Giv.
Giv.
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The IDD agency
growth blueprint
The IDD agency growth blueprint
Get expert guidance on sustainable, strategic growth for your IDD agency. This free eBook, featuring CFHS advisors Stacy DiStefano and Judi London and the team at Giv, walks you through proven approaches to strategy, systems, and M&A. Click below to download your copy.
Get expert guidance on sustainable, strategic growth for your IDD agency. This free eBook, featuring CFHS advisors Stacy DiStefano and Judi London and the team at Giv, walks you through proven approaches to strategy, systems, and M&A. Click below to download your copy.
“Every team has its clever fixes—the spreadsheet, the sticky note, the one supervisor who remembers everything. But as your agency grows, those workarounds become liabilities.”
“Every team has its clever fixes—the spreadsheet, the sticky note, the one supervisor who remembers everything. But as your agency grows, those workarounds become liabilities.”
- Stacy DiStefano Chief Executive Officer Consulting for Human Services
- Stacy DiStefano Chief Executive Officer Consulting for Human Services
Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Strategies to grow and scale IDD agencies
Strategies to grow and scale IDD agencies
True growth in IDD services involves expanding support while maintaining sustainability and quality. Agencies that grow well tend to invest early in scalable systems, strong teams, data-driven planning, and community relationships. These foundations help ensure quality and person-centered care remain intact as operations expand.
True growth in IDD services involves expanding support while maintaining sustainability and quality. Agencies that grow well tend to invest early in scalable systems, strong teams, data-driven planning, and community relationships. These foundations help ensure quality and person-centered care remain intact as operations expand.
Workforce capacity and retention
No growth strategy works without a stable team. High DSP turnover and workforce shortages are major barriers nationwide. Agencies should strengthen onboarding, offer career pathways, and provide ongoing training. Strong supervision, mentorship, and internal leadership development help staff stay engaged—and give your agency the talent it needs to scale.
No growth strategy works without a stable team. High DSP turnover and workforce shortages are major barriers nationwide. Agencies should strengthen onboarding, offer career pathways, and provide ongoing training. Strong supervision, mentorship, and internal leadership development help staff stay engaged—and give your agency the talent it needs to scale.
Scalable systems and technology
Manual processes may work for small teams—but they rarely scale. Growth-oriented agencies replace paper and spreadsheets with centralized systems for documentation, scheduling, and billing. Real-time tools like EHRs and EVV systems help staff document as they work, reduce errors, and save time. While discussing the technology changes over time and the need to adapt Stacy mentioned: “Metrics-based management is where agencies need to be operating. I’ve been in this field for 30 years. We used to rely on folders, pens—black ones, not red, for compliance! We’ve evolved. Now it’s about having strong systems. No matter the size of your organization, sustainability requires a good tech stack. It should cover clinical operations, data, IT, revenue cycle, back office, compliance—everything. A good system is no longer a luxury; it’s table stakes.”
Leaders should regularly assess whether their technology is keeping up—and invest where needed to support long-term efficiency. The more integrated your systems, the more confidently you can grow.
Manual processes may work for small teams—but they rarely scale. Growth-oriented agencies replace paper and spreadsheets with centralized systems for documentation, scheduling, and billing. Real-time tools like EHRs and EVV systems help staff document as they work, reduce errors, and save time. While discussing the technology changes over time and the need to adapt Stacy mentioned: “Metrics-based management is where agencies need to be operating. I’ve been in this field for 30 years. We used to rely on folders, pens—black ones, not red, for compliance! We’ve evolved. Now it’s about having strong systems. No matter the size of your organization, sustainability requires a good tech stack. It should cover clinical operations, data, IT, revenue cycle, back office, compliance—everything. A good system is no longer a luxury; it’s table stakes.”
Leaders should regularly assess whether their technology is keeping up—and invest where needed to support long-term efficiency. The more integrated your systems, the more confidently you can grow.
Building partnerships and staying mission-focused
Growth doesn’t happen alone. Collaborate with peer agencies, funders, community partners, and advocacy groups to expand services and share solutions. Even if you’re not ready to act on an idea today, making space for those forward-looking conversations helps keep your agency adaptable and prepared.
As you grow, stay grounded in your mission. Make sure new services reflect the needs and choices of the individuals you serve. The strongest agencies scale with intention, growing not just in size, but in measurable impact.
Growth doesn’t happen alone. Collaborate with peer agencies, funders, community partners, and advocacy groups to expand services and share solutions. Even if you’re not ready to act on an idea today, making space for those forward-looking conversations helps keep your agency adaptable and prepared.
As you grow, stay grounded in your mission. Make sure new services reflect the needs and choices of the individuals you serve. The strongest agencies scale with intention, growing not just in size, but in measurable impact.
Using data to guide growth
Data allows agencies to make smarter decisions and demonstrate their value. Tracking key metrics—like service utilization, incident trends, and goal progression—helps identify gaps, guide resource allocation, and prepare for outcome-based funding. When discussing data and how crucial it is for growth, Stacy Distefano shared: “Metric-based management is really the way folks should be operating at a high level right now.” The more integrated your data, the more confidently you can expand. When agencies use data not just for compliance, but for strategy, they’re better equipped to scale with purpose and precision.
Data allows agencies to make smarter decisions and demonstrate their value. Tracking key metrics—like service utilization, incident trends, and goal progression—helps identify gaps, guide resource allocation, and prepare for outcome-based funding. When discussing data and how crucial it is for growth, Stacy Distefano shared: “Metric-based management is really the way folks should be operating at a high level right now.” The more integrated your data, the more confidently you can expand. When agencies use data not just for compliance, but for strategy, they’re better equipped to scale with purpose and precision.
Interview with Stacy DiStefano
Interview with Stacy DiStefano
Session title: Designed for Expansion | Interviewed by: Danny Laneri VP of Business Development at Giv
Session title: Designed for Expansion | Interviewed by: Danny Laneri VP of Business Development at Giv
Danny Laneri:
Let’s pivot to data and systems. What tools or systems are having the biggest impact on agency growth?
Let’s pivot to data and systems. What tools or systems are having the biggest impact on agency growth?
Stacy DiStefano:
Metrics-based management is where agencies need to be operating. I’ve been in this field for 30 years. We used to rely on folders, pens—black ones, not red, for compliance! We’ve evolved. Now it’s about having strong systems. No matter the size of your organization, sustainability requires a good tech stack. It should cover clinical operations, data, IT, revenue cycle, back office, compliance—everything. A good system is no longer a luxury; it’s table stakes.
Metrics-based management is where agencies need to be operating. I’ve been in this field for 30 years. We used to rely on folders, pens—black ones, not red, for compliance! We’ve evolved. Now it’s about having strong systems. No matter the size of your organization, sustainability requires a good tech stack. It should cover clinical operations, data, IT, revenue cycle, back office, compliance—everything. A good system is no longer a luxury; it’s table stakes.
Danny Laneri:
And for those who are expanding—whether through merger or organic growth—how can agencies prepare to integrate different operating systems?
And for those who are expanding—whether through merger or organic growth—how can agencies prepare to integrate different operating systems?
Stacy DiStefano:
That’s part of the upfront diligence. Even if you’re growing organically, you need to assess your current capacity. If you were building an addition onto your house, you’d want to know the foundation is strong enough.
That’s part of the upfront diligence. Even if you’re growing organically, you need to assess your current capacity. If you were building an addition onto your house, you’d want to know the foundation is strong enough.
Click below to download the full eBook and learn how to build systems, plan strategically, and prepare for smart growth.
Who is Giv?
Everything in one place.
Who is Giv?
Everything in one place.
Giv is designed to simplify your agency’s operations by streamlining Medicaid billing, complex scheduling, client documentation, and DSP payroll—all in one intuitive platform.
Giv is designed to simplify your agency’s operations by streamlining Medicaid billing, complex scheduling, client documentation, and DSP payroll—all in one intuitive platform.
Designed with care
Designed with care
Easily schedule shifts for clients and staff. With the Giv mobile app, staff can clock in and out and manage the client services. Billing and payroll are handled automatically, making it easier than ever for you to focus on driving outcomes for clients.
Easily schedule shifts for clients and staff. With the Giv mobile app, staff can clock in and out and manage the client services. Billing and payroll are handled automatically, making it easier than ever for you to focus on driving outcomes for clients.
Person centered
Person centered
Our software is human-centered, tailored to drive outcomes for clients, empower staff, and automate agency owner tasks.
Our software is human-centered, tailored to drive outcomes for clients, empower staff, and automate agency owner tasks.
Client Hub, EHR and eMAR.
Client Hub, EHR and eMAR.
Electronic health records and medication administration records combined and simplified to drive outcomes. Easily track every detail about your clients and empower your staff with critical information in real time through our mobile technology. Client outcomes are achieved when staff know what's required and can easily document every interaction.
Electronic health records and medication administration records combined and simplified to drive outcomes. Easily track every detail about your clients and empower your staff with critical information in real time through our mobile technology. Client outcomes are achieved when staff know what's required and can easily document every interaction.
Staff Hub, client care. Managed.
Staff Hub, client care. Managed.
Empower your direct support staff with everything they need to drive client outcomes. Timesheets, documentation and reporting are on autopilot, focusing your entire team on your clients needs. Easily track payroll and employee compliance documentation to always be audit ready.
Empower your direct support staff with everything they need to drive client outcomes. Timesheets, documentation and reporting are on autopilot, focusing your entire team on your clients needs. Easily track payroll and employee compliance documentation to always be audit ready.
Revenue Hub, your money, simplified.
Revenue Hub, your money, simplified.
Daily management of client billing and employee payroll is simplified when data flows directly from DSP interaction. Verify reported data without the manual calculation and entry. The revenue hub saves hours per week for your HR and billing teams.
Daily management of client billing and employee payroll is simplified when data flows directly from DSP interaction. Verify reported data without the manual calculation and entry. The revenue hub saves hours per week for your HR and billing teams.
Scheduling Hub,
intelligent shifts. Client info baked in.
Scheduling Hub,
intelligent shifts. Client info baked in.
Shifts that know your staff and clients are shifts that automate. Easily enforce client specific training for new direct support professionals, put goal tracking at the forefront and easily capture detailed client documentation. Your staff use one app, reducing their workload to focus them on clients.
Shifts that know your staff and clients are shifts that automate. Easily enforce client specific training for new direct support professionals, put goal tracking at the forefront and easily capture detailed client documentation. Your staff use one app, reducing their workload to focus them on clients.
FAQ
FAQ
FAQ
