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What are Home-Based Support Services
& Family Assistance & How Can I Apply?
HOME
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What Are Home-Based
Support Services & Family Assistance & How Can I Apply?
WHAT
THE PROGRAMS ARE
The Home-Based
Support Services Program tailors services to help adults with
developmental disabilities live at home. The Family Assistance
Program makes monthly cash payments to families of children with
severe developmental disabilities.
Please note that
there is no new funding being allocated for the Family Assistance
Program. No new families are being enrolled in this program. Families
who were selected for this program in years past continue to receive
funding until they age out or otherwise exit.
Families interested
in learning about and/or applying for available supports and services
should consult their Independent Service Coordination Agency to complete
a PUNS (Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services) Form.
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HOW
THE PROGRAMS CAN HELP
The Family
Assistance Program pays a monthly stipend to help with the costs of
caring for a child (age 17 or younger) with a severe mental disability.
By state law, the monthly stipend is equal to SSI. This year (2007) that
amount is $623 a month.
No new families are
being selected to receive funding through this program at the current
time.
The Home-Based Support Services Program pays for supports and
services to help adults (age 18 or older) become more independent living
on their own or with their families. This year (2007) participating
adults are eligible for supports and services equal to two times SSI or
$1,246 a month if the participant is still in school or three times SSI
($1,869) if the participant is out of school.
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WHO
IS ELIGIBLE?
Eligible
disabilities:
(These are
fully defined in state statute 405 ILCS 80.)
Severe autism (children or adults)-- a lifelong disability beginning
in early childhood with severe disturbances in social interactions,
communication, imaginative activity, and activities and interests.
Severe or profound mental retardation (children or adults)-- a
lifelong disability which results in a significantly sub-average
intellectual functioning (IQ of 40 or below) and a severe or profound
impairment in adaptive behavior.
Severe and multiple impairments (children or adults)-- all of the
following conditions beginning before age 18:
A developmental disability which constitutes a substantial handicap
attributable to mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism or
a similar condition, and is expected to continue indefinitely.
Multiple handicaps in physical, sensory, behavioral or cognitive
functioning which constitute a severe or profound impairment.
Development substantially less than expected for the age in cognitive,
affective or psychomotor behavior.
Severe mental illness (adults)-- both of the following:
A primary diagnosis of schizophrenia, delusional disorder, schizo-affective
disorder, bipolar affective disorder, atypical psychosis or major
depression (recurrent).
Functioning substantially impaired in areas such as self-maintenance,
social functioning, activities of community living or work skills.
Severe emotional disturbance
(children)-- both of the following:
A primary diagnosis which meets criteria of a mental illness or
emotional disturbance with onset in childhood or adolescence. (Not
included in this definition are adjustment disorders, mental
retardation, autism or other disorders based on physical impairment or
alcohol/substance abuse.)
Severe long-term functional impairment substantially limiting two or
more major life activities such as self-care, receptive and expressive
language, learning and social interaction and self-direction.
Eligible Residency
Participants may
not live in a nursing home or in a facility licensed under the Child
Care Act, but children and adults planning to move home with the
program’s help can qualify.
Children must:
-
live with a
biological, adoptive or foster parent or
-
live with a
legal guardian.
Adults may:
-
live full-time
in their own home or apartment,
-
live in a
private home with a relative or guardian or
-
live together
with as many as three unrelated adults (not service providers).
Income Eligibility
Adults must be
eligible for federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social
Security Disability Income (SSDI).
The household income for the eligible child must be less than $50,000
per year after deductions. (Look on your Income Tax Form for your
family’s "taxable income." If the child is a foster child, only his or
her income is considered.)
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USING
PAYMENTS FOR CHILDREN
Each
participating family decides how to spend the money it receives.
Families may use the money for such things as respite care, child care,
therapy, medical expenses, family counseling, home remodeling to meet
the child’s needs or for a special vehicle or other equipment.
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PURCHASING
SERVICES FOR ADULTS
Participating
adults work with a “Service Facilitator” to design a package of supports
and services designed to help them stay home, learn new skills, even get
a new job. These services might include:
-
home health
services
-
personal care
services (help with dressing, etc.)
-
training and
assistance in self-care (help with learning how to dress, cook
meals, etc.)
-
habilitation and
rehabilitation services
-
services related
to finding a job, supported employment
-
respite care
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APPLICATION AND
SELECTION PROCESS
Because the
money for these programs is limited, only some of the eligible persons
who apply will be selected to participate when funds become available.
To become
eligible, families or individuals must work with their local
“Pre-Admission Screening (PAS)” Agency to first complete the “PUNS”
Survey and then submit an admissions “packet” to the Division of
Developmental Disabilities for review. You can identify your local PAS
agency on line at
http://www.dd.illinois.gov/LocalAgency.cfm. You may also call
1-888-DD-PLANS or 1-866-376-8446 (TTY).
You may learn more about PUNS (Priority of Urgency of Unmet Needs
Survey) on pages 3 to 5 in our September 2005 newsletter at
http://www.familysupportnetwork.org/Newsletter2005September.pdf .
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QUESTIONS?
If
you have a question about the Home-Based Support Service Program
or the Family Assistance Program, please contact the Family Support
Network at 309-693-8981 or the State of Illinois Division of Developmental
Disabilities at (217) 782-5918.
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