The Erie County Board of Developmental Disibilities provides funding for residential support services for individuals in their family homes, licensed residential homes, and in houses and apartments in our communities.
Licensed Homes
There are nine licensed homes in Erie County. These are traditional group home settings that range in size from one to eight people living together.
Throughout the years in the 1980's and 1990's, and through the present time, the State of Ohio has seen a dramatic shift in how residential services are provided to individuals. Facility and group home placements have seen a dramatic decline in being the focus of the kind of service people want. However, these types of placements continue to be not only an option, but a need for individuals, and the facilities and group homes are generally at maximum capacity.
Supported Living
The State of Ohio began an option of providing residential services in the community for individuals instead of the more structured facility or group home setting. These types of placements were identified as Supported Living. In essence, it provides whatever kind of support or service a person needs in their family home or in a home in the community.
Supported Living services are generally described as giving the individual what they want or need, and nothing else; whereas a facility placement already has existing services for a large variety of people that not everyone may need. Supported Living services personalizes the development of an individual's service needs. The county board is required to monitor and assure each individual's health and safety.
What Is A Waiver
The Home and Community Based Waiver Programs are based on the framework of Support Living. The benefit of Waiver Programs for the state and local governments is that it draws down additional federal dollars for use in serving individuals.
The waiver program is a program that provides funding for residential services to people who choose to live in the community and receive services rather than live in an institutional setting such as an intermediate care facility for the developmentally disabled.
The waiver program is funded from Federal, State and Local monies. This program is important for states because with waivers the federal government will pay for approximately 60% of the cost of the service, rather than the state or local county governments being responsible for 100% of the cost of services.
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services in conjunction with the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities request a certain number of "waiver slots" for the entire State of Ohio. Waivers are then allocated to County Boards by the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, based on the population of the county and that counties’ ability to provide the "matching" 40% of the cost of services. Hence, there are only a certain number of waivers in the state that may be used for individuals who have a developmental disability.
People on a waiver can get the same kind of service as Supported Living (ie: 24 hour staffing per day, a few hours per week, help to handle their money, grocery shopping, doctors appointments, medications, cooking, transportation, equipment, home renovations, etc.) The county board is authorized to determine what level of support a person needs through their Medicaid waiver; however, individuals and their families are an active participant in developing their plans and services. .
A person may live with their family or live in their own home. They could begin receiving services in their family home and move to a community home at a later time, and their waiver funding will follow them. With a waiver the person can move out of a county and funding will follow them, but they cannot move out of state if they want to keep funding through the waiver. People use their own benefits (social security and/or wages) to pay for their room and board or living expenses. The waiver pays the cost of the staffing and services only.
Waiver Eligibility
- Financial - cannot exceed financial savings or monthly income of over $1,500
- Level of Care- must meet 1 to 3 substantial functional limitations, based on the age of the individual per the Ohio Administrative Code. (Such as: self help, communication, self direction, capacity for economic self sufficiency, etc.)
- Must be eligible for County Board Services, and be a resident of the State of Ohio
Waiver Benefits
For the person on the waiver program, there are more choices about where they live, whom they live with, and who will provide their direct services. Being on a waiver automatically qualifies the individual for a monthly Medicaid Card and stops any existing ‘spend down’ for Medicaid. Waiver programs also assist county and state governments financially by helping with the cost of services. In order to be enrolled on a waiver, the individual must be Medicaid eligible.
Types Of Waivers
Currently in the State of Ohio there are two types of Waiver Programs that serve individuals with developmental disabilities. These are the Individual Options (IO) Waiver and the Level I Waiver. Both of these programs are in the process of major transition as the State of Ohio is undergoing a significant change with Medicaid reform.
IO WAIVER
- Funding ranges are determined by the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Profile (ODDP)
- Services could include Homemaker personal care, transportation, respite, interpreter, nutritional, social work/counseling, home delivered meals, home modifications, adaptive equipment, emergency response systems, specialized medical equipment
LEVEL I WAIVER
- This waiver's focus is to provide limited services to maintain individuals within their family homes and/or provide the families with increased respite services. It may also assist individuals who reside in the community and need limited supports to maintain their independence.
A person can get services in their family home or in their own home - Services could include: recreational/leisure activities, taking to the doctor, helping with bathing, training on skills, transportation, banking, etc.
- There is a funding cost cap of $5,000 per year, per person.....this equals approximately 5 hours of service per week, OR 20 hours of service per month OR 240 hours of service per year...however the person wants or needs to use the hours of staff time
- There is an additional $8,000, one time, cost cap for emergency service needs. Which is approximately 450 hours of staffing over a 3 year time frame
- There is an additional $6,000, one time, cost cap for home renovations or equipment needs that can be utilized over a 3 year time frame
Priorities for who receives a Waiver
The County Board must follow guidelines outlined in Waiting List law and rule. This means that the Board must provide waiver services to people in the order listed below when funding is available:
- Emergencies
- For individuals who are 22 years old and over, and are already receiving Supported Living services or Family Resources which is paid for by 100% state and local dollars
- Individuals who are 22 and over and work in a county board day activity or vocational program
- Individuals who are 22 and over who reside with care givers that are aged 60 or more
- Children under the age of 22 who have intensive needs (determined by the county board– only 13 waiver slots available to Butler County )
- Individuals who are 22 and over that have intensive needs (determined by the county board)
- People living in an ICF/MR facility that want to move to the community. (These individuals are identified and approved by the Ohio Department of DD. The Department will pay any matching dollars for these individuals. Only 75 individuals will be selected in the State of Ohio )
- Individuals who have been on previous waiting lists for a waiver, based on chronological order
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