A MEASURE FOR SUCCESS
What is the Supports Intensity Scale?
The Supports Intensity Scale (SIS) reflects a positive way of thinking. SIS focuses on the support needs for individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) to be successful. The SIS results will provide useful information for development of Individual Support Plans (ISP) because it gathers a wealth of information about an individual’s support needs.
The Supports Intensity Scale® (SIS) - Adult
- is a nationally normed assessment tool designed by experts for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities age 16 and older
- is nationally recognized, adopted by 18 states, used internationally
- identifies and measures the supports needed for an individual to successfully participate in various life activities
- is conducted through a positive and thorough interview process every three years
Who receives a SIS® assessment?
All individuals receiving services through the NC Innovations Waiver are required to receive a SIS. The SIS gives very valuable information to us and to you.
The SIS includes three sections, each of which measures a particular area of support need.
The Supports Intensity Scale® (SIS) - Adult
Section 1
The Supports Intensity Scale® consists of 49 life activities grouped into six domains:
- Home Living
- Employment
- Lifelong Learning
- Community Living
- Health and Safety
- Social Activities
Section 2
Supplemental Protection and Advocacy measures eight activities. Information learned here is helpful in developing individualized support plans.
Section 3
Exceptional Medical and Behavioral Supports Needs measures support needs across 15 medical conditions and 12 challenging behaviors. An underlying assumption of the SIS® is that certain medical conditions and challenging behaviors predict that a person will require increased support over time. The medical and behavioral items identify important considerations for support needs planning.
The Supports Intensity Scale® (SIS) - Children
- is a different assessment tool used to identify the support needs of children younger than 16
- measures the relative intensity of support needs of children with intellectual and/or developmental disability
- focuses on the extent of extra support a child needs to fully participate in a variety of activities
- is conducted every two years
Section 1
The Supports Intensity Scale® consists of 61 life activities grouped into six domains:
- Home Life
- Community and Neighborhood
- School Participation
- School Learning
- Health and Safety
- Social Activities
Section 2
Supplemental Protection and Advocacy measures nine activities. Information learned here is helpful in developing individualized support plans.
Section 3
Exceptional Medical and Behavioral Supports Needs measures support needs across 18 medical conditions and 14 challenging behaviors. An underlying assumption of the SIS® is that certain medical conditions and challenging behaviors predict that a person will require increased support over time. The medical and behavioral items identify important considerations for support needs planning
To learn more about the SIS® . . .
Watch these SIS® Videos produced by the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
Resources & Links
- SIS Interview Brochure
- SIS Questions & Answers
- SIS Acronyms List
- Understanding Child SIS® Scores
- Understanding Adult SIS® Scores
- American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD)
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