The Home and Community Based Services
(HCBS) Waiver for Persons with Physical Disabilities (PD) provides community-based, in home services to enable
persons with severe physical disabilities to remain in their own homes and
avoid placement in a long-term care facility. The provision of home and
community-based services is based upon the identified needs of the recipient
and available funding. ADSD assists
recipients with accessing other available services, as needed. This program is similar to the PAS Program.
What Services can the HCBS PD Waiver Provide?
Case
Management
Services which will assist individuals who receive waiver services in gaining access to needed waiver and other state plan services, as well as needed medical,
social, educational and other services, regardless of the funding source for the services to which access is gained. Case managers are responsible for ongoing monitoring of the provision of services included in the individual's plan of care. Case management services can be provided by ADSD or provider agencies.
Attendant
Care
The following personal care services are an extension to State Plan Services:
- Bathing
- Grooming
- Toileting
- Transferring/Ambulating
- Dressing
- Eating
These services may include hands-on care of both a supportive and health-related nature specific to the needs of a medically stable, physically disabled individual. Supportive services are those which substitute for the absence, loss, diminution, or impairment of a physical or cognitive function.
Homemaker
Services consisting of the following:
- Meal Preparation
- Light Housekeeping
- Laundry
- Shopping
These services are provided when the individual regularly responsible for these activities is temporarily absent or unable to manage the home.
Personal
Emergency Response System (PERS)
PERS is an electronic device which enables certain individual at high risk of institutionalization to secure help in an emergency. The Individual may also wear a portable "help" button to allow for mobility. The system is connected to the person's phone and programmed to signal a response center once a "help" button is activated. The response center is staffed by trained professionals. The service components include both the installation of the unit and monthly monitoring. Two separate authorizations are required for payment: the initial installation fee for the device and a monthly fee for continuous monitoring.
Chore
Service
Services needed to maintain a clean, sanitary and safe home environment. This service includes heavy household chores such as cleaning windows and walls, shampooing carpets, taking down loose rugs and tiles, moving heavy items of furniture in order to provide safe access and egress, minor home repairs and removing trash and debris from the yard.
Respite
Services provided to individuals unable to care for themselves; furnished on a short-term basis because of the absence or need for relief of those persons normally providing the care. Respite providers provide general assistance with ADLs and IADLs, as well as provide supervision for recipients with functional impairments in their home or place of residence (community setting). Services may be for 24-hour periods, and the goal is relief of the primary caregiver.
Assisted Living:
Services are all-inclusive services furnished by an assisted living services provider. Assisted living services are intended to provide all support services needed in the community and may include personal care, homemaker, chore, attendant care, meal preparation, companion, medication oversight (to the extent permitted under state law), transportation, diet and nutrition, orientation and mobility, community mobility/ transportation training, advocacy for related social services, health maintenance, active supervision, home and community safety training, provided in a home-like environment in a licensed (where applicable) community care facility. Services provided by a third party must be coordinated with the assisted living facility. This service may include skilled or nursing care to the extent permitted by state law. Nursing and skilled therapy services are incidental, rather than integral to the provision of assisted living services. Payment is not made for 24 hours skilled care. If a recipient chooses assisted living services, no other waiver services may be provided, except case management services.
Specialized Medical Equipment and Supplies:
Items reimbursed with waiver funds shall be in addition to any medical equipment and supplies furnished under the Medicaid State Plan and shall exclude those items that are not of direct medical or remedial benefit to the individual. All items shall meet applicable standards of manufacture, design and installation and where indicated, will be purchased from and installed by authorized dealers.
Environmental Accessibility Adaptations:
Environmental Accessibility Adaptations are physical adaptations to the residence of the recipient or the recipient's family, identified in the recipient's plan of care, that are necessary to ensure the health, welfare and safety of the recipient or that enable the recipient to function with greater independence in the home. Such adaptations include the installation of ramps and grab-bars, widening of doorways, modification of bathroom facilities, or the installation of specialized electrical and plumbing systems that are necessary to accommodate the medical equipment and supplies that are necessary for the welfare of the recipient.
Home Delivered Meals:
Home delivered meals are the provision of meals to persons at risk of institutional care due to inadequate nutrition. Home delivered meals include the planning, purchase, preparation and delivery or transportation costs of meals to a person's home. Recipients who require home delivered meals are unable to prepare or obtain nutritional meals without assistance or are unable to manage a special diet recommended y their physician.
Who is Eligible for the HCBS PD Waiver?
To be eligible for services, an individual
must meet the following requirements:
- Be diagnosed with a Physical Disability.
- Be at risk of institutionalization (nursing
home placement) if services are not provided (meet Level of Care for nursing
home placement).
- Be financially eligible (call for current income
guidelines).
How Can I Apply?
An applicant, community partner or caregiver may fill out the OCL Program Application and submit to the Aging and Disability Services Division (ADSD) office nearest to them. An applicant may also telephone their local regional office and provide the needed information over the phone to an ADSD intake team member. List of regional offices
Once a completed and signed application is received by ADSD office, an ADSD intake case manager will contact the individual to determine which services and program are most appropriate for them.
Once an applicant is determined eligible for the HCBS PD Waiver, a case manager will remain in close contact with the recipient to assure services are appropriate and are meeting the needs of the recipient.
ADSD personnel are dedicated to the provision of quality services, which assist individuals to remain independent in their own homes.