RE: Re: Clarification on Waivers

April 4, 2011

This may have been answered already. But, I think the DORS services you are

thinking of are paid for by a funding stream commonly referred to as Voc

Rehab. It is outside of waiver funding so it isn't impacted by if you are

receiving waiver funding from another program. I am way outside of being an

expert on this. But, I believe there are at least a couple of challenges.

One is that is supposed to be time limited. The other is supposed to be for

folks who will in their interpretation actually be able to get a " meaningful

job " . I think it's been very loosely interpreted in the past. But, of

course, with the current budget mess is under a lot of stress. Also because

DORS has regional offices, it can vary a lot from region to region.

I way open to someone blowing me out of the water here. Charlotte

From: IPADDUnite [mailto:IPADDUnite ] On

Behalf Of misslaur57

Sent: Friday, April 01, 2011 12:04 PM

IPADDUnite

Subject: Re: Clarification on Waivers

Diane,

It's my understanding that a person with a disability can access regular

Dept. of Rehab Services, like job preparation, job finding, and job

coaching, in addition to having a Medicaid Waiver thru DD or DRS. Those job

services must not be from a Medicaid Waiver but some other source of

funding.

However, understand that regular DRS job services DO NOT INCLUDE a personal

job coach who accompanies your son every minute of every day; what I've

heard is that it usually extends for the first 3 months of employment, max,

and that it might be every day they work for the first few weeks, but then

fades to more of a pop in and check kind of support. There's also something

called 'extended job coaching' which I believe is on the current chopping

block along with other services in the next fiscal year.

Others with more knowledge of this, please jump in and correct me where I've

gotten it wrong.

You're right, though, Diane, about wondering how you pay for all that you

want to do for your son. The HCBS waiver has a lot of flexibility, yes, but

choices have to be made about how to stretch it as far as possible.

Laurie

> >

> > To 's point about not being on two waivers at the same time --

correct!

> >

> > And just to clarify, when was approved for HCBS Waiver, she/we

chose to let go of the DRS Home Services Waiver and move her over to the DD

HCBS Waiver. I was told, on good authority, that being on the HCBS Waiver

might make it easier down the road for her to qualify for DD residential

funding. Otherwise, the money part of it was about the same for , and

the paperwork/oversight part was definitely easier on the DRS Home Services

Waiver. Much easier.

> >

> > Tradeoffs, always tradeoffs.

> >

> > L.

> >

April 5, 2011

Neal finished transition in May 2007. The district set us up with paperwork to

choose a job coaching agency, funded by DORS. We chose an agency and our first

meeting with them was in June.

Neal was in and out of a couple of jobs (through no fault of his own). His

current job was a Christmas season job, and they called him back last August.

During this time, we've had regular contact with the agency, and regular

meetings with Neal's coach and the DORS rep.

Neal is doing well in his job, and we are now in the paperwork process of

closing his case. His case probably would've been closed sooner, but we

requested a later cutoff (with reduced visits by the job coach) until we knew

how the company might change following a corporate takeover.

So how long someone gets services can vary a bit depending on a variety of

circumstances.

-Gail

________________________________

From: Charlotte Cronin <fsn@...>

IPADDUnite

Sent: Mon, April 4, 2011 10:18:36 AM

Subject: RE: Re: Clarification on Waivers