Access to Public Benefits Programs
There are a variety of different public programs available to consumers to meet certain needs. The Aging and Disability Resource Center is here to talk to you about the available programs for you, the benefits of each program, eligibility requirements of the program, as well as any costs associated. By covering all these details we can help make sure you are making informed choices about your care and services. If needed, the Resource Center staff can also assist with applications and paperwork required to get signed up for programs/services.
Social Security
One widely accessed Public Program is Social Security, whether it be accessed due to retirement or due to a disability. There are staff available at the Aging & Disability Resource Center to discuss if you are eligible for Social Security, the application process as well as to assist you in applying. To learn more about these Benefit Specialists you can visit the Benefit Specialist Page in the Services section.
There are different types of Social Security and all have different eligibility requirements and benefits that come with them. Below is just an overview of a few kinds of social security benefits and we encourage you to contact a Benefit Specialist to discuss further.
Retirement Benefits: Choosing when to retire is one of the most important decisions you will make in your lifetime. If you choose to retire when you reach full retirement age you will receive your full benefit amount. But if you retire before reaching full retirement age, you will receive reduced benefits for the rest of your life. Our Elderly Benefit Specialist can discuss with you the magic age for full retirement benefits and your options for reduced payments if you need to retire earlier.
Disability Benefits: If you cannot work because of a physical or mental condition that is expected to last at least one year or result in death, you may be eligible for Social Security disability benefits. Social Security’s disability rules are different from those of private plans or other government agencies. The fact that you qualify for disability from another agency or program does not mean you will be eligible for disability benefits from Social Security. And having a statement from your doctor indicating you are disabled does not mean you will automatically be eligible for Social Security disability benefits. You can apply online at the Social Security website, or contact us and one of our Benefit Specialists can assist in the application process, including collecting needed documentation for the application.
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Common Questions regarding Long-Term Care Programs:
What is Long Term Care?
Long-term care is any service or support that a person may need as a result of a disability or chronic illness that limits the ability to do the things that people need to do throughout the course of their day. This includes things such as bathing, getting dressed, making meals, going to work, and paying bills. There are a variety of services and supports available in every county to help with these things and many more.
Information on long-term care can be helpful for anyone who has or is caring for a person with a chronic illness or a disability. Long-term care services are available for private pay for those that can afford to do so. Some of these services can get expensive and so for those who do not have the personal resources to pay for them; Wisconsin has several Long-Term Care Programs.
There are different Long-Term Care Programs available around the State and every county has different programs available so it is VERY important to call locally to find out what is available for you or a loved one. Long-term care programs can assist with the costs of needed services as well as offer a variety of other services and supports that can help people do things independently or with the support of someone else in the community. These programs offer choice as far as being connected with a case manager and/or nurse to assist in coordination of services or the choice of self-directing services.
In Green County there are 2 available Long-Term Care Programs; Family Care and IRIS (which stands for Include, Respect, I, Self-direct).
Family Care, authorized by the Governor and Legislature in 1998, serves people with physical disabilities, people with developmental disabilities and frail elders. Family Care provides a full range of long-term care services, all through one flexible benefit program. There are a variety of services and supports available in Family Care that can help people do daily activities independently or with the support of someone else.
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Family Care
People Receive Interdisciplinary Care Management. Sometimes people don’t know exactly what they need, what’s available, or where to go to get the care and services that can help. Coordinating your own services can be overwhelming. When you participate in a Family Care program, a team of people come together to help you identify what sort of assistance you might need and work with you to arrange your long-term care services. You are an active participant on the team that also includes, at a minimum, a care manager and a registered nurse. You can choose to include a family member or loved one on your team. Sometimes people also choose other professionals, such as a personal care worker, to participate as team members as well. In Family Care, this team is called an “interdisciplinary team.” In Green County the care manager and nurse are located at Green County Human Services.
People Participate in Determining the Services They Receive. The first step in planning Family Care services is for you to discuss with your team the kind of life you want to live, whether you want to live where you live now or in a different place, and what kind of support you need to live the kind of life you want. This step is called the assessment. The services that you will receive are then outlined in a “Care Plan.” Team members support you in developing your plan by providing information that you need to make informed choices about the care you receive. Your care plan will help you move toward the personal outcomes that you and your team identified in the assessment.
People Choose Service Providers from a Comprehensive Network. Members of Family Care select their long-term care providers from a “provider network.” Managed Care Organizations or MCOs (which are the agencies that provide the Family Care benefit to people) are required to have providers for all the services covered by the program and have enough to give members a choice about how they receive their services.
People Receive the Services They Need Through One Benefit. Sorting through multiple government funding programs to discover what you’re eligible for and what’s covered (or not) can be confusing and exhausting. The good news is that Family Care pays for the long-term care services, individualized for you in your care plan, through one benefit.
IRIS
What is IRIS? Self-directing your services offers you a way to have control over your long-term care services and supports. In IRIS, you are provided with an individualized budget (based on your individualized needs), that you use to buy your own services and supports. Participants of the IRIS program decide what services, supports and goods they need, when to schedule services, who to select to provide services and supports, and where to receive them.
How Does IRIS Work? Anyone Can Choose IRIS. The IRIS option is available to anyone in a county where Family Care is operational who meets eligibility requirements for Wisconsin long-term care programs at a certain level of care.
Purchase Services Within an Individualized Budget Amount. The amount of funding available for your plan will be determined by the results of a tool called the “Long-Term Care Functional Screen.” A worker at the Aging and Disability Resource Center will ask you questions about your abilities, strengths and needs. He or she will enter the information you provide into the functional screen, and the screen will calculate the amount of money that you can use to create your plan for how to meet your long-term care needs. Potential clients in IRIS may apply to the Department for an adjustment to their initial budget, if they are unable to develop a support and service plan with their independent consultant within the initial budget amount.
Receive Home and Community-Based Services. Participants of IRIS can purchase a wide array of home and community based long-term care services that are covered in the IRIS service package. You will be able to use your Medicaid card for other Medicaid covered services.
Plan Your Own Care. Initially, each person who chooses to participate in IRIS will select and meet with an independent consultant (who is contracted for by the State of Wisconsin) to receive an in-depth orientation about the program. You, and any other person providing assistance to you with self direction, will then develop your support and service plan that describes the type of supports and services you need. After you develop your plan, the consultant will review it to be sure that it is consistent with the services that are covered by the program and that it addresses your health and safety. The consultant will also ensure that necessary paperwork is completed and will refer you to sources for assistance as needed.
For more information on both of these programs you can contact us and we can discuss the eligibility requirements, go more in-depth about the similarities and differences of these programs, and also discuss how to enroll in one of these programs.