Provider agencies nationwide are being asked to do more with fewer direct support staff, and families of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are looking for safer, more flexible ways to support their loved ones. MHI has built its remote support program to meet both needs — pairing trained, certified staff with thoughtfully selected assistive technology to deliver care that’s safe, person-centered, and built around real independence.
What Is Remote Support?
Remote support is a service delivery model that uses technology: sensors, smart-home devices, two-way communication, and monitoring tools; to provide oversight, assistance, and safety monitoring without requiring a staff member to be physically present around the clock. At MHI, remote support is built on the same principles that guide all of our services: independence, dignity, and choice.
Even so, many families hesitate before saying yes to remote support. The concerns we hear most often are privacy: worry that sensors or monitoring devices feel invasive; unfamiliarity with the technology: uncertainty about whether it’s reliable or easy to use; and funding: confusion about who pays and what’s actually covered. MHI addresses each of these head-on. Every remote support plan starts with an individualized assessment of the person’s needs and comfort level, in-person support remains available rather than being replaced outright, and our team walks families through exactly how assistive technology is funded, including the coverage available through DDS’s IDD/IFS Waiver. Families work with MHI, not a device, the technology is simply how we extend the support we already provide.
Assistive Technology: The Engine Behind It
Assistive technology is what makes remote support possible. MHI’s Assistive Technology (AT) Services identify and provide the support tools and devices that enhance independence, communication, mobility, and safety. Whether it’s a Personal Emergency Response System (PERS), adapted communication equipment, or smart-home sensors, MHI integrates AT directly into each person’s remote support plan to reduce reliance on caregivers and boost client autonomy. Rather than treating technology as an add-on, our team selects and configures each device around the individual’s own goals — so remote support strengthens independence, instead of simply monitoring for problems. Other sister agencies like Vista Supports, an enabling technology company serving the IDD and aging-in-place space, echoes the same principle: this technology works best as an integrated ecosystem, not a single device — which is exactly how MHI builds it into each person’s plan.
A Team Trained to Deliver It
Technology alone doesn’t guarantee quality care — it takes a trained team to implement it well, and that’s where MHI has invested. Our leadership holds NADSP-accredited certifications through Tech First SHIFT’s Technology First Education program, including the Enabling Technology Leadership (ETL) and Enabling Technology Integration Specialist (ETIS) credentials.That training covers enabling technology integration, person-centered planning, and organizational change leadership — giving our team the skills to match the right technology to the right person, not just install equipment.
Tech First SHIFT is a nationally recognized organization advancing Technology First and Employment First standards across long-term services and supports. Since formally launching in 2014, it has trained staff at 350+ agencies across 37 states and Canada, offering fully virtual, NADSP-accredited certification tracks along with organizational accreditation programs that evaluate and strengthen how agencies put enabling technology into practice. MHI’s certifications through this program are part of the same rigorous standard, which is exactly why it matters: it’s this combination of certified staff, a recognized national credential, and hands-on experience that allows MHI to offer families and referring case managers a remote support program they can trust.
The Bottom Line
Remote support and assistive technology have moved from pilot programs to a core part of how IDD services are delivered. In DC, the Department on Disability Services (DDS) has made this a priority through its Technology First initiative, actively encouraging provider agencies to build remote support and assistive technology into their service models. MHI is proud to be among the agencies leading that shift — trained, certified, and ready to help individuals and families access remote support that’s implemented thoughtfully and safely.
Resources referenced: DDS Technology First, DC IDD/IFS Waiver Service Descriptions, Tech First SHIFT, and Vista Supports — The Pulse
Ms. Nynkeu Batchankwe
Chief Operational Officer
*Certifications: ETL (Enabling Technology Leadership Certification), ETIS (Enabling Technology Integration Specialist)*
