Services in Florida and North Carolina...

[Guest guest]

I thought this might interest some of you...

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

(NOEWAIT) Report from NC

Hi Folks,

Had lunch today with a friend visiting us here in FL. She has a son with a

developmental disability. Her son and my daughter were wait listed on the same

day here in FL ........ in fact we met in the lobby of DCF.

4 1/2 years ago she moved to Huntersville, NC which is North of

Charlotte.....I believe it is Mekelberg County. Today at lunch she told me

that her son's budget under " Cap " (which is the name of their med waiver

program) is set at $18,000. Of that, about $2000 goes away for indirect costs,

but the $16,000 buys her son 1000 hours a year of support services (avg $16 an

hour paid to providers). Her son lives in the family home, is 26, and was moved

from the NC wait list about a year ago.......meaning he spent about 3 1/2 years

waitlisted. He is assuredly not in crisis nor has he ever been. His mom is

ten years younger than I am so he wasn't prioritized based on age of caregiver.

By contrast, I am still in FL .......... and my daughter's med waiver supports

are $0. Her status on the wait list - frozen. Only crisis placements will be

made. I know that each State designs their own waivers, sets the funding

level, number of slots, priority order, etc. etc. But still..........it

boggles the mind at the disparity of supports based simply on geography.

Well, preaching to the choir....

Goodnight,

Lucille, from FL