About CDChoices

Who We Are- About

Overview

Established in 1997, Consumer Directed Choices (CDChoices), a not-for-profit corporation, was founded by Constance Laymon, a woman living with a disability, to provide and advance home and community-based supports and services to individuals with disabilities. Promoting self- determination through the self-direction of care by in-home workers, we believe in returning the right to an independent lifestyle for consumers while fostering respect and appreciation for their personal assistant workers who care for them.

Headquartered in Albany, New York, CDChoices has more than 20 years of experience providing Fiscal Intermediary (FI) services to seniors and individuals living with physical, behavioral, cognitive, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. Over the past two decades, CDChoices has established itself as the premier provider of quality consumer-directed services and a leading voice and advocate for consumers at the county, state, and federal levels.

CDChoices, through its provided services, reduces the program and administration-related task burden for consumers, allowing them to focus on managing other aspects of their long-term services and supports. CDChoices’ core services include:

  • Administering and coordinating payroll, insurance, workers’ compensation, paid leave, and other benefit programs for personal assistant workers on behalf of their consumer or designated representative.
  • Facilitating, monitoring, and ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations and requirements.
  • Oversight and compliance checks for the Consumer Agreement, which governs mutual responsibilities between the consumer and CDChoices.
  • Information and resources to support consumers in fulfilling their responsibilities of recruiting, hiring, training, supervising, and managing their program and employees.

Vision

CDChoices’ vision is to live in an inclusive community without stigma, barriers, or prejudices against people with disabilities. In this community, all people have the choice and necessary supports to live independently in an environment of their choosing.

Mission

As the premier provider of consumer self-direction, CDChoices empowers independence and advocates for people with disabilities, seniors, and their families.

Core Values

CDChoices believes in the right to independence and choice for people with disabilities while fostering respect and appreciation for the direct care employees who care for them. We are dedicated to the following core values:

  • Excellence
  • Inclusiveness
  • Innovation
  • Integrity
  • Respect for Individual Dignity
  • Self-Determination

We are a proud member of