NA Grant - Disability Resource connections ADRC

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r North Cazolina Department of Health and Human Services Office of Long-Term Servipes and Supports • KGROUND in many communities, long-term support services are supported by numerous funding streams, administered by muhiple agencies, and have complex, fragmented, and often duplicative intake, assessment, and eligibility functions. Determining how to obtain services ~is difficult both for persons who qualify for publicly funded support and for those who can pay privately. A uniform, coordinated system, of information and access for all persons seeking long-term support will minimize confusion, enhance individual choice, and support informed decision making. It will also improve the ability of state and local governments to manage resources and to monitor program quality through centralized data collection and evaluation. ADRCs are a key component of an effectively managed, consumer-driven system of long-term supports and services. ADRCs will enable policy makers and program administrators to respond more effectively to individual needs, address system problems, and .limit the unnecessary use of high-cost services, including institutional services. Making information and counseling available to both public and private-pay individuals is a central element of the ADRC vision. Reaching people before they become Medicaid-eligible, ~+nd helping them to learn about low-cost options and programs such as private long-term support insurance, can help individuals make better use of their own resources and help to prevent or delay spending resources down to Medicaid eligibility levels. SCOPE OF SERVICES Target Population • This RFA is to develop ADRCs that serve, at a minimum, the aging population, and adults with disabilities. For the definition of "aging" in this solicitation, we use age 60 and above as specified in the Older Americans Act. For the definition of "disability," we use the definition from the Americans with Disabilities Act, "a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual; a record of such an impairment; or being regarded as having such impairment " The ADRC will be a resource for both public and private-pay individuals. Each ADRC will serve persons who are aging, adults with disabilities, family caregivers and persons planning for future long-term support needs. The ADRC will also be a resource for health care professionals, long-term support professionals, and others who provide services to the aging population and to people with d'~sabilities. Program Features Usted below are program features which should be considered in developing the proposal to meet the intent of this RFA. The goal of ADRCs is to empower individuals to make informed choices and to streamline access to long-term services and supports. Long-term services and supports refers to a wide range of in-home, community based, and institutional services and programs that are designed to help individuals who are aging. Each ADRC in North Carolina must: • Serve as a highly visible and trusted resource where people can turn for information on the full range of long-term support options • Serve as a uniform portal of entry to public and private long-term support programs and benefits • 6 of 69