Example

Valerie’s Story

Valerie was diagnosed with severe rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 23. Within a year she lost the ability to walk, and shortly after that Valerie entered a nursing home. A nursing home can be a difficult place for a young person. While Valerie got excellent care and made friends with the nurses and social workers there, she felt limited by where she lived and didn’t get to see her friends and family much. Valerie couldn’t eat what she wanted unless she ordered food from the outside and she had to wake up early every morning for her medications.

Money Follows the Person

Valerie decided to see how she could move from the nursing home back to the community. A social worker at the nursing home told her to look into the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program, which could help her find a place to live, move out of the nursing home, and get the long-term services and supports she would need to stay in the community.

Valerie’s social worker told her that she would likely qualify for Money Follows the Person, because she had been in the nursing home for over 60 days, had Medicaid coverage, and would need the extra services of a Medicaid waiver program in order to live safely in the community.

Valerie called her local Area Agency on Aging to apply for MFP. She talked to an options counselor, who asked her questions about her situation to figure out which resources might be available for her. The options counselor then referred her to an MFP Transitions Coordinator, Mike.

Mike talked with Valerie about which services she might need to live safely at home and about her goals for living on her own. Based on her situation, he said, she should apply for the Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP). Mike helped her fill out the waiver application and prepare for the in-home assessment. He also started helping her look for housing.

Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS)

With Mike’s help, Valerie was able to find a nice apartment. The ICWP included home modifications as one of its services, so she was able to install a ramp and door opener to her new place.

She is excited about the Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) provided through her waiver program, which will help her keep living in the community. She gets medical benefits through Medicaid and qualifies for extra services, like personal assistance services and delivered meals. She has a team of personal care attendants to help her with daily activities, like dressing, bathing, cooking, and cleaning, and a doctor and nurse who visit her on a regular basis.

Valerie has also connected with her local Center for Independent Living to get advice about living independently, improve some of her life skills, and meet new people. And most importantly, she sees her friends and family more often, and that makes her happier.

Vocational Rehabilitation

Now that she is settled in her own home, Valerie is thinking about getting a job. Work would give her more income, a renewed sense of purpose, and the ability to meet new people and make new friends. Valerie plans to visit her local Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) office, which provides services such as vocational counseling, training, and help finding and applying for jobs. Valerie also feels comfortable knowing that her personal assistance services could help her get to and from work.

Valerie wants to make sure she keeps her Medicaid coverage even if she starts working. The income limit for the waiver is $2,901 a month. So as long as her income is under this limit, and she continues to meet the other requirements, Valerie will keep getting Medicaid coverage and ICWP services.

Valerie’s life has changed a lot since she decided to move out of the nursing home. Instead of limitations, Valerie sees her life as full of possibilities and potential.