Nursing Facility Transitions

ARKANSAS

Grant Information


Name of Grantee

Department of Human Services Division of Aging and Adult Services

Title of Grant

Your Choice

Type of Grant

Nursing Facility Transitions, State Program

Amount of Grant

$598,444

Year Original Funding Received

2002

Expected Completion Date

September 2006

Contact Information


Kris Baldwin, Program Administrator
PO Box 1437, Slot S-530
Little Rock, AR 72203-1437
501-682-8509
kris.baldwin@arkansas.gov

Subcontractor(s)

Independent Living Centers of Arkansas
Eight Area Agencies on Aging of Arkansas

Target Population(s)


Individuals who are at high risk of entering a nursing facility or individuals currently residing in nursing facilities that wish to return to the community.

Goals


  • Develop a working model for a diversionary process from nursing homes.
  • Build on the transitional process already underway with Passages, Arkansas' 2000 Nursing Home Transition Grant.
  • Establish an ombudsman program for individuals who use Home and Community Based waivers.
  • Develop a blueprint for interagency collaboration for identifying, developing, and coordinating access to community housing.

Activities


  • Develop an intervention plan for individuals who are at risk of nursing facility placement directly from a hospital.
  • Provide public awareness of the array of long-term care services that are available in the State of Arkansas through a community grass roots marketing campaign, development of a Web site, and implementation of a toll-free number.
  • Collaborate with the Real Choice and CPASS grants to develop a statewide Web-based consumer information resource, personal assessment form, and directory of services for people who are aging and people with disabilities, including developmental disability and mental illness.
  • Develop a single, standardized assessment form to establish eligibility for both nursing facilities and Home and Community Based waivers in the State of Arkansas.
  • Establish a Community Bridge Fund with grant funds that will help pay for items that are necessary for an individual to remain in the community or assist individuals to return to the community.
  • Collaborate with Arkansas Development Finance Authority (ADFA), which has agreed to set aside $300,000 of its annual HOME program allocation for bridge rental subsidies to be used for those qualifying for Home and Community Based waiver services.

Abstract


"Your Choice" focuses on diverting individuals at high risk of institutionalization by placing social workers in pilot programs in two hospitals in Arkansas, one rural and one urban. Currently, the Division of County Operations determines eligibility for Medicaid long-term care services (nursing home and home and community based services). Eligibility determinations for nursing home care are made post-admission. The average time to process a Medicaid waiver application is 45 days. Because of the 45-day lag time, inpatient hospital providers have historically not been able to arrange for services in the home prior to discharge and found it much easier to arrange for nursing home admission. A collaborative effort will be made with the Real Choice Grant to develop a "fast-track" process to reduce the eligibility wait time for Medicaid waiver applications. Consumers will have quick entry, timely eligibility determination, and consistent medical eligibility criteria and access to services. Data will be complied to show the comparison of nursing facility placements in prior years with those in project years.

Another component of the diversionary process will be the development of a statewide Web-based consumer information resource, personal assessment form, and directory of services for people who are aging and people with disabilities, including developmental disability and mental illness. An ombudsman program for persons who receive waiver services will also be developed to assist in the diversion of persons from institutions. Consumers with disabilities and advocates have often expressed concern about a voice for individuals in the community who have difficulties with services they are receiving from a Home and Community Based waiver.

Another initiative of this grant is to build a blueprint for interagency collaboration to identify, develop, and coordinate community housing. The ADFA has agreed to set aside $300,000 of its annual HOME program allocation for bridge rental subsidies. A collaborative effort with AFDA will be made to recruit and identify individuals currently at high risk of being institutionalized, or those currently in nursing homes and capable of living in the community, and to assess the housing and support service needs of those individuals and to link those persons with support service providers.