Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services gets $115K…

MONEY FOLLOWS THE PERSON DEMONSTRATION EXPANSION - THE STATE WILL USE THE GRANT TO DEVELOP A SYSTEM FOR ADDRESSING THE HOSPITAL TO INSTITUTION PIPELINE THAT RESULTS IN PLACEMENT OF OVER 80% OF THE PEOPLE RESIDING IN INSTITUTIONAL LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES. THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH STATE AND LOCAL PARTNERS, A SYSTEM WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR IDENTIFYING PEOPLE WHO RESIDE IN INSTITUTIONS WHO COULD OTHERWISE LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDING THOSE PEOPLE WITH INFORMATION AND ACCESS TO TRANSITIONAL SUPPORT OR OTHER REFERRALS. THE STATE OF KANSAS INTENDS TO WORK WITH CENTER’S FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING (CILS) THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO IDENTIFY PEOPLE WHO ARE RESIDING IN INPATIENT FACILITIES THAT WANT TO TRANSITION BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY OF CHOICE. TRANSITION COORDINATORS WILL BE IDENTIFIED AND TRAINED THROUGHOUT THE VARIOUS CATCHMENT AREAS OF KANSAS TO EDUCATE FACILITY STAFF AND THE PEOPLE THEY SERVE REGARDING THEIR OPTIONS FROM THE MONEY FOLLOWS THE PERSON PROGRAM. A PERSON WHO WANTS TO TRANSITION OUT OF THE INPATIENT FACILITY WILL HAVE A TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS TO SUPPORT THEM. THIS TEAM WILL INCLUDE KDADS STAFF, CIL STAFF, INPATIENT FACILITY STAFF, MANAGED CARE COORDINATORS AND PROFESSIONALS FROM THE COMMUNITY OF THEIR CHOICE. THE TEAM WILL WORK TO ENSURE THAT THE PERSON TRANSITIONS FROM THE INPATIENT FACILITY WITH THE SUPPORTS NEEDED TO BE SUCCESSFUL. EDUCATION WILL BE PROVIDED TO PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR LOVED ONES REGARDING RESOURCES, SERVICES AND SUPPORTS THAT THEY CAN UTILIZE FOR THE TRANSITION. KDADS STAFF AND MANAGED CARE COORDINATORS WILL EDUCATE PARTICIPANTS ON WAIVER SERVICES AND SUPPORTS AVAILABLE. TRAINING ON TECHNOLOGY WILL BE DEVELOPED AND AVAILABLE TO PARTICIPANTS. PARTICIPANTS CAN LEARN HOW TO UTILIZE TECHNOLOGY TO ORDER GROCERIES AS WELL AS KEEP IN CONTACT WITH THEIR LOVED ONES. FAMILY MEMBERS WILL ALSO BE OFFERED TRAINING AND RESOURCES ABOUT COMMUNITY TRANSITION AND WAYS TO SUPPORT THEIR LOVED ONE. TRAINING WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED TO DIRECT SERVICE WORKERS TO PROVIDE SUPPORTS IN A CULTURALLY COMPETENT MANNER. BASED ON GAP ANALYSIS RESULTS DURING THE PLANNING PHASE, THE STATE WILL ALSO WORK TO DEVELOP CAPACITY THAT CAN SUPPORT PEOPLE RETURNING TO THEIR COMMUNITY OF CHOICE. THESE SUPPORTS WILL INCLUDE INFORMATION THAT CURRENT AND PROSPECTIVE HCBS PROVIDERS NEED TO INCREASE THEIR ABILITY TO PROVIDE SUPPORTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. INCREASED CAPACITY IS KEY TO ENSURING THAT PEOPLE CAN LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY OF THEIR CHOICE WITH THE SUPPORTS THEY NEED TO LIVE A LIFE THAT PROVIDES FOR INCLUSION, DIGNITY, AND RESPECT.