WAIVERS HELP DISABLED GAIN A SENSE OF INDEPENDENCE

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Posting from another group. Good info on Waivers.

Subj: [AutismOhio] WAIVERS HELP DISABLED GAIN A SENSE OF INDEPENDENCE Date: 7/28/03 11:19:04 AM Eastern Daylight Time From: meinhartstock@... (meinhartstock)

Reply-to: AutismOhio

AutismOhio

THE BELOW WAS IN THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH YESTERDAY. SINCE YOU CAN'T

SEE THE ARTICLE/URL UNLESS YOU ARE A MEMBER HERE'S THE ARTICLE.

MARK

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WAIVERS HELP DISABLED GAIN A SENSE OF INDEPENDENCE Medicaid option allows some to live at home rather than institution

Sunday, July 27, 2003 By Encarnacion Pyle THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Getting help

The Individual Options Medicaid waiver provides money to help disabled people who don't live in institutions.

Priority is given to emergencies, people living with caregivers who are 60 or older, or recipients younger than 22 with intensive needs.

For more information, visit the Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Web site at http://odmrdd.state.oh.us.

For the first time, Harry "'' feels in control of his life.

After nearly half a century of living with his parents, moved into his own apartment last week, something he never thought he could do because of his mental retardation.

"It's exhilarating but scary,'' he said.

With his mother's death and his father's health failing, 's future looked uncertain until he received an Individual Options Medicaid waiver this spring. Now the 49-year-old is getting the extra help he needs to live independently.

Another 2,000 Ohioans with mental retardation and developmental disabilities may be able to stay out of institutions if the state receives the additional federal waivers on the use of Medicaid money that it is seeking. It should know by the end of September.

Federal law generally requires that Medicaid money be used to help the disabled only if they live in an institution such as a hospital or nursing home. However, each state is granted a certain number of waivers so that money can be used to help them live at home or in the community.

More than 7,500 Ohioans receive the waivers. But 16,500 people, including 3,400 in lin County, are on waiting lists.

The waivers will become increasingly important as the state moves to close two of its developmental centers -- Springview and Apple Creek -

- in 2005 and 2006, said Jeff , deputy director of constituent services for the state department of MRDD.

Under the waiver program, families can receive homemaker help, respite care and special medical equipment to keep their loved ones at home.

They also can get interpretive services, home-delivered meals, social work, therapy, and modifications to their homes, such as the installation of ramps and grab bars.

"For many families, they're like a gift from God,'' said.

And unlike other programs, there's no cap on how much money recipients can receive.

"It's all based on needs,'' said Peggy , the state's family advocate and the mother of a daughter who received a waiver. About 80 percent of Americans with a disability live with a family caregiver.

Recipients receive an average of $40,100 a year, with allotments ranging from $5,001 to more than $100,000, said.

The federal government picks up 60 percent of the costs; the county MRDD boards pay the remaining 40 percent.

"It's a win-win for everybody, especially elderly parents in their 70s and 80s having a hard time caring for their disabled children 24 hours a day, 365 days a week,'' said Jed Morison, superintendent of the lin County Board of MRDD. "The best part is we don't have to pay the entire cost.''

The lin County board will pay $11.9 million this year for 1,032 people.

Barbara Hinton's son, Andy, received one of the state's first waivers nearly 20 years ago. Now 25, he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 6 months.

"From day one, it's been an answer to our prayers,'' Mrs. Hinton said of the waiver. "We dream about getting equipment or services for Andy, and voila -- it's there.''

Because of his severe disabilities, he receives about $40,000 a year in care, even though his mother is his full-time caretaker. A paid helper comes in twice a week to give his parents a break and occasionally will watch him so that they can visit Mrs. Hinton's sister in Chicago.

Through the years, they've been able to use money from the waiver to buy special toys and equipment, including adapted wheelchairs and specially-designed stands to help him build up his leg muscles.

They also have installed a lift in their house so that they don't have to carry their wiggly, 85-pound son up and down the stairs, and hope to add grab bars to the bathtub.

"We've been blessed with a happy, well-adjusted boy who thanks to the waiver is as busy and involved as the other young adults his age,'' she said.

As for , his two sisters were dreading the day their father could no longer care for him.

"With families of our own, we don't have the room or the income to care for him ourselves,'' said one of the sisters, Carol Dodge of Delaware. "We always thought when my father passed away, would go to a group home and it would be awful, and we'd feel guilty.''

But a county caseworker told them about the waivers.

Since then, has moved to a one-bedroom apartment on the North Side, which he has spruced up with all his favorite things.

His furniture, dishes and glasses are green. His rugs, sheets and towels sport the NASCAR logo. And his phone is shaped like a race car.

"He was thrilled to get $3,000 to decorate his apartment however he wanted,'' Dodge said. "We never knew anything like this existed. It's a huge weight off our shoulders.''

Trained caregivers stop by 's apartment twice a day to help him get ready for work, cook meals, do laundry and take his medication.

They help him budget the money he gets from Social Security and bagging groceries at Meijer. They take him on outings to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, COSI Columbus and King's Island. And they're planning to treat him to his first ever OSU football game and NASCAR race.

" has always had family,'' Dodge said. "But until now he never had friends of his own. He's finding out how good life can be.''

epyle@...

Caption: (1) TIM REVELL | DISPATCH

W. Bond, right, cracks up as Harry "'' jokes with him about the name he shares with the Hollywood superspy. Bond and his wife are regulars at the Meijer where works bagging groceries. A Medicaid waiver has helped to move into an apartment and live on his own.

(2) JEFF HINCKLEY | DISPATCH

Andy Hinton received one of the state's first Medicaid waivers 20 years ago. He has cerebral palsy, which was diagnosed when he was 6 months old. Hinton receives $40,000 a year in care.