Opening soon in Orange County. This page describes what we'll offer when we open.
Self-Determination · Children and adults · Orange County
Your life. Your people. We handle the rest.
Hire the people you trust. Set the hours that suit your week. We pay everyone, file the taxes, and keep your budget clear.
Questions before we open? Email hello@unlimitedsteps.co
- Our fee never comes from your budget
- Workers paid on time, every payday
- Interpreters at no cost to you
- A real person answers
What self-direction means
Your life. Your call.
Nobody knows your life better than you. You decide who helps, when they come, and what they do. We take care of everything behind it.
You pick who
Someone you already trust, or someone new.
You set the hours
Mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays.
You move the money
Shift money between parts of your plan, within the program's limits, on your say-so.
You change your mind
Keep an agency, drop one, or use both.
Real weeks, not rosters
Meet the people it's for
“Two years at the same art class, with the tutor I chose.”
Nora, Irvine
Directs her own support, with help from her brother
“I clock in on my phone and I'm paid every payday. No chasing.”
Luis, support worker
Works with Nora on weekday mornings
“I see what's left in the budget, and I'm warned long before it runs out.”
Linda, Tustin
Helps her son and daughter direct their plans
These are example stories. Real ones will replace them.
Three ways to set it up
Choose how much of the employer role you want
We offer all three. Every one lets you choose who helps you.
Simplest
Bill Payer
We pay your programs, classes, and agencies.
Best if you don't hire your own workers.
Most control
Sole Employer
You're the employer. We run your payroll and file the taxes.
Best if you want to be the boss on paper too.
Least paperwork
Co-Employer
You choose and direct your workers. We carry the employer duties.
Best if you want your own people without the legal weight.
The app and the web
Everything in your pocket
- Support workers clock in and out with one tap on their phone.
- Approve a shift from the sofa, and see what it costs.
- Watch your budget and get a warning long before it runs low.
- The person gets their own sign-in, in easy read if they like, not just their family.
For support workers
You do the work. We make sure you're paid for it.
Paid on time, every payday
Direct deposit, with every payday on a calendar you can see.
Mileage
When you drive the person you support, as their spending plan allows.
Log driving your way
As you go, or by address afterwards.
You'll get a link from the person you'll work with. Fill in your details and sign on your phone.
Three things you do. The rest is ours.
Tell your regional center
Say you want to join, and go to the orientation.
Choose UnlimitedSteps
The regional center pays our fee, not you.
Pick your people
We do the papers, checks, payroll, and taxes.
School and your budget: where the line falls
The school pays for
- Teaching and classroom aides
- Therapy in the education plan
- Transport to and from school
Your budget pays for
- Before and after school, and holidays
- Evenings, weekends, and outings
- Job coaching as school ends
Accessibility
Made for how you read, hear, and see
Everything is built in. Turn it on with the Aa button on any screen in the app, or tell us when you sign up. This website has an Aa button too.
Easy read
Short words, pictures, and big buttons.
Read aloud
The app reads the screen to you, with a voice on your own device.
Bigger text and clearer colors
Easier to see on any phone or computer.
Works with screen readers
VoiceOver, TalkBack, and others, plus keyboard only.
Deaf or hard of hearing
Reach us by email or messages in the app. Relay calls (711) are welcome. An ASL interpreter is available on request.
Privacy
How we protect your information
When we open:
Built to HIPAA standards from day one.
HIPAA is the U.S. law that protects health information. We build everything to its rules, and to California's privacy law.
Signed agreements
Every company that stores or handles your information for us signs an agreement to protect it under HIPAA.
Encrypted
Your information is encrypted when it's stored and when it's sent.
Kept in the U.S.
Your information stays on servers in the United States.
Only your team
Only the people working with you can see it, and only while they do. If our support team ever needs to look, it's brief, for a stated reason, and reviewed.
A record of who did what
We record every sign-in, every change to pay or budgets, and every time someone sees sensitive details like your home address.
Questions
What does it cost me?
Nothing from your budget. The regional center pays our fee, at a rate the state sets.
Is this for children or adults?
Both. People with a developmental disability who get regional center services can join, children and adults alike. Parents direct things for young children, and adults direct their own, with whoever they choose beside them. Your service coordinator can tell you whether you qualify.
Can I pay a relative?
Often, with limits. Ask your service coordinator, and we'll tell you what the rules allow.
Do my workers have to be on the regional center's list?
No. We check their papers and background before anyone is paid.
Which setup should I choose?
Agencies only: Bill Payer. Your own people with the least paperwork: Co-Employer. Want to be the employer yourself: Sole Employer. You can switch later.
What if I overspend?
You'll hear from us long before. Small moves between parts of your plan are yours to make; bigger changes go to your service coordinator.
I'm a support worker. How do I start?
You'll get a link from the person you'll work with. Fill in your details and sign on your phone. Background checks can take a while, so start early.
Do you speak my language?
This website and our app are in English and Spanish. If you'd rather talk in another language, we bring an interpreter onto the call at no cost to you.
I'm Deaf, or reading is hard for me. Can I still use this?
Yes. Use easy read, have the app read aloud, or make the text bigger. You never have to phone us: email us or use messages in the app. Relay calls are welcome, and we can bring in an ASL interpreter.
I'm with another FMS. Can I switch to you?
Yes. Tell your service coordinator you'd like to switch. With your permission, we get your records from your current FMS, your support workers can stay with you, and we pick a start date that fits the pay cycle so nobody misses a paycheck.
Can I leave if it's not working?
Yes. Your rights never change, and we hand over clean records.
Tell us what you want your life to look like
We're getting ready to open. Email us and we'll get back to you. No pressure, and nothing to pay.