If you’re enrolled in New Jersey’s DDD Supports Program, you’ll hear one acronym repeated constantly: ISP. It stands for Individualized Service Plan, and it’s the document that shapes every service you or your family member receives. Despite how central it is, many families walk into their first ISP meeting without a clear sense of what to expect. Here’s a plain-English breakdown.
What Is an ISP?
An Individualized Service Plan is a written plan, developed together by the individual, their family (when involved), and their Support Coordinator, that documents:
- The person’s goals — for daily living, community participation, employment, and more
- The specific services that will be used to work toward those goals
- Which providers will deliver each service
- How the individual’s DDD budget will be allocated across those services
- How progress will be reviewed over time
It’s meant to be a living document that reflects the actual person — not a generic template.
Who’s Involved in Developing an ISP?
- The individual — their preferences and goals should be central to the plan, not an afterthought
- Family members or guardians, when appropriate and involved
- The Support Coordinator, who facilitates the process and documents the plan
- Service providers, such as Direct Support Professional agencies, who may be consulted on what’s realistic and how services will actually be delivered
What Happens at an ISP Meeting
A typical ISP meeting covers:
1. Review of current goals and services — what’s working, what isn’t, and what’s changed since the last plan
2. Discussion of new or evolving needs — a new interest in supported employment, a change in living situation, a health or behavioral support need
3. Budget review — confirming what’s funded and how it maps to services
4. Provider selection or confirmation — deciding who will deliver each service, including Direct Support Professional support
5. Setting a timeline for the next review — ISPs are generally reviewed at least annually, but can be revisited sooner if needs change significantly
Tips for a More Productive ISP Meeting
- Come with a list. Write down specific concerns, questions, and goals ahead of time so nothing gets lost in the conversation.
- Be specific about daily life, not just categories. “More community access” is vague — “help attending a weekly recreation program on Tuesdays” is something a plan can actually be built around.
- Ask how progress will be tracked. A good ISP should have a way to check, later, whether it’s actually working.
- Don’t be afraid to request changes mid-year. You don’t have to wait for the annual review if something isn’t working.
- Bring your Direct Support Professional provider into the conversation when relevant — the people delivering day-to-day support often have useful, practical input on what’s realistic.
Common ISP Mistakes Families Run Into
- Signing off on a plan that doesn’t actually match daily reality, just to keep the process moving
- Not asking what happens if a listed service isn’t available from the chosen provider
- Assuming the ISP is fixed once signed, when in fact it can be revisited
- Not tracking whether services in the plan are actually happening month to month
How Priority Groups NJ Supports the ISP Process
As a Direct Support Professional provider serving Essex, Hudson, and Bergen counties, Priority Groups NJ works from each individual’s ISP to deliver the specific day-to-day supports it calls for — and we communicate with Support Coordinators when something in the plan needs a second look. A plan is only as good as the follow-through behind it.
Preparing for Your Next ISP Meeting
If you’re heading into an ISP meeting and want to understand how Direct Support Professional services fit into the plan — or want a provider who will actually deliver what’s written — we’re glad to talk it through.
Call (718) 400-6166 or visit prioritygroupsnj.org/ddd-support-coordination/ to learn more about ISP planning and Direct Support Professional services in New Jersey.