At RMS, we believe the best support helps people live with greater independence, confidence and choice. Across Ohio, technology is playing a larger role in making that possible.
When used thoughtfully, tools like Remote Support and Assistive Technology can help people stay safer at home, remain more connected, and receive support in ways that feel respectful, personalized and empowering. That is why recent updates from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities matter so much for individuals, families, providers, and support teams across the state.
In January 2026, Ohio DODD shared important updates related to Remote Support and Assistive Technology. These changes affect how services are defined, planned, documented, and delivered under Ohio’s waivers. While the rules are administrative in nature, the heart of these updates is very practical: helping people access support in ways that promote independence while still protecting health, safety and personal dignity.
Ohio’s Technology First Approach:
Ohio continues to emphasize a “Technology First” philosophy. That means technology should be considered as a meaningful support option when a person and their team are exploring the best ways to meet needs, improve quality of life, and expand opportunities for independence.
The state’s priorities include using technology to increase safety, independence, and personal control, while also recognizing that technology can be a practical support solution for individuals, families, and providers alike. Ohio’s guidance also makes clear that this approach applies across the lifespan, from early supports through adulthood.
This is an important shift in mindset. Rather than viewing technology as an extra or a last resort, Ohio is encouraging teams to look at it as a real and valuable part of person-centered planning. That does not mean technology replaces human care. It means technology can sometimes make support more flexible, less intrusive, and more responsive to the person’s actual goals and preferences.
What Remote Support Means in Ohio:
Under Ohio’s rules, Remote Support is a service in which trained staff oversee technology and remain immediately available from a monitoring base to respond to an individual’s assessed needs while that individual is at home. The service includes live, two-way communication and may involve tools such as motion sensors, live audio or video, radio frequency identification, web-based monitoring, or other devices that support real-time communication.
Ohio DODD also makes an important clarification: Remote Support does not automatically mean someone is being constantly watched. It is not intended to be simple surveillance. It is intended to be a support service built around a person’s needs.
The presentation also makes clear that Remote Support is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It is not just one device or one product. Instead, it is a customized service delivered by Remote Support Professionals using interactive communication systems and technology selected to match the outcomes in a person-centered service plan.
Ohio’s general guidance says Remote Support is meant to address a person’s assessed needs in a way that promotes autonomy and reduces unnecessary dependence on paid, in-person staff. It should be considered before more intrusive services when appropriate, and the individual, SSA and team must determine whether it is sufficient to support the person’s health and welfare.
The service must be clearly documented in the individual service plan, and it cannot be provided in shared living or non-residential settings.
How Remote Support Is Planned and Delivered:
One of the most important points in the state’s presentation is that Remote Support must be intentionally planned. It is not treated as an informal or on-demand service that simply begins whenever someone wants it. Instead, the service is built into the person’s individualized service plan (ISP), and that plan determines the details of service delivery.
This includes the days and hours of service, the technology or equipment used, the responsibilities of the Remote Support Professional, and the outcomes the service is intended to support.
County boards may authorize Remote Support for part of the day, part of the evening, or a combination of both. DODD also notes that there may or may not be regularly scheduled check-ins during those hours, depending on the person’s needs and plan. The county board SSA is expected to authorize the number of hours based on assessed need, which means the service should reflect what is actually necessary for the individual rather than what is most convenient for a provider.
DODD further explains that Remote Support is delivered in real time by awake staff working from a monitoring location. These staff may monitor more than one person and more than one type of technology, and many providers use specialized software to support service delivery.
During scheduled hours, Remote Support Professionals may complete routine check-ins, offer reminders, walk someone through daily tasks such as preparing a recipe, answer questions or alert the person to situations such as an open door or a stove left on. The individual can also initiate unscheduled communication during the authorized time through the two-way system.
Key Remote Support Rule Changes for 2026:
Ohio DODD reported that, effective January 1, 2026, and pending CMS approval, the Remote Support service has been updated across the Individual Options, Level One and SELF waivers.
One of the changes is an updated definition of Remote Support that reinforces both continuous oversight of technology and the immediate availability of remote staff at a monitoring base to respond to the assessed needs of the individual in the home.
The state also changed the terminology from Remote Support “vendor” to Remote Support “provider.” This helps clarify that the provider is the agency responsible for arranging the monitoring base, engaging the staff, and supplying the necessary technology identified in the person’s plan.
Another important update involves backup support. DODD now defines backup support as the person or entity responsible for going to the individual’s residence in the event of an emergency, when in-person assistance is needed, or when the technology used for Remote Support stops functioning.
Backup support may be provided by an unpaid family member or friend chosen by the individual, or by a paid agency provider of homemaker/personal care (HPC) or participant-directed homemaker/personal care, when applicable.
When backup support is paid, Ohio now requires a written agreement between the Remote Support provider and the provider of homemaker/personal care or participant-directed homemaker/personal care. That agreement must spell out how backup will be provided, which individuals are covered, and how the Remote Support provider will contact the backup provider when help is needed.
DODD also clarified that the monitoring base must be in a private area that protects the individual’s privacy. It may not be located in the home of a person receiving home and community-based services, and it may not operate from a car or other vehicle.
Ohio also announced a billing update for Remote Support. The service is changing to a 15-minute billing unit. There were also clarifications about who is authorized in PAWS depending on whether backup support is paid or unpaid. If the backup is paid, the paid backup provider is authorized on PAWS. If the backup is unpaid, the Remote Support provider is the one authorized.
In addition, the service documentation requirements have been updated. Documentation will now include details such as when Remote Support staff contacted backup support and, when applicable, when the backup person arrived and departed. DODD also clarified what must be included in the person’s OhioISP.
That includes the typical days and times Remote Support will be provided, the assessed need, the technology or equipment used, whether backup support is paid or unpaid, the name and contact information for backup support, and the amount of time considered reasonable for that backup support to arrive.
The Importance of Consent and Privacy:
Another key part of Remote Support is informed consent. When a person and their team decide to move forward with the service, the SSA must obtain written consent from the individual and each person living in the home, or from the guardian when appropriate.
The form must explain what Remote Support involves, including whether staff may observe activities or hear conversations, where in the home the service will take place, and whether any recordings will be made. The SSA maintains the signed consent forms with the service plan and provides copies to the Remote Support provider, which must then make sure staff have access to them.
This part of the guidance is especially important because it reminds everyone involved that privacy, dignity, and transparency are central to good support. Technology should never feel confusing or intrusive. Individuals and families deserve to understand exactly how a support system works and what role it will play in the home.
Assistive Technology Updates Also Matter:
Although much of the attention may go to Remote Support, Ohio’s January 2026 presentation also included significant updates to Assistive Technology. DODD defines Assistive Technology as an item, device, product system, engineered solution or service animal training that helps address a person’s needs and goals identified in the service plan and directly benefits the individual by maintaining or improving independence, functional abilities, community involvement, vocational skills or physical skills.
The state breaks Assistive Technology into four areas: consultation, equipment, support, and service animal training. Consultation involves evaluating the person’s assistive technology needs and reviewing available options.
Equipment includes the actual technology or items purchased or adapted to meet the individual’s needs. Support includes training for the individual and the people who are involved in using or supporting the equipment. Service animal training remains part of the overall service structure as well.
One of the biggest January 2026 Assistive Technology updates is that the definition now clearly includes non-electronic items, not just high-tech tools. DODD’s examples include pencil grips, weighted pens, screen readers, and communication boards.
The updated guidance also says that Assistive Technology equipment may include software applications and recurring subscription fees that are necessary for the equipment to work as intended, so long as those subscriptions are tied to assistive technology rather than real-time Remote Support interaction.
Ohio also clarified how assistive technology equipment may be purchased or rented. The individual and team should choose the arrangement that best fits the person’s needs, and the terms should be documented in the service plan or in a written agreement signed by the provider and the individual. Equipment can either be purchased outright or rented.
The initial rental period may not exceed the useful life of the equipment, and the agreement should explain whether the individual will keep or return the equipment at the end of the rental term. If a rental arrangement still best meets the person’s needs after that point, it may be renewed.
DODD also noted that there is no change to the $5,000 cap on all components of Assistive Technology per waiver span, and that this total includes subscriptions and recurring monthly fees. When equipment has exceeded its useful life and needs repair or replacement, the team must choose the most cost-effective option.
Repair costs also may not exceed 25 percent of the cost of replacement. Additional service animal training may be covered only when the animal’s original training was funded by the person’s home and community-based waiver. DODD also stated that there were no changes to Assistive Technology consultation or Assistive Technology support.
What Assistive Technology Does Not Include:
Ohio DODD’s guidance also helps explain what Assistive Technology is not meant to cover. Assistive technology does not include internet service, illegal or prohibited items, items used only for entertainment or recreation, items used only for general utility, replacement or repair of previously approved equipment damaged through confirmed misuse, abuse, or negligence.
It also does not include the purchase or rental of a desktop, laptop, or tablet that duplicates similar equipment already in the person’s possession or already available through current services.
Medicaid Waiver funds may only be used when no other funding source is available, and the selected technology must be the least costly option that reasonably meets the person’s assessed needs.
Understanding the Difference Between Remote Support and Assistive Technology:
The state also offered a helpful explanation of the difference between Remote Support and Assistive Technology. Assistive Technology is generally a tool or solution that helps a person complete daily tasks more independently, such as a reminder app or a safety feature on an appliance.
Remote Support, on the other hand, involves live, real-time, two-way communication with support professionals so a person can connect with staff when needed while remaining more independent in their home.
That distinction matters because a person may need one of these services, the other, or a combination of both. Good planning depends on understanding the person’s goals, preferences, daily routines, risks and support needs.
Person-Centered Planning Remains at the Core:
Perhaps the most encouraging part of the update is that Ohio continues to frame these services through person-centered planning. DODD says teams should talk about what technology a person is already using, whether it has been effective, what needs still exist, and what available solutions might help. Team members do not need to know every possible technology option on their own.
Instead, they can use local processes, consult with county board or COG technology consultants, work with Ohio Tech Ambassadors, use the Rapid Response System, seek provider responses and focus on selecting the lowest-cost solution that best meets the person’s needs while maximizing independence, choice, and control.
That message fits closely with what many families and providers already know from experience: the best supports begin by listening. Technology works best when it is chosen carefully, explained clearly, and built around the person rather than expecting the person to adapt to the system.
Moving Forward Together:
For individuals, families, and providers across Ohio, these January 2026 updates offer more clarity about how Remote Support and Assistive Technology should work in practice. They reinforce the idea that supportive technology can be both practical and empowering.
They also remind teams that good implementation requires thoughtful planning, clear consent, dependable backup, proper documentation, and a continued commitment to person-centered care.
At RMS, we know that support is about more than services alone. It is about helping people build fuller, safer, and more independent lives in the ways that matter most to them. As Ohio’s Technology First efforts continue to evolve, these updates are a meaningful step toward giving individuals more choice in how support is delivered at home and in everyday life.
When technology is used well, it does not replace relationships. It strengthens them by helping people stay connected, supported, and in control of their own routines and goals. That is a future worth building together.
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