Ask Mike

Mike Oxford, the Director of the Topeka Independent Living Center in Topeka, Kansas, and the Past President of the National Council for Independent Living (NCIL) will answer weekly questions from readers on this page. Mike has been a PAS provider for many years and at many levels - from hands on assistance to directing a large statewide PAS program.

Mike is not qualified to offer medical or legal advice. Please direct those questions to your medical or legal professional, or a local agency that can provide those resources. If your question is a medical or safety emergency, please call 911.

Mike has answered many different questions and your question may have already been answered. Below we have grouped together some frequently asked questions:

Disclaimer: The purpose of this page is to share ideas. This is to say that there is not only one right answer to the questions on this page, but the opinion of Mike Oxford based on his experiences as a PAS User, director of an Independent Living Center, and President of NCIL. These opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the University of California or the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research.

Ask Mike a question or read previous questions and answers in Ask Mike below.

We want to keep my daughters worker...

Hi Mike,

I just moved to Arizona and I am in the process of getting my developmentally disabled daughter DDD services. Since I have moved here the process has been very slow so I have been forced to pay a care provider out of pocket. We love her and would like to keep her. Do you know if going through DDD means we will have to hire someone else or can we keep her and put her through an agency? She is not a certified caregiver but she is great with my daughter and do not want to lose her. Please help!

Want to Keep My Daughter's Worker

Dear Want to Keep My Daughter's Worker

The short answer to your question is that it should be possible to retain this worker as long as ....

Worried about cuts in services...

Dear Mike,

I am a guardian to a 52 year old female who is developmentally challenged and lives somewhat independently with a female who has MS. Both women have special needs and get provider services at this time. I just received a notice regarding budget cuts in Michigan and that their services may be affected. Can you tell me anymore than this notice says? I am ecspecially concerned regarding the woman I am guardian to, she was born mentally challenged and basically functions at a level of a 6 year old. She can dress, bath, feed herself, sure, but she cannot cook, figure out her medications, cannot count money, shop for herself, etc. Will she be eligle for any type of service after these cuts in October 2011?

Regards,

Worried About Cuts

Dear Worried About Cuts,

There is no way to tell how any individual will be affected in a situation like this without a whole lot more information and background knowledge. This being said....

Does my Mom have the right to know what medicine she is buying and taking...

Hello

My mom is in an assisted living facility in Akron Ohio and she always receives her medicine by mail order. When the medication arrives the nurse gives my Mom the bill, administers the medicine but won't show my Mom what she is taking. Does my Mom have the right to see what she is taking?

Thanks,

Mom's Meds

Dear Mom's Meds,

The answer is unequivocally, "yes"! She absolutely has the right to see and to know what medicine she is buying and taking. If the nurse will not ...

Eligible for any kind of assistance...

Dear Mike,

My husband has a younger half brother who is consider to be developmentally delayed and has been living in foster care for about 10 years now. As he will be turning 18 in December his case worker has recently contacted us about him coming to stay in our home as he has no other family. The father left before he was born and their mother passed away 2 yrs ago. We feel that we should be the ones caring for him but at the same time don't think we can afford for either of us to cut back our hours at work or quit our job to stay home and care for him. Do you know if we would be eligible for any kind of assistance if we take him in?

Sincerely,

Developmentally delayed in Oregon.

Dear Developmentally Delayed in Oregon,

Thanks for writing. Your husband’s half-brother is "considered to be developmentally delayed". He has been in foster care, but is turning 18 and you have been contacted about him coming to live with you. You feel that he should live with you and your husband, but are worried about cutting back on work and income in order to provide the supports he needs.

Does Wisconsin participate in a paid assistance program...

Dear Mike,

Does Wisconsin participate in the paid assistance program? My mother has cancer and I help care for her. She had Medicare and a supplemental. Also what are the states that participate? I clicked on the map and it was not a yes or no making it hard to tell.

Thanks,
Hard to Tell in Wisconsin

Dear Hard to Tell in Wisconsin,

You should know that every state in the nation now provides some form of paid in-home assistance, usually funded by Medicaid. How much of what type of assistance, and to whom, varies greatly from state to state...

Caregiver wages in different states...

Hi Mike,
I am currently the caregiver of a 20 year old quad. We currently live in Kentucky and go through the Medicaid Wavier program. They pay 24 hours per week at $8.00 an hour. He requires 24 hour a day care. We are thinking of moving to Tennessee, but I need to know if they pay more for a personal home assistant. What states would provide the better services?

Thank you,
Moving To Tennessee

You shared that you are a personal attendant for a young man with quadriplegia who currently receives 24 hours of assistance per week. You are paid $8.00 per hour....

If I move to another state who will pay for my personal assistant...

Dear Mike,
I'm disabled and DHS is paying for me to have a personal assistance (PA). If Imoved to Clarksdale, MS and my PA came with me who would I talk to about paying them there?

Thanks,
Moving to Mississippi

The answer to your question is that it is quite possible....

Looking for more support...

Dear Mike,
How can I determine caps for total hours offered in each state? I am currently living in Illinois and receiving the maximum hours allowed, but it is still not enough. I am considering moving out of state to obtain the services that are required, but I would like to make sure that the state I move to will be likely to meet my needs before moving.

Thanks,
Looking for more support

Dear Looking for more support,

I am not aware of any way to gather all of the exact information that you want. A factor that further complicates things is...

Can I get paid to look after my son who has speech and language problems...

Dear Mike,
I have a 4 year old son that has speech and language problems. Someone told me I can get paid for taking care of him. I am not working right now and I do really need that money for his own needs. I am in Los Angeles CA.

Thanks,
LA Mom

Dear LA Mom,
I sympathize with your predicament, but I am not aware of any program or funding stream that would pay you to take care of your son just because he has speech and language impairments...

Can I get paid to look after my disabled son...

Dear Mike,

I am a registered nurse in Ohio. I currently have a disabled son that I care for on my own. He has autism and also a heart condition. I have been missing much work lately due to his conditions. I was told I may be able to be paid to care for him full time.......a single mothers dream.....since his father stepped out of the picture things have been very difficult for us. I was recently pulled into human resources and told I have a hard decision to make...... do I want to be a mother to my disabled child or continue to work at the hospital? I told them that my child will always come first and it is sad to me that they would expect anything different. Needless to say I still work there while my son pays in the long run.......please help........can I get paid to care for him? Where do I start?

Ohio nurse.

Dear Ohio nurse,
You wrote wanting to know if you can be paid to assist your son. This type of question is the most frequent of all of those I have received....

Will Medicaid pay for the entire assisted living bill for my disabled husband...

Dear Mike,

my husband of 33 years had 6 heart attacks in 5 hours in 2005. These left him with a brain injury and motor skill damage. He only has 25% of good heart muscle left. He is now 55 years old and I am 51. We have a son at home who just turned 18. I have been trying to take care of my husband at home and working 45 hours a week just to keep a roof over our heads. I recently put him in a assisted living faculty for which they took his SSD check and medicaid paid the rest. The strain was to much on me financially we almost lost the house. I had to bring him back home and I know I will not be able to give him the care he needs. How do I get medicaid to pay all hisss assisted living bill and let me keep his check for mortgage.

Nowhere to turn in Virginia

Dear Nowhere to turn in Virginia,

....This is an all too common problem. Assisted Living Facilities, like nursing facilities, are within their rights to take all but a token amount of an individual's Social Security check....

Can I get paid to look after my Dad...

Mike,

I moved to Oregon 4 months ago from California to take care of my Dad. Can I get paid for taking care of him?

Thanks,
Moved to Oregon

Dear Moved to Oregon,
Thanks for writing to me about wanting to be paid for assisting your Dad in Oregon. Several people from different states have asked this question in one form or another...

Wants to get paid to care for her Mom...

Hi Mike,

my Mom is in need of assistance I've been helping her with everything - I take her to doctor appointments and hydrobarics everyday appointments three times a week. Is there a way Ii could get paid?

Thanks,
She Wants to Get Paid

Dear She Wants to Get Paid,

The short answer to your question is: "maybe". It depends on the State in which your mom resides and whether...

Need assistance for a WWII vet...

Mike,

I married an older man. He is a World War II veteran. We have been married for 30 years. He is 92 and is on a 100% disability pension. If I needed help taking care of him in our home in the near future - for he had a bleeding on the brain, and has a lot of heart, lung, kidney and bone disease - is there help, and if so where do I get the help from? We live in West Virginia.

Thanks,
Married to a Vet

Dear Married to a Vet

Since he is a veteran, you should definitely contact the Veterans Administration (VA). The source of his 100% disability pension is unclear, but if it is a VA benefit, then you should already have a connection...

Looking for a personal support worker while on holiday...

Hi Mike,

My husband and I will be staying in Florida next winter near Orlando. My husband is a quadriplegic and I would like to hire a personal support worker for several hours a week for his care while we are holidaying. Any information you could provide would be most helpful. We are traveling from Canada.

Thanks

Canadian Travelers

Dear Canadian Travelers

You are in luck! You should be able to easily find the help that you need by taking a couple of easy steps.....

Insufficient income to pay housing costs...

Mike,

My mother is 86 and lives in a sunrise house and nearing the end of her funds, will be left with insufficient income to pay the cost.

She has pensions totaling $17,000 per year. Do you know of any federal or state programs that can help. My father was a WWII vet and we have applied for federal funds to a max of $900 per month. Do you know of a list for medicaid approved assisted living in Northern VA.

Thanks

Mom's running out of funds

Dear Mom's running out of funds

While I do not know if there is such a list, I do think our website can be of assistance. Before I get started, though, I do want to point out that with an income of around $27,800.... Read More

What is the max allowed income I can make while still qualifying for Medicaid?...

Mike,

What is the max allowed income I can make while still qualifying for Medicaid? I am a Missouri resident.

Thanks,

Missouri Max Medicaid Income

Dear Missouri Max Medicaid Income,

To begin to answer your question, I first need to explain that my knowledge base and the purpose of this column are to help answer questions about personal assistance services (PAS). That being said, I'll do my best to assist you....

Forced to purchase bubble wrapped medications from a particular pharmacy....

Dear MIke

I have the same problem as Forced to Pharmacy - My 90 yr old father is in assisted living. He is fortunate to receive his med's at no charge from V.A. Because they do not come in Bubble Wrap - they will not adminster them & are ordering them from the pharmacy. Can I as his daughter place them in a marked weekly container & call every day to see if he has taken them? We are in Colorado - thank you for your advice.

Thanks,
Bubblewrap

Dear Bubblewrap,

Thanks for writing. Your Dad is in an assisted living facility (ALF). Like many others, the facility is requiring you to purchase bubble wrapped medications from a local pharmacy. Your Dad could otherwise receive free medication from the VA, but it is not bubble wrapped....

Will my husband's social security affect my VA benefits?...

Hi Mike

I am receiving benefits from the VA now, however in 2012 I can receive my husband's social security. Will the VA stop the benefits that I am receiving from them?

Yours,
Benefits Conundrum

Dear Benefits Conundrum,

My knowledge base is personal assistance services, not Social Security or, especially, VA benefits. However, I do know a little about this and our website may be of assistance.

Wanting to start up a small agency providing support coordination to folks with disabilities...

Dear Mike

I have, for quite sometime, wanted to start up a small agency providing support coordination to folks with disabilities. Where do I start?

Thanks,
Starting

Dear Starting

Thanks for getting in touch. You wrote that you are interested in starting a small agency to provide "support coordination" for folks with disabilities. As you will see, this is not an easy endeavor. Read More

Can I get paid to be a caregiver for my disabled child?...

Dear Mike,

I live in Kansas state and I want to know if a mom can get paid to be a caregiver for her disabled child (home health care service)?

Yours Curious in Kansas

Dear Curious in Kansas,

Thanks for writing. You ask whether the mom in Kansas could be paid to be a caregiver (of home health services) for her disabled child. The short answer is "Maybe"...

Considering opening my own respite/habilitation facility...

Hello Mike,

I have been a respite/habilitation provider for 6 years and have really been entertaining the thought of opening my own small facility to provide these services. The agency I work for does not have a center where we can bring our clients and at times it is uncomfortable working in the home. Please help me get informed on how I would go about this and how I can get more information, especially about registering and working with the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) so I'll be able to charge for my hired providers.

Thanks

Wants to Open Own Facility

Dear Wants to Open Own Facility

Thanks for writing. You state that you have been a respite/habilitation services worker for six years. You have been considering opening your own facility to provide these services.

Would a felony conviction prevent me from being my daughter's carer?...

Dear Mike

I would like to find out if my felony 8 years ago will prevent me becoming my daughter's provider?

Yours,

Wondering about Felony

Dear Wondering about Felony,

Thank you for writing. You wanted to know if a felony conviction 8 years ago would prevent you from being your daughter's direct support staff.

Wanting to be paid to care for disabled sister...

Dear Mike,

I have a disabled sister who I care for at home. I want to know how I would go about getting paid for this. She's already receiving SSI and Social Security benefits. I want to quit my job and care for her permanently. Is there any financial programs that can help me out. Thank you very much.

Signed,

Wants to help sister

Dear Wants,

Thanks for writing. Your question is a common one. Family members getting paid to provide services and supports to family members has become the most frequent "Ask Mike" issue; your question asks how you can be paid to care for your sister.

Nurse wanting to paid through clients insurance...

Dear Mike,
I am a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in the state of Pennsylvania. I would like to know how to be able to have my clients pay me for my work and care through their insurance. It would be a help if this were possible.

Dear Hoping,

It appears that there are at least two barriers to your being directly paid.....

Being payed to care for disabled son...

Dear Mike,

I have been taking care of my adult son with mental and physical impairments and he is on SSD. I have been providing day care in my home for three years and I now need to stop this and take care of my son. How can I find out how to get paid to take care of him now. We live in Ohio.

Thank you

Cares for Son in Ohio

Dear Cares for Son in Ohio,

Federal rules do not prohibit your being paid to provide direct services and supports to your son.....

When will I be eligible for Medicaid?...

Dear Mike,

I receive monthly federal disability payments of $1,325.00 based on being a widow since July 2009. When will I be eligible for Medicaid as I have severe medical problems and can not afford the doctor bills.

Waiting for Medicaid

Dear Waiting for Medicaid

It sounds like you receive Social Security Survivor and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. In any case, you will never automatically receive Medicaid....

Father being forced to use a specific pharmacy...

Hi Mike,

Can an assisted living facility force my father to use a specific pharmacy? I understand that his medications must be bubble wrapped, but if another local pharmacy will provide this service as a courtesy, are we required to use 'their' pharmacy that charges 5 times as much? We are in Kansas.

Thanks,

No Choice

Dear No Choice,

Thanks for writing. You want to know if an assisted living facility (ALF) can force your father to use a certain pharmacy. Your father's medications need to be bubble wrapped. You have found a pharmacy that will do it for free, but the ALF requires "their" pharmacy to be used at 5 times the cost......

Insurance company cutting back hours of care...

Mike

My daughter was in a auto accident in September, 1989 which left her with lots of disabilties. Five years ago they finally began giving her 24 hours a day homecare but recently I got a letter from the insurance company stating a reduction in homecare to 14 to 16 hours per day even though there is no change in my daughters health.

I was wondering what to do because I just bought a house for us. Where do I turn for help?

Signed,

Concerned About Insurance

Dear Concerned About Insurance,

You need to understand that the insurance company is going to pay according to what was agreed upon in any settlement after the accident if the other person's insurance is paying.....

Does the government pay providers for respite and habilitation care for children?...

Hello Mike,

I am currently working as a provider of respite and habilitation care for children with autism in Tucson, Arizona and I was wondering what the government pays such agencies to provide such care?

Signed,

Probing for Pay

Dear Probing for Pay,

Thanks for writing. You provide respite and habilitation services to children with autism in Tucson, Arizona and want to know how much the agency providers are paid for doing same....

Want to become a personal assistant for my mother-in-law...

Hello Mike

I'm interested in becoming a personal assistant for my mother-in-law who has a mental disability. She receives Social Security for this disability and needs help with everyday living. I help her by cooking, cleaning, giving her medication, taking her to appointments, etc. I live in Chicago and have contacted The Department of Health and Human Services, The Social Security Administration, Medicaid, and a number of other agencies who can't seem to help me and keep giving me the run around. Do you have any advice or suggestions on what I steps I should take to become her paid personal assistant?

Signed

Wants to be PA

Dear Wants to be PA,

Thanks for writing. You want to know how to become a paid personal assistant for your mother-in-law who has a mental disability. You currently provide assistance with things like cooking, cleaning and medication administration, but would like to be paid.....

Being paid by medicaid to care for my child in Arizona...

Hello Mike

I'm a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) for my child in Denver, Colorado. I get paid by medicaid. I was wondering if there is a program in Arizona that does the same.

Thanks

Colorado to Arizona

Dear Colorado to Arizona,

Thanks for writing. Your question is about whether you can be paid to do in Arizona what you do now in Denver Colorado, which is to be a paid CNA for your child.

You should contact the...........

Can I get paid to take care of my father in his home?...

Hi Mike

My Father has a home in Arizona, lives in a Montana nursing facility but wants to go back home to Arizona. I live in Oregon and am willing to move to Arizona to take care of him so he can be where he wants to live out his life.

He has had a stoke and I would like to be his care giver. Can I get paid to take care of him in his home?

Going to Arizona

Dear Going to Arizona,

Thanks for submitting a question to "Ask Mike". You write that your father would like to move from a nursing facility in Montana to his own home in Arizona City, AZ. You currently live in Oregon and would like to move to Arizona to be his care giver and want to know if you can be paid to do so?

The short answer is likely "yes"...........

Live in son being an independent provider for his father...

Dear Mike,

Can a live in son be an independent provider for his father?

Thank you,

Son as Provider

Dear Son as Provider,

Thanks for writing. There are a couple of things you should know about whether a live-in son can be a paid provider for a father............

Can PAS services help me?...

Dear Mike,

I have been on SSI since 1991 and on survivor benefits since 2004. I was then able to totally take care of myself, but have recently found that I have degenerative bone disease in my spine, neck and hips and that I also have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. I have recently heard from my Dr. that I may need an electric wheelchair to get around to the places that I need to go to and sometimes to just get my mail. I have been a very independent woman all my life so this is hard for me to fathom. I sometimes find it hard to clean my home now. Is there any services that can help my situation, and can PAS help me with it?

Thank you,

Looking for PAS

Dear Looking for PAS,

Thank you for writing. The succinct answer to your question is "yes"! Situations like yours are a perfect example of the reason and purpose for PAS...........

Disabled son's habilitation hours being eliminated...

Dear Mike,

Arizona Department of Economic Security, Division of Developmental Disabilities (DES DDD) is trying to eliminate my disabled adult son's habilitation hours which were 70/month. The DDD worker said they were told to cut my son's hours. His hcbs which include respite, attendant care and habilitation are through Medicaid/ALTCS and they are not part of the AZ budget cuts. So far no agency I have contacted is willing to show or provide what the rules, regulations and caps are for his hcbs services.

Is any of this allowed or legal?

Thank you

Being Cut In AZ

Dear Being Cut In AZ,

The PAS Center cannot give any kind of legal advice. What I can say is that each state has the authority to set its own criteria and rules for eligibility and oversight for services and supports. You should be able to get an explanation about any changes to your son's plan of care from his case manager by asking for the information in writing........

Wanting to establish a PAS programme in Kansas...

Dear Mike,

I am looking to establish a PAS programme in Kansas. What is require to start? Do you know a consultant for PAS in Kansas area.

Thanks

Starting in Kansas

Dear Starting in Kansas,

Thank you for writing. You state that you want to establish a PAS program and you ask what is required to start. Additionally, you ask if I know a consultant for PAS in Kansas........

Disabled son on social security and father retiring...

Dear Mike,
My disabled adult son lives with me and draws social security on his father's retirement and also a $13/month SSI check. When I retire in less than a year, will he still be eligible for the HCS program? We are currently HCS program recipients. He currently has Medicaid and isbecoming dual eligible for Medicare this year.

Please help me understand this complicated question.

Thanks!

Retiring

Dear Retiring,

You write that your adult son has a disability and that he lives with you. He receives Social Security from his father's retirement and also receives a small amount of SSI ($13.00 / month). He is Medicaid eligible. He currently receives.......

Auxiliary Grants in Virginia...

Dear Mike,

My Mom qualifies for an Auxiliary Grant (AG) in Virginia. We have gone through all of the paperwork and are now waiting for an available AG bed at her assisted living facility.

A long time ago, we applied for VA benefits (my dad was a WW2 veteran who is deceased). We were initially denied, but then were shocked when we got a letter saying my Mom qualified for the VA benefit. We do not want to accept the benefit because it would make my Mom ineligible for the Auxiliary Grant. We want to cancel the benefit immediately, so that my Mom will not lose her AG eligibility. Unfortunately, dealing with the VA has been very confusing. Can you please advise us on the best way to accomplish this.

Thanks so much for your assistance.

Mom in AG

Dear Mom in AG,

Thank you for writing about Auxiliary Grants (AG) in Virginia and how they may be impacted by Veteran's Administration (VA) benefits. You wrote that your Mother had qualified for Auxiliary Grant benefits that would pay for her to reside in an Assisted Living Facility (ALF). Your Father was a WW II veteran and because of that, your Mother had finally qualified for benefits from the VA. ........

Bubble wrap medications...

Dear Mike,

My 89 year-old mom lives in an assisted living center. Recently she was put in a higher level of care where agency staff order and dispense her medications. For some years, she has received her medication through a mail order company, saving her a lot of money. The assisted living facility now tells me that they cannot use the mail order company because they do not bubble wrap the medications that are sent to them. They say she has to use a local pharmacy, thus forcing her to pay 16 times the cost she normally pays for her prescriptions. Is this bubble wrap thing a state law or are they just doing this for their own convenience?

Signed,

Forced to Pharmacy

Dear Forced to Pharmacy,

You write that that your mom lives in an assisted living facility and that recently she has had to go to a higher care level whereby agency staff now order and dispense her medications......

Mother's money will run out in two years...

Dear Mike,

I have a question about my 92 year old mother who lives in Wichita, Kansas in a nusing home. Her money will run out in 2 years and what do we do then? Her nursing home will not take Medicaid.

Does she need to be in a home before she runs out of money who takes Medicaid and do they have to continue to take her? What do we need to be doing to help her.

Thank you,

Wondering what to do in Wichita

Dear Wondering what to do in Wichita,

You write that your 92 year old mother lives in a nursing facility and that she will spend down all of her own money in two years; at which time she will become Medicaid eligible. The problem is that the facility she is in will not accept Medicaid. You want to know if they have to continue to take her and what you should be doing to help.......

I want to be able to nurse my daughter...

Dear Mike,

I have a 28 year old daughter with epilepsy and learning disablities.

She has had a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) for 8 years that has been caring for her. I just found out that I can care for her instead of the nurse who is not the best choice for our daughter. I went through the requirements asked of me and the Nursing brokerage had me signed on to start. I have been denied from the Ohio home care program. My daughter has been nearly seizure free and I have been the person to train the nurses anyway. We want to take her care level down from nurse-to-home health aide. The reason quoted on my denial papers read: Personal care aide services are not medically necessary, consumer needs can be met with Skilled Nursing Services.

The nurse we have now is overweight and has already had 2 nervous breakdowns and is heading towards the 3rd. I do not want to go through having a stranger back in my home. I want to care for her and do the things that since her recovery, have made her more aware and alert and able to do more active things rather than sitting in front of the TV after I leave for work.

Help. What should I do for this hearing?

Thank you,

Caring parent

Dear Caring Parent,

I am sorry I cannot always respond, nor guarantee a response, quickly enough to help in certain situations such as your hearing. Have you already had the hearing? I will share some ideas, that if not useful for your hearing, may be helpful in understanding the situation........

Can I get paid to stay at home and provide care to my sister?...

Dear Mike,

I have a sister that has mental handicaps. She is in the adult program of CPS in Arizona. I am wondering if I can get paid to stay home with her and provide care. I would do it without being paid but somebody's got to bring home the bacon. My sister would require full time supervision. Any info on this would be appreciated

Thanks,

Arizona Sister

Dear Arizona Sister,

You write that your sister has mental disabilities and is receiving services "in the adult program of CPS" in Arizona. You wonder if you can be paid to stay home with her and provide her 'care'.

All things being equal, you should be able to be a paid provider of your sister's services.......

How do I pay a personal assistant for taking care of me when I am disabled?...

Dear Mike,

Dear Mike,

I was wondering which assisted living facilities in the state of Virginia accept "Medicaid Auxiliary Grants"? I've called quite a few and so far only two facilties are accepting these grants but what other facilties accept these auxiliary grants; there has to be more than two... I've used other resources such as my state website which didn't offer much help along with a host of other resources but I seem to be stuck...

Thank You,

Stuck in Virginia

Dear Stuck in Virginia,

I checked with sources in your state about "Medicaid Auxiliary Grants" and whether assisted living providers will accept them or whether they are even aware of them ....

Guide us to the governing agency of PAS in Georgia...

Dear Mike,

I am the CEO of a non-medical home care company in the state of Georgia. We would like to be added to the agency provider list. Could you please provide phone numbers, email and web addresses that would guide us to the governing agency of PAS in Georgia, dealing with waiver 1915c.

Thank You,
A Home Care CEO

Dear Home Care CEO,

On the PAS Center website, you can find state agency information,under the State Information link on the left hand side of any screen. Once there, ....

Wanting to live independently with PAS support...

Dear Mike,

I am a social worker in a Medicare psychiatric partial hospital program in Louisiana. I have a 48 year old female client in our program who is currently living in a nursing home near our program. She is a displaced person from Hurricane Katrina. Her father lost a home in coastal Mississippi and their home in New Orleans was damaged.

Our client is medicaid and medicare eligible due to a serious mental illness (Schizoaffective Disorder). She also has ambulatory problems (she uses a walker) due to either a series of strokes or muscular dystrophy (diagnosis is inconclusive at this point).

My question is this; our client wants to live independently with PAS support in southern Mississippi near where her father is rebuilding his home. Are there sufficient PAS services available to adults with mental illness in Mississippi so that she could move there upon discharge from the nursing home and be eligible for services? She is currently a life long resident of Louisiana, but her father is selling the New Orleans home. She is also interdicted and her brother is curator. She is very stable at this point and we see no need for her to continue with nursing home care. She wants to live independently. Could you give me any information about the availability of PAS services and how to access them. I am familiar with services in Louisiana and I know that it is still rather difficult to access them and it usually requires a waiting period.

Signed, Gentle Questioner

Dear Gentle Questioner,

Thank you for writing. The question you ask is complicated and even though you have asked about PAS, more assistance could be needed in order to best support this person. ....

Does Kansas offer a Personal Care Option (PCO) program?...

Dear Mike,

Could you please tell me if Kansas is one of the 32 states that offers a PCO program?

Signed, Kansas Programs

Dear Kansas Programs,

The very brief answer to your question is: "No, the state of Kansas is not one of the states that offers a PCO program." However, I have taken the liberty of expanding my answer to your question in order to provide additional information to you and a wider audience of interest ....

Need help finding a PAS agency...

Dear Mike,

I live in Chula Vista, California with my mentally challenged son and I'm having trouble finding an agency that has PAS. Is there a central agency in California or is there one in San Diego County where I can apply at to get service for him, any feedback would be helpful.

Signed, Agency Seeker

Dear Agency Seeker,

I have some contact information for you that I hope you find useful. Before I get to that, however, I would like to take the liberty of providing ....

We might not need to each end up in a nursing home, wasting away...

Dear Mike,

I was just diagnosed with MS after two years of thinking the symptoms I had resulted from a very low-speed rear-end car crash on 6/16/05. After getting a runaround from my own insurance company, I finally got a closed brain MRI showing the disease. I am on SSD and Medicare.My worst fear is of going into a nursing home. I now live with my father, who is 78 , in our family home. He is ill also, but does pretty good for his age. Reading this site made me start thinking for the first time that we could actually get our own home in shape, with the help of the government, to remain here in spite of further adjustments that would need to be made to the house--WE MIGHT NOT NEED TO EACH END UP IN A NURSING HOME WAREHOUSED AND WASTING AWAY.

I CANNOT BELIEVE I WAS LED TO THIS SITE. I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH.

I intend to read completely through this information and act on it not only for my own and my father's benefit in order to remain in our own home, but would also advocate in my town and with my federal, state and local lawmakers. If you have any other suggestions as to how I could also advocate in other ways for this superior cause, I would be more than grateful to hear back from you by mail or email.

Signed, Happily at Home

Dear Happily at Home,

I am really glad to hear that the website information was useful to you and is helping you and your dad to remain in your own home instead of going to a....

Am I self-employed or is my daughter my employer?...

Dear Mike,

I am a retired parent, living in Michigan and residing equally with my developmentally disabled 46 year old daughter. I receive earnings for home help services which I give to my daughter. My question is am I self-employed or is my daughter my employer? If my daughter is my employer who is responsible for tax reporting?

Signed, Taxed in Michigan

Dear Taxed in Michigan,

There are two related issues that arise from your questions. The first is to....

How many states offer the personal assistance program?...

Dear Mike,

How many states offer the personal assistance program?

Signed, Curious

Dear Curious,

Currently, 32 states have the "Personal Care Option" (PCO) Medicaid state plan service. Of this....

Where can I find funding for adult day care in Florida?...

Dear Mike,

I am the owner of a new adult daycare in Florida. Where can I find funding sources to refer my members to? I've contacted many agencies for seniors and elderly and no one seems to know. Help?

Thank You,
Searching.

Dear Searching,

For funding adult day-care in Florida, it looks like there are two avenues for you to explore.....

What is the maximum number of hours that Utah will subsidize a PAS worker?...

Dear Mike,

What is the maximum number of hours that the state of Utah will subsidize a PAS worker to care for my physically disabled friend? She will be moving to Utah in June of 2006.

Thank you for your help.

Friend Indeed.

Dear Friend Indeed,

My answer will be a bit more general than you would, perhaps, expect....

Finding attendants willing to travel to my rural residence and work for me...

Dear Mike,

I live in a rural area and it's tough to find attendants willing to travel to my home and work for me. Do you have any suggestions?

Rural Resident.

Dear Rural Resident,

This is a tough problem all over the country. Many programs do not provide mileage reimbursement,but you should see if it is available, and if not,see if an exception can be made for rural cases where this issue become critical....

How can I get more PAS hours from my state program...

Dear Mike,

The state program that provides my PAS services doesn't give me the hours I need per month. I do have some hours, but it's not enough to take care of all my needs. How can I request more hours from my state program?

Need more Hours.

Dear Need more Hours,

There are roughly five basic approaches I would suggest you use. You can do them in order or all at the same time....

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