Wisconsin's Aging and Disability Resource Centers

1. Wisconsin's Aging and Disability Resource Centers A Simplified System for Accessing Information and Long Term Care May 22, 2001

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 Alice Mirk WI DHFS

3. Population Based Activities of Resource Centers • Marketing • Public Information plans • Prevention activities with special populations Alice Mirk WI DHFS

4. 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. Alice Mirk WI DHFS

5. 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. Alice Mirk WI DHFS

6. 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 Alice Mirk WI DHFS

7. 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 Alice Mirk WI DHFS

8. PAC Protocols (contd.) • 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 Alice Mirk WI DHFS

9. PAC Protocols (contd.) • 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 Alice Mirk WI DHFS

10. 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 Alice Mirk WI DHFS

11. 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 Alice Mirk WI DHFS

12. Resource Center Goals (contd.) • 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. Alice Mirk WI DHFS

13. Resource Center Goals (contd.) • 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 Alice Mirk WI DHFS

14. Resource Center Experience • Long term care in the community is a strange animal! Alice Mirk WI DHFS

15. 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 Alice Mirk WI DHFS

16. Options counseling is usually not an event, but a process that unfolds over time and results in spontaneous outreach Alice Mirk WI DHFS

17. Sometimes It takes Multiple Contacts ….And the paths are time-consuming and convoluted Alice Mirk WI DHFS

18. 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 Alice Mirk WI DHFS

19. Sometimes Response has to be Immediate…. Alice Mirk WI DHFS

20. And requires high degrees of cooperation between the Resource Center and the Service Agency such as the CMO Alice Mirk WI DHFS

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

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

23. 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 Alice Mirk WI DHFS

24. 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. Alice Mirk WI DHFS

25. Current status of Resource Centers in Wisconsin(contd.) • 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 Alice Mirk WI DHFS

26. Current status of Resource Centers in Wisconsin (contd.) • 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 Alice Mirk WI DHFS

27. Current status of Resource Centers in Wisconsin (contd.) • 1.1% were referrals to private long term care services • 0.3% were referrals to emergency services. Alice Mirk WI DHFS

28. 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 Alice Mirk WI DHFS

29. 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. Alice Mirk WI DHFS

30. Why we need Resource Centers? 800,000 in WI age 60 and over Comprehensive LTC Population Intermediate 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 Alice Mirk WI DHFS

31. 800,000 in WI age 60 and over Comprehensive LTC Population Intermediate 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 Why we need Resource Centers? • Look at the demographics… • Explosion of aging population • Can’t afford to have this explosion coming through the public systemin crisis • Need an upstreamapproach Alice Mirk WI DHFS

32. 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 Alice Mirk WI DHFS

33. 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 Alice Mirk WI DHFS

34. Wisconsin’s Current Information Technology Initiative (contd.) - Sample Screen Alice Mirk WI DHFS

35. 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 WI FUNDING MECHANISMS Alice Mirk WI DHFS

36. Questions ? Alice Mirk WI DHFS