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FAQ #1:
PUNS
Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services
Revised Summer 2013
What is PUNS?
PUNS stands for the Prioritization of Urgency of Need for
Services.
The PUNS form gathers information about your situation, your
needs (current and anticipated), and what services and supports
you may need through the Pennsylvania Office of Developmental
Programs. The information is collected by each county’s
Mental Health/Intellectual Disability (MH/ID) office, also called
that county’s Administrative Entity (AE).
The PUNS form describes how soon you will need services
and supports. PUNS information helps the county and the state
understand and plan for what you need and when you will need it.
PUNS information is entered into the state database, the Home
and Community Services Information System (HCSIS).
The PUNS form is a planning and information gathering tool.
Completion of the PUNS does not mean your service needs can
be met at the time you fill it out.
Who Needs a PUNS?
Regardless of whether you are enrolled in a waiver, you need a
PUNS if…
You or your family member are in need of services and
supports that you are not currently receiving.
You think you will need services and supports within
the next 5 years.
PUNS • FAQ #1 / page 1
Why should I complete a PUNS?
The PUNS process helps the Administrative Entity/County (AE/
County) and state understand and plan for your needs and how
you relate to others waiting for services. It captures the supports
and services you need that may be provided through the Office
of Developmental Programs (ODP).
The information on the form will help your Supports Coordinator
and AE/County understand and plan for your needs. The AE/
County and the state use the information to create their upcoming
annual budgets. It also tells the ODP the types of supports people
are waiting for in each county and helps identify gaps in services
and supports in specific areas.
should contact your Supports Coordinator to update your PUNS
form. If all your needs are met, and you are not waiting for any
services and supports, you do not need a PUNS form.
How do I complete a PUNS form?
The PUNS is completed during a face-to-face meeting with your
Supports Coordinator. You can invite other people to the meeting
to help you (e.g. employer, advocate, provider, teacher, friend,
family members, etc.).
The advocacy community uses PUNS information to educate
legislators about the needs of people with intellectual disabilities
who are waiting for supports and services.
You need to review and discuss the areas of need on the form
with your Supports Coordinator, and decide which categories or
selections apply to you. Next, you and your Supports Coordinator
will fill in the information about what supports and services you
are currently receiving, and what supports and services you
need. It is important that your PUNS form accurately reflects
your need as it is used to help the county and state plan for
your needs. Everyone at the meeting will sign the form. Your
signature indicates participation only, not agreement.
When do I complete a PUNS?
What do the “Categories of Need” mean?
After you register and are found eligible for intellectual disability
(ID) services with your county program, you will meet with your
Supports Coordinator to discuss your life situation and determine
if you need to fill out a PUNS form. You and your Supports
Coordinator will update your PUNS at least once every year for
as long as you need a PUNS. Anytime your needs change, you
There are three categories of need:
The ODP uses PUNS data to plan and to explain people’s needs
to the governor’s office and the legislature.
page 2 / FAQ #1 • PUNS
Emergency means you need support immediately
(within the next 6 months).
Critical means you will need support within the next
2 years.
PUNS • FAQ #1 / page 3
Planning means you need support more than 2 but
less than 5 years from now.
When considering all of the statements under each category of
need, you should select all situations that apply to you. You can
have more than one selection in each category. For example, you
may have a caregiver who is ill and you may also be graduating
high school in the next 2 years.
Anticipated needs that are more than 5 years away are not
captured through PUNS, but should be discussed with your
Supports Coordinator.
Why does the emergency category have two
sections?
The emergency category is broken into two parts:
➊ The first part is for people who need “out of home” (primarily
residential) supports immediately. You would use these
selections if you need a new place to live where you can also
get the support you require. Remember to mark the type of
residential support you need in the Supports Needed section
of the PUNS form.
➋ The second part is for people who wish to stay in their own
home, or their family’s home, but still have an emergency
need for services and supports. The supports might include
in-home, employment, day, or any other supports.
page 4 / FAQ #1 • PUNS
If I am graduating from school this year, do I
need to wait until graduation day to move into
the emergency category?
No. The Office of Developmental Programs defines immediately
as “within 6 months.” You can move from critical to emergency
when you are 6 months from graduation. Ask your Supports
Coordinator to update your PUNS when you are 6 months
away from graduating. This time period allows for locating and
organizing resources. This time frame can be used for any criteria
under the emergency category.
What happens after the PUNS meeting?
Your Supports Coordinator will enter your completed information
from the PUNS form into the Home and Community Services
Information System (HCSIS). Your Supports Coordinator will
print out a copy of the HCSIS PUNS and mail it to you with a
letter within 3 weeks of the meeting. You should look at the PUNS
form you receive in the mail to make sure it accurately lists what
you need. The letter will have information about your rights and
a disagreement form that should be used if you don’t agree with
the information on the PUNS form.
What happens if I disagree with the
information on my PUNS form?
If you disagree with the Category of Need or any other information
listed on the PUNS form, you should fill out the disagreement
PUNS • FAQ #1 / page 5
form on the bottom of the letter you received with the PUNS
form and mail it back to your Supports Coordinator. You will
then discuss the problem with your Supports Coordinator and,
if necessary, a Supports Coordinator Supervisor. If the issue is
not resolved, it will be addressed by the Administrative Entity/
County representative, who will make the final decision. If you
are not enrolled in a waiver, all disagreements will be resolved
according to the county’s dispute resolution process.
If you disagree with the information on your PUNS, you are not
eligible for the formal Hearings and Appeals process. However,
if you are denied the opportunity to apply for a waiver, you may
formally appeal. Also, if you are enrolled in a waiver and you are
denied a needed service or support, you can file a formal appeal
through the Bureau of Hearings and Appeals.
You should know that the Office of Developmental Programs
(ODP) will be monitoring disagreements to ensure the AEs/
Counties are following state policy. If you are concerned that your
AE/County is not complying with policy or you want information
about the process, you can call the ODP’s toll free customer
service number, 1-888-565-9435.
How long will I wait for services and
supports?
The most important things that determine when you receive
services are the availability of “waiver opportunities” in your
county and the urgency of your need. “Waiver opportunity” is
page 6 / FAQ #1 • PUNS
when there is either a Person/Family Directed or a Consolidated
waiver available in which someone can be enrolled.
Each year the Office of Developmental Programs tells each
Administrative Entity/County how many Person/Family Directed
and Consolidated waivers they have. This is called the AE/
County’s “waiver capacity.” Sometimes this waiver capacity
allows for a small number of new people to receive services.
In years where there have been large Waiting List initiatives by
the Governor, there are larger numbers of new people offered
waiver services. Taking into account their waiver capacity, AEs/
Counties decide who gets offered waivers based on urgency of
need and availability of services to meet those needs. Waiver
opportunities may also become available within the county as
individuals are dis-enrolled from the waiver through movement
out of state, placement in a nursing home, etc.
It is important to remember that the Waiting List is not like a
bakery or deli line where each person has a number. The AE/
County matches available resources with individual needs to
determine who gets services and when. People in Emergency
will have priority, but may still have to wait.
What should I do while I wait?
Waiting for needed services and supports can be frustrating. You
can look for natural supports in your community. Natural supports
PUNS • FAQ #1 / page 7
are things people do to help without getting paid. It could be help
from friends or family, church members, co-workers, or neighbors.
There may be community organizations that can help. Look into
YMCAs, recreation centers, volunteer agencies, and advocacy
organizations for ideas and help. Your Supports Coordinator
may also give you information about community resources.
Who can I contact if I have questions or
concerns about my PUNS form or the PUNS
process?
You can contact the Pennsylvania Training Partnership for
People with Disabilities and Families (The Partnership). They
offer technical assistance to families and people with disabilities.
Each Administrative Entity/County has a person that can help
you. Ask for the “PUNS Point Person.” Regional offices also
have a person who is a PUNS point person, and the Office of
Developmental Programs has a toll free number you can call.
Information about the PUNS is available on the Department of
Public Welfare website: www.dpw.state.pa.us
The State Office of Developmental Programs has a toll free phone
number for you to call if you have questions about PUNS. Additionally,
The Partnership and its participating agencies can answer questions
and offer technical assistance to individuals or their families.
Office of
Developmental Programs
The Partnership
ODP Regional Point People:
The Partners:
(as of April 29, 2013)
Achieva
1-888-565-9435
Central
Kathy Zumbrun
717-214-9129
[email protected]
1-866-865-6170
www.TheTrainingPartnership.org
412-995-5000 x579
toll free: 1-888-272-7229
www.achieva.info
Mentors for Self Determination
Northeast
814-547-1577
www.mentors4sd.org
Southeast
Self-Advocates United as 1
toll-free: 1-877-304-7730 Eastern 215-923-3349 x132
Western 724-877-3984
www.sau1.org
Kenley Hoats
570-963-3201
[email protected]
Shana Wimmer
215-560-2856
[email protected]
Western
Dan Goclano
412-565-5145
[email protected]
Vision for Equality
Philadelphia: 215-923-3349
Harrisburg: 717-233-2424
www.visionforequality.org
Institute on Disabilities
at Temple University
215-204-7556
toll free: 1-866-865-6170
www.disabilities.temple.edu
page 8 / FAQ #1 • PUNS
PUNS • FAQ #1 / page 9
Revised Spring 2013
he
T P
Partnership
he ennsylvania Training Partnership for People with Disabilities and Families
• Achieva
•
•
•
•
Institute on Disabilities
Mentors for Self Determination
Self-Advocates United as 1
Vision for Equality
funded by the Office of developmental programs,
Department of Public Welfare
1-866-865-6170
www.TheTrainingPartnership.org
Providing Training and Technical Assistance in Pennsylvania
This information is available in alternate formats, upon request.
Para información en español: 215.204.9348 o porcorreo electrónico al:
[email protected]