitor caseload ratios as reported by the agency and may institute caseload limits or a reduction in census if an agency is not meeting deliverables or if there is an overall concern about ratios.
What are a Support Coordinator's monthly contact and monitoring obligations?
All Supports Program participants receive monthly contact with their Support Coordinator. The coordinator develops and maintains the Individualized Service Plan with the participant and their team and monitors the services in it on an ongoing basis.
Can a Support Coordination Agency choose whom to serve or discharge someone?
Under the Supports Program manual, no. The manual says the agency must accept all individuals as assigned and cannot discharge individuals from services. The manual also states an agency "cannot specialize in providing Support Coordination services to individuals with a particular type of disability or deny services because of the level of support an individual may or may not need." (17.18.5.9).
How long does New Jersey DDD provider approval take?
DDD's provider application page does not publish an approval timeline. Approval is DDD's decision, so IHS plans the work around your readiness rather than a promised date.
What is the difference between support coordination and supports brokerage?
They are separate DDD services. DDD says supports brokerage supplements but does not duplicate Support Coordination services.
Does IHS work on support coordination approval outside New Jersey?
This page and its requirements are New Jersey only. Other states use different rules, so IHS scopes an out-of-state agency separately against that state's own text.