News

Family Care serves state's elderly, disabled

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/120327199.html

BySteve Schultzeof the Journal Sentinel

April 20, 2011|(44) Comments

When Jeanne Fehr got word after a 10-year wait that her 31-year-old daughter, Nealy Rothe, would likely get state funding to live on her own, Fehr was thrilled.

Rothe, who has Down syndrome, works a part-time job but would need help managing money, taking the bus and with some chores if she were to move from the Milwaukee home she shares with her mother. Rothe said she is looking forward to having her own apartment.

But that excitement was tempered with Gov. Scott Walker's proposed freeze on enrollments in the state's Family Care program, which helps pay for community care of elderly and disabled people.

Unless Rothe's name comes off the waiting list soon or state lawmakers rewrite Walker's Family Care freeze, Rothe and Fehr might have to wait longer.

"I'm not going to live forever," said Fehr, 63, expressing a common fear parents of disabled children face as they get older. Who will care for Rothe when Fehr is no longer able?

Fehr said she was told by Milwaukee County officials there was a chance her daughter's name could come up for a spot in Family Care before July, when the Legislature is slated to approve a 2011-'13 budget.

Even so, that leaves many other families - including those with elderly members who were counting on Family Care once most of their money was gone - facing similar predicaments. New candidates could be enrolled only when someone else leaves the program, under the governor's proposal.

Program beneficiaries

Family Care provides community services to some 35,000 frail elderly and those with physical or developmental disabilities in the state, including almost 8,000 in Milwaukee County. It runs on a yearly budget of some $1.4 billion statewide and $260 million in Milwaukee County, with about 60% of the money from the federal government and the rest from the state. The program started in 1998 with five counties and has since expanded to 48.

The average cost for Family Care services is about $2,800 a month per client in Milwaukee County.

It is one of a cluster of social programs threatened in Walker's budget and part of his solution to a $3.5 billion state budget shortfall.

In Milwaukee County, the impact could be serious, though the governor has not identified how $500 million in proposed cuts in Medical Assistance would be parceled out, said Geri Lyday, interim director of the county's Department of Health and Human Services. Services potentially affected include outpatient mental health, community health, delinquency services and alcohol and drug treatment, she said.

While those trims are unknown for now, the Family Care freeze poses serious problems, county officials said.

"I just can't say how much we are disappointed about the cap on Family Care," Lyday said.

Walker's budget cuts funding for the program by more than $284 million over the next two years.

The governor wanted the freeze pending results of a state audit on the Family Care program, Kitty Rhoades, deputy secretary for the state Department of Health Services, said Wednesday. The department wants data on cost effectiveness, quality of care and the "fiscal sustainability" of the program, Rhoades said.

"Until we have those questions answered it doesn't seem logical to continue bringing people into the program," she said.

Rhoades described the freeze as temporary, but said it wouldn't be lifted until any problems raised in a forthcoming state audit are addressed. A report on the program will be issued by the end of the month, said State Auditor Janice Mueller.

"We put the freeze in (the budget) for two years because that's the worst-case scenario," Rhoades said. "Once the audit comes out and everything's coming up roses, then the caps don't need to be there," she said.

Rhoades said questions had been raised about program costs and effectiveness.

'No safety net'

County officials had been counseling frail elderly clients to spend down to their last $2,000 - the level for eligibility for Family Care services - in the expectation that the state would then cover a significant portion of costs for assisted living or adult group home care. That advice could prove harmful, said Stephanie Sue Stein, who heads the county Department on Aging.

Some seniors in assisted living or adult family day care could find themselves out of luck due to the proposed freeze, Stein said. People with disabilities, like Rothe, would have to wait longer to enter the program.

"There are going to be dire consequences," Stein told county supervisors. "There is no safety net left." Her department has been working to place as many seniors as possible in Family Care before the freeze is imposed, she said.

"It's a really bad thing to do to people," Stein said of the proposed freeze. Hundreds of seniors planning on Family Care "really have no recourse" besides nursing home care, at a cost of $5,000 a month or more, she said - nearly double what the state pays a month for seniors in Family Care.

Stein said the county also should expect lawsuits over denial of Family Care.

With a freeze, the county would re-establish a waiting list for seniors, who now apply for the program at the rate of about 150 a month. About 90 leave the program monthly, due mostly to death, which suggests a Family Care waiting list would grow by about 60 people a month.

In Milwaukee County, more than 2,000 people with disabilities are on waiting lists for Family Care, about one quarter of the statewide total. The state has had no waiting list for seniors in the program since 2002.

Among other changes in the governor's budget, the state SeniorCare program for prescription drug coverage gets downgraded, which would likely shift people into more expensive Medicare Part D coverage. It would mean $35 higher monthly costs and larger co-pays.

(Thanks to our friends at BPDD for sharing this article with us)

Gov. Walkers proposed 2011-13 state budget caps new enrollments for allof Wisconsins major long term care programs for children and adults withdisabilities and older adults. People currently getting services willstill receive them. Nursing home care is exempt from the cap.

For example, counties with Family Care and IRIS would not be able to addnew people to the programs unless a current participant dies or leaves.Students leaving high school would transition to a waiting list. Waitinglists for community programs will grow across the state.

The Legislative Audit Bureau released a report on Family Care thatconfirms the program has increased access to services that enable peoplewith disabilities and older adults to maintain their independence andremain in their own homes. Disability advocates fear that once the cap isin place, the only option for people with long term support needs incrisis will be institutional care such as nursing homes.

Disability advocates are circulating a petition to legislators askingthem to Keep the Community Promise and lift the caps on long term careprograms.

The Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities supportsexpanding the Family Care, IRIS and Family Care Partnership programsstatewide by the end of the next budget and strongly opposes the cap on
enrollment. If you have an opinion, now is the time to take action:

E-mail your comments to the Joint Finance Committee atbudgetcomments@legis.wisconsin.gov. Please be sure to include your nameand address.

Contact your own state representative and state senator with yourcomments. If you dont know who they are go tohttp://www.dawninfo.org/advocacy/legislature.cfmto find out.

Consider adding your name to the petition to legislators asking themto Keep the Community Promise and lift the caps. To view the petition andsign it go tohttp://www.ipetitions.com/petition/keepthecommunitypromise/
The deadline to sign the petition is May 10.

Send your own story about being on the waiting list or enrolled inFamily Care, IRIS, or the Childrens Long Term Support waiver to ChrisThomas-Cramer at Christine.ThomasCramer@Wisconsin.gov. Please contact
Chris at the same address if you have any questions.

There is still time to make your opinions heard on the state budget!

The 2011 statewide Self-Determination Conference is just over 6 months away! Mark your calendars for November 7, 8 and 9^th. The conference will be held at the Kalahari in Wisconsin Dells. More information about the conference will be posted on the inControl Wisconsin website atwww.incontrolwisconsin.org

Do you want to see the webcasts and presenter materials from last years conference? Visit:http://www.incontrolwisconsin.org/icevents/self-determination-conference/2010-self-determination-conference/

Hope to see you in November!!!!

Shannon Munn

608.712.2212cell

608.318.0700office

www.incontrolwisconsin.org

Promoting a system of self-directed support for everyone.

The Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities (BPDD) has developed its next five-year State Plan and it is now available for public comment. Please review the draft of the BPDD's 2012-2016 State Plan and complete our online survey to help us to continue to improve the quality of life for people with developmental disabilities in Wisconsin.

• Review the draft of the BPDD's 2012-2016 State Plan.
• To provide comments on the State Plan, please complete the online survey.
• More information about how to provide your input.

4/11/11 UPDATE: You can keep up with the list of upcoming DHS Town Hall Meetings by going to the DHS Town Hall Meeting website.

The following information was shared byDAWN (Disability Advocates: Wisconsin Network).* This post will be updated as additional town meetings are announced.

The Department of Health Services (DHS) has announced a second Town Hall Meeting will be held in Fennimore on Tuesday, April 5. The meeting willtake place from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at South West Technical College inthe Lenz Conference Center in the Kramer Building (Building 300), 1800Bronson Blvd., Fennimore, WI.

The first Town Hall Meeting is in Eau Claire on March 30 at 1 p.m. atChippewa Valley Technical College in the WI Business Education Center,Room 103 Auditorium, 620 W. Clairemont Ave., Eau Claire.

The purpose of these meetings is for DHS to gather ideas from the publicon cost efficiencies, savings, and improved outcomes to the statesMedicaid programs. These ideas will help DHS develop plans designed toimprove overall consumer care, streamline program delivery and stabilizeprograms to ensure long-term sustainability.

Those who testify will have up to three minutes to share theircost-saving ideas. People can also submit their written testimony at themeeting. Testimony will also be accepted via email to DHS DeputySecretary Kitty Rhoades at
DHSDeputySecretaryKittyRhoades@dhs.wisconsin.govor via U.S. mail toSecretary Dennis Smith, Room 650, 1 W. Wilson St., Madison, WI, 53703.

DHS can gather ideas on all Medical Assistance programs, includingSeniorCare, BadgerCare Plus, Family Care, IRIS (Include, Respect, ISelf-Direct) and other long-term care programs.

People who require special accommodations to attend or participate inthe meeting should notify DHS at608-266-9622(TTY888-701-1250).

For more information, contact Beth Swedeen atbeth.swedeen@wisconsin.gov.

.

* DAWN is a grassroots, statewide network of people who care about disability issues and is a project of the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities (BPDD). You can also sign up for the DAWN email networkto receive announcements directly.

For the first time, the Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education (RPSE) has joined forces with the annual Wisconsin Film Festival to sponsor Film*Able: Disabilities on Film, a series of eight disability-related films to be shown during the popular, four-day festival.

The Wisconsin Film Festival has been held every April since 1999 at venues on and around the UW-Madison campus. RPSE Assistant Professor Audrey Trainor approached Meg Hamel, the festivals director, with the idea of sponsoring a series of films that are more realistic in their portrayal of people living with disabilities. Most films resort to stereotypes, showing individuals with disabilities as victims, unlikely heroes, or in need of rescuing.

Predictable plots and themes tell us more about how people without disabilities form opinions that allay fears about acquiring and living with adversity, Trainor says. While the films in the Film*Able series have little in common with one another, they all challenge these stereotypical portrayals.

The series includes award-winning documentaries and autobiographies about people with developmental and physical disabilities and tackles real issues such as inadequate worker compensation coverage and the relationship between different and disabled.

A complete schedule and short description of the series eight diverse films is below. Advance tickets are available through Wednesday, April 11, and can be ordered online or at the Festival Box Office. For details, visit http://www.wifilmfest.org/.

To learn more about the Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education, go to the RPSE website: http://www.education.wisc.edu/rpse/.

Film*Able: Disabilities on Screen schedule

Thursday, April 12

7:15 p.m., Frederic March Play Circle Theater (Memorial Union, second floor)

Escape Velocity The story of an artist with Attention Deficit Disorder. Voted Best Experimental Film at the 2006 USA Film Festival.

BraindamadjdTake II An autobiography of a man who suffered a traumatic brain injury at the age of 30, and his determination to get his life back.

9:30 p.m., Wisconsin Union Theater

Heart of an Empire A documentary about the Fighting 501^st Legion, a Star Wars fan group that visits childrens hospitals and participates in charity fundraisers.

Friday, April 13

7:30 p.m., Monona Terrace Convention Center

When Pigs Fly The story of a woman who is obsessively devoted to raising abandoned pigs despite being in a wheelchair.

The Cost of Living An award-winning adaptation of a stage play featuring a street performer with no legs.

10:00 p.m., Bartell Theater

Black Sun A collaboration between an artist who unexpectedly lost his sight and a filmmaker who creates the images to tell his story. Also playing on Saturday, April 14, at 1:45 p.m.

Saturday, April 14

11:15 a.m., Frederic March Play Circle Theatre

The Collector of Bedford Street An Oscar-nominated documentary short about a New York City neighborhood that rallies together to care for a man with developmental disabilities.

Kiss My Wheels The story of the Zia Hot Shots, a nationally ranked junior wheelchair basketball team.

1:45 p.m., Bartell Theater

Black Sun

Related Articles :
No Related Content Found

The following information was shared byDAWN (Disability Advocates: Wisconsin Network).*

The Joint Committee on Finance has announced the schedule for public hearings about the proposed biennial budget.This is your opportunity to make your opinions known about the freeze on Family Care expansion and cap onenrollment, cuts to education, and other issues.Check out the DAWN webpagefor a summary of the proposed budget.
The dates, times and location of the hearings are:

• Thursday, April 7 (10 am _ 6 pm). UW-Stevens Point (Lee Dreyfus University Center, Melvin Laird Room, Stevens Point)
• Friday, April 8 (10 am _ 5 pm). Northwood School Richard's Auditorium, Highway 53, Minong.
• Monday, April 11 (10 am _ 6 pm). State Fair Park, Expo Center Hall A, West Allis.
• Wednesday, April 13. (10 am _ 6 pm). Arcadia High School Auditorium, Arcadia.

The committee notice said it will stop taking testimony at the time specified. Written comments can be emailed to the committee at: budgetcomments@legis.wisconsin.gov or sent by US mail to: Joe Malkasian, Room 305 East, State Capitol, Madison, WI 53703.

*DAWN is a grassroots, statewide network of people who care about disability issues and is a project of the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities (BPDD). You can also sign up for theDAWN email networkto receive announcements directly.

On March 16, 2011, the FCC's Emergency Access Advisory Committee (EAAC) released a national on-line survey to determine the most effective and efficient technologies and methods by which persons with disabilities may access Next Generation 9-1-1 emergency services systems. Among other things, the survey asks about accessing emergency services via video, text, and voice. The results of the survey will inform the EAAC as it develops recommendations for the FCC to draft rules to ensure that people with disabilities can access NG 9-1-1 services. The survey is available in English, Spanish and American Sign Language (ASL) video).

This survey will be available until April 24, 2011. We encourage people with disabilities to complete this survey, and share information about the survey with other people with disabilities and organizations that represent persons with disabilities.

Link to the survey in English and ASL:

http://fcc.eaac.sgizmo.com/s3

Link to the survey in Spanish:

http://fcc.eaac-es.sgizmo.com/s3

The following information was provided by theDBTAC-Great Lakes ADA Center (www.adagreatlakes.org) for your information.

Real Lives, Real Work and a Real Smart Wisconsin

Sponsored by Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations

Disability Advocacy Day is designed to connect you with your legislators so you can share your story with them. You are the expert in sharing how legislative policies affect people with disabilities in their everyday lives.

We will set up your visit and brief you before you go to the Capitol. We will provide you with information and talking points about current issues before your meeting, so choose one of the briefing times below for April 6 (9 a.m. or 11 a.m.) when filling out this form. Make sure your legislative visits are scheduled to occur after your briefing with us.

If you can attend, fill out the registration form: Disability Advocacy Day Registration Form. If you can't attend but know someone who might be interested, send this invitation to them!