Wisconsin's Aging and Disability Resource Centers

Wisconsin's Aging andDisability Resource Centers

A Simplified System for Accessing Information and Long Term Care

May 22, 2001

Alice Mirk WI DHFS 2

Resource Centers Services

• In this new simplified system for accessing information and assistance about community services and long term care, Resource Centers serve the general public through:

– Public education

– Outreach/Information and Assistance

– Early intervention

– Prevention

– Youth transitional services


Population Based Activities of Resource Centers

• Marketing

• Public Information plans

• Prevention activities with special populations


Series of Protocols for Resource Center Contacts

• Tailor information for individuals, including:– Intake, to find out what it is the person wants

and/or needs.– Information, about programs, services or

other community resources including, but not limited to Family Care.


Series of Protocols for Resource Center Contacts (contd.)

• Protocols for providing access to ongoing services for persons who do not express an interest in Family Care, including:

– Assistance: In getting entry level LTC services like snow shoveling, housekeeping, etc.

– Referral: To other appropriate resources like congregate meals, transportation, APS, etc.


PAC Protocols

• Facilities are required to refer individuals prior to admission to all substitute care settings.

• Resource Centers do a follow-up contact:

– 19% go on to explore Family Care

– 81% have had their needs met by the Resource Center or chosen other options


PAC Protocols (contd.)

• Protocols so that, while providing information and assistance:

– If the person chooses to explore Family Care, their functional needs would be assessed, and a functional eligibility determination would be made without having to be referred elsewhere



• Of persons who have accepted a functional screen to date:

– 86% are eligible at NH LOC

– 11% are eligible at intermediate level

– 3% are not eligible



• Protocols so that after the person provides adequate financial information:

– MA Outreach occurs and a referral is made to

the public economic support unit.• Protocols so that if the person decided not to apply

for MA, or for Family Care, they again would be offered information, assistance or referral for other available services, including:– Private pay services– Other non-MA services


Resource Center Goals• The goal is that the Resource Center would be a

clearing house for consumers where information and access to a variety of services, including LTC, could occur simultaneously so that:–Functional eligibility determination could be

integrated with other Resource Center functions, including

• Outreach and Intake • Information and assistance• LTC options counseling• Referral


Resource Center Goals (contd.)

– Consumers would not experience• Being “handed-off” from one worker to

another• Being asked the same questions

repeatedly

– Procedures would be as efficient and cost-effective as possible



• The Family Care Pilot counties have been operating under this model, and:– Most consumers never have to go anywhere;

instead Resource Center staff go to their homes; get a better picture of the person’s functioning in their own environment, and the consumer has a level of comfort that makes the sharing of sensitive information much easier.



– Consumers aren’t on their own in figuring out how to get services; a worker is responsible for facilitating access to the programs and services the person needs and wants

– Eligibility determination is done in 2- 4 days (less than 24 hours when needed)

– Eligibility information is shared so that a CMO or other service agency doesn’t ask the same questions


Resource Center Experience

Long term care in the community is a strange animal!


• Being a Resource Center worker requires a varied set of skills:

•Communication and interview skills

•Phone interviewing with the ability to assess and reframe as the conversation progresses

•Ability as a functional assessor


Options counseling is usually not an event, but a process that unfolds over time and results in spontaneous outreach


Sometimes It takes Multiple Contacts

….And the paths are time-consuming and convoluted


• In more than four out of five contacts to the Resource Center, the person does not want information about Family Care or other LTC services

– They just want questions answered or

– They just need information about other community services, or

– Referrals to other programs


Sometimes Response has to be Immediate….


• And requires high degrees of cooperation between the Resource Center and the Service Agency such as the CMO


Resource Centers can be short term care providers as they assess and arrange for services and help problem solve family situations.


Options Counseling for individuals who have their own resources and have long term care needs is an important part of the Resource Center role.


Current status of Resource Centers in Wisconsin

• Nine Pilot Resource Centers linked with the Family Care redesign initiative

• Three were created out of the county Departments on Aging

• One was created out of combining the county Public Health Department and the Department on Aging


Current status of Resource Centers in Wisconsin (contd.)

• Two were created from county Social Service agencies

• Two were created from county Human Service agencies

• One is split between the county Social Service

agency and the agency responsible for Developmental Disabilities Services.



• Number of Resource Center contacts have grown state wide from 4,800 in December of 1999 to A TOTAL OF 68,076 contacts in 2002

• In the third quarter of 2002:– 14.9% needed basic information on Medicaid,

food stamps and other basic resources– 29.5% were looking for LTC related services– 18.8% were looking for basic info on other

services



• 13.9% were referrals to the LTC FS

• 6.9% were referrals to other public services

• 8.9% needed short term case management or follow up

• 3.7% needed a follow up contact from RC staff

• 2.1% were referred to adult protective services



• 1.1% were referrals to private long term care services

• 0.3% were referrals to emergency services.


Where do we Go From Here ?

• Ever growing interest from county agencies to begin the process of evolving into Resource Centers, as they recognize the advantages of a centralized information system for the community

• Greater collaboration between the county agencies and the community resources results in better services and information to the consumer


Where do we Go From Here ?

• Recognition that a Resource Center is a business that serves customers and that customer satisfaction is important

• Recognition for the need for good IT systems to support the concept of a Resource Center that provides the full range of services and

good current information for the community.


Intermediate LTC Population

Comprehensive LTC Population

Why we need Resource Centers?

I&A

Support as a care giver

?’s on LTC insurance

Prevention & intervention

Brief interventions after acute care or illness

Protective services monitoring

Nutrition services

800,000 in WI age 60 and over


Why we need Resource Centers?

Intermediate LTC Population

Comprehensive LTC Population

I&A

Support as a care giver

?’s on LTC insurance

Prevention & intervention

Brief interventions after acute care or illness

Protective services monitoring

Nutrition services

800,000 in WI age 60 and over

Look at the demographics…

• Explosion of aging population

• Can’t afford to have this explosion coming through the public systemin crisis

• Need an upstreamapproach


Wisconsin’s Current Information Technology Initiative

A project is currently underway to build a system that would:

• Allow authorized workers to determine functional eligibility for Long Term Care using Web-based technology

• Store information in a single data repository that will allow authorized CMO and RC staff to

share information


Wisconsin’s Current Information Technology Initiative (contd.)

• Provide simple and intuitive navigation

• Present information in user-friendly screens for data entry

• Provide for context-sensitive help

• Enable immediate determination of Eligibility, thus reducing wait time


Wisconsin’s Current Information Technology Initiative (contd.) - Sample Screen


WI FUNDING MECHANISMS

• MA ADMINISTRATIVE FUNDS FOR I & A

• MA ADMINISTRATIVE FUNDS FOR ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION

• MA ADMINISTRATIVE FUNDS FOR IT DEVELOPMENT

• MATCHED WITH BOTH LOCAL COUNTY DOLLARS PREVIOUSLY USED FOR INTAKE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL

• AND STATE GPR PREVIOUSLY USED IN THE LONG TERM CARE SYSTEM


Questions ?

Wisconsin's Aging and Disability Resource Centers

Documents

Transcript of Wisconsin's Aging and Disability Resource Centers