July 2007 Newsletter
Volume 7, Number 1
WORK Program Now Enrolling
The Work Opportunities Reward Kansans (WORK) program officially began
on July 1. WORK provides a package of services, including assessment,
personal assistance services, independent living counseling, and assistive
services,
for individuals with developmental disabilities, physical disabilities,
or traumatic brain injury, who are eligible for the Kansas Medicaid Buy-In
program,
Working Healthy. These individuals must meet the same eligibility requirements
as for the state home and community based services (HCBS) waivers and
must have earnings from employment. WORK is innovative in using a “cash
and counseling” model, allowing a direct cash payment to individuals
who choose to act as their own fiscal manager.
WORK is designed to provide eligible enrollees with optimum
control of their lives by allowing them to purchase personal assistance
services in alternative
ways that will meet their unique needs using a monthly cash allocation,
decide whether they want to self-direct their care or have their care
directed, determine
whether to use the services of an Independent Living Counselor or manage
their care independently, decide whether to use a fiscal management
service or act
as their own fiscal manager, and choose providers with whom they feel
the most comfortable rather than have to use mandated providers based
on disability
or geographical location.
For further, detailed information about WORK please see “Benefits Specialist Corner” below.
Employment Consultant Joins Working
Healthy Staff
Daniel Lassley has joined the staff of Working Healthy as an Employment
Consultant. His primary responsibilities are to work with employers
to educate them about the advantages to and opportunities available in
working
with people with disabilities; working with the state workforce
development system to make sure people with disabilities have access to
services and
possible job training funds; and helping people with disabilities
become better job seekers.
Daniel comes to us from the workforce development system, where
he worked with businesses to develop training programs as well as improve
their recruitment, hiring and retention. He is excited to help employers
solve their staffing problems by recruiting, hiring and training Kansans
with disabilities. Daniel also looks forward to working with staff at the
various workforce centers across the state to ensure that people with disabilities
receive equal access to all appropriate services.
Daniel’s current project involves conducting a series of employer focus group sessions throughout the state. His goal is to identify the top issues for Kansas employers regarding recruitment, hiring and management of people with disabilities. The information gained will be used to refine communications with both employers and job seekers with the aim of addressing concerns and misconceptions, while promoting the tangible benefits to both audiences.
If you are an employer who would like to be involved or have
suggestions for Daniel, he can be reached at (785) 368-6454
or Daniel.Lassley@khpa.ks.gov.
Benefits Specialist Corner
This issue features Working Healthy Benefits Specialist Sherri
Sherman from the Hays Service Center in northwest Kansas. Sherri’s coverage
area includes Barton, Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Ellsworth, Gove, Graham, Jewell,
Lincoln, Logan, Mitchell, Norton, Osborne, Pawnee, Phillips, Rawlins, Rooks,
Rush, Russell, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Thomas, Trego and Wallace counties.
Sherri can be reached by phone at (785) 628-1066 ext. 268 or by E-mail at HASAS@srs.ks.gov.
On July 1, 2007 the Kansas Health Policy Authority implemented a new state
plan package of benefits that will provide personal services, as well as other
services, for employed persons with disabilities in Kansas. People who are
eligible for the Physical Disability (PD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), or
the Developmental Disability (DD) waivers, or are on the waiting lists for
these waivers, or who have a disability that would make them eligible for one
of these waivers, and who are eligible for the Kansas Medicaid Buy-In program,
Working Healthy, are eligible to enroll in WORK.
What is it?
WORK is personal assistance services for people with disabilities who are working
and, because of their disability need personal supports to work. If you qualify
for WORK, a personal care assistant can provide support at home or at work.
For many people with disabilities, the key to living independently is having
a personal assistant. These are people to help you with your activities of
daily living.
What services does it cover?
Personal Assistant Services – Personal services can be paid for via a
monthly allocation sent to the individual, the individual’s representative,
or a paid fiscal manager. WORK participants will be able to determine what
services are needed, when they are needed, how they wish to purchase their
services, and how much they want to pay for their services. Participants or
their representatives who choose to act as their own fiscal agent are responsible
for paying all applicable deductions and taxes. Participants who choose not
to manage their own funds may still direct their funds via a fiscal agent.
Assistive services – Assistive Services is defined as any item, piece
of equipment, or environmental modification, which is used to increase, maintain,
or improve independence, employment, and/or health and safety. Purchase or
rent of new or used assistive technology is limited to those items not covered
by Medicaid under the State Plan. Examples include, but are not limited to,
ramps, lifts, modifications to bathrooms and kitchens specifically related
to accessibility, and assistive technology that improves communication and/or
mobility in the home and work place. Assistive Services also includes any service
that directly assists an individual with a disability in the selection, acquisition,
or use of assistive technology.
Independent Living Counseling- Independent Living Counseling includes one or
more of the following: orientation; self-direction training; fiscal management
training; assistance in accessing other systems that will enhance independent
living and/or employment; assistance in developing the individualized budget;
assistance in locating, interviewing, hiring, supervising, and terminating
a personal attendant; assistance in locating emergency back-up care and emergency
assistance; assistance in reporting exploitation and/or emotional and/or physical
abuse to SRS Adult Protective Services; assistance in locating an maintaining
services identified in the service plan; and assistance with dis-enrolling
and accessing waiver and /or other services.
How do I learn more?
Mary Ellen Wright and Nancy Scott presented the initial information
regarding the WORK program in each of the SRS regions. The
target audience was providers
and agencies who provide services to Kansans with disabilities. Benefits
Specialists will now continue presentations within our coverage
areas. If you are interested
in finding out more by having an informational training session on WORK in
your area, please contact your local Working Healthy Benefits Specialist.
A full listing of Specialists is available at www.workinghealthy.org
or by calling
toll-free, 1-800-449-1439. - Sherri Sherman, Working Healthy Benefits
Specialist
Working Healthy Enrollment and Premium Statistics
By Noelle K. Kurth, KU Evaluation Team
Five years have passed since Working Healthy began enrolling participants.
Over the years, programmatic changes have been made in consultation
with consumers and advocates in hopes of strengthening the program
to assist even more Kansans with disabilities to obtain jobs or increase
work in order to obtain their preferred lifestyle and level of independence.
The personal assistant services made available through the new WORK
program are just the most recent example of innovations and improvements
made in the program. Through on-going evaluation of Working Healthy,
policy-makers are able gauge progress made and develop strategies to
support Kansans with disabilities as they strive to overcome barriers
to employment and self-sufficiency.
Enrollment figures show the program continues to have more participants.
Further, the level of income the enrollees in the program are obtaining
continues to increase as well; as can be seen from the consistent increase
in the percentage of people paying premiums for Working Healthy (see
Figure 1).
It is our hope that Working Healthy will continue to grow as new initiatives
for employment emerge from the new Comprehensive Employment Systems
grant..
FIGURE ONE INFORMATION:
Title: Kansas Working Healthy Total Enrollment
July 2002: Total enrollment = 248, 20% of which paid a premium
January 2003: Total enrollment=531, 53% of which paid a premium
June 2003: Total enrollment = 614, 59% of which paid a premium
January 2004: Total enrollment = 694, 61% of which paid a premium
June 2004: Total enrollment = 764, 60% of which paid a premium
January 2005: Total enrollment = 844, 62% of which paid a premium
June 2005: Total enrollment = 933, 63% of which paid a premium
January 2006: Total enrollment = 1006, 63% of which paid a premium
June 2006: Total enrollment = 987, 65% of which paid a premium
January 2007*: Total enrollment = 987, 68% of which paid a premium
June 2007*: Total enrollment = 1024, 69% of which paid a premium
*Note: Because of the 3-month window for retroactive enrollment, the January
and June 2007 figure is subject to increase.
Source: Kansas InterChange Medicaid Management System (KiCMMIS)
HELP WANTED: When Disaboom.com launches in September of 2007, it will change the world for people with disabilities and functional limitations. Designed by doctors and fellow Disaboomers, Disaboom.com is the first interactive, online community dedicated to providing comprehensive resources for people with disabilities, their caregivers, families, rehabilitation providers and employers. If you or someone you know has a disability or functional limitation or you work with people with disabilities, we want you to join us in helping to create Disaboom.com. Sign up to become a beta tester and let us know what you want to see on Disaboom.com. Log on to: www. disaboom.com/ltmd and become a beta tester. It won’t take much time; is completely free; and you even get a free movie download!
This newsletter and other Working Healthy information can be found online
at: http://www.workinghealthy.org
Working Healthy is published quarterly by the University of Kansas CRL, Division
of Adult Studies and the Kansas Health Policy Authority. Additional copies and
copies in alternate formats are available upon request by writing the University
of Kansas Division of Adult Studies, Attn: Noelle, 1122 West Campus Rd.. JRP
Hall Rm. 517, Lawrence, KS 66045, by phone (785) 864-7085, by emailing: pixie@ku.edu
KU Research Team:
Jean Hall, Principal Investigator
Noelle Kurth, Project Coordinator and Editor
Kansas Health Policy Authority:
Mary Ellen O'Brien Wright, Program Director
Nancy Scott, Benefits Specialist Team Leader