The
Adult Services Unit is comprised of two specialty units, one providing
Protective Services for Adults, while the other provides for the
coordination of Home Care services.
**To
make a report of suspected adult abuse or neglect, call 746-2342.
PROTECTIVE SERVICES
Protective Services for Adults (PSA) are
services directed to individuals 18 years and older
who meet the following criteria:
Adults who
are in danger of harm to themselves or others as a result of their own
actions or the actions of others, AND
Adults who
have no family or friends willing or able to assist them.
PSA
clients may be chronically ill, elderly, drug or alcohol dependent,
mentally ill, developmentally delayed, abused or exploited.
Services to this population may include, but are not limited to, case
management, advocacy, linkage to other appropriate resources, counseling,
financial management, housing assistance, referral and follow-up, monitoring
behaviors, and providing assistance with daily living activities.
Any
concerned individual can make a referral to this unit.
Family Type Homes for Adults (FTHA)
The Adult Services Unit is responsible for
the initial home study and the subsequent supervision of Family Type Homes
for Adults in Washington County. Family Type Homes for Adults are
homes that provide room/board and 24 hour supervision to 4 or fewer adults.
Washington County currently has 4 licensed homes.
HOME CARE SERVICES
The Home Care Unit’s duty is to provide
disabled, Medicaid eligible individuals with services that will allow them
to remain at home.
Personal Care Assistance Program (PCA)
The Personal Care Assistance program is a
home care program for individuals who are Medicaid eligible, medically
stable and who require assistance to remain safely at home.
The
trend in the Personal Care Assistance Program is toward the Consumer
Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP). The CDPAP enables a
client, as a consumer; to utilize DSS authorized PCA services in a manner
other than the traditional home care program. This program allows payment to
an individual selected by the consumer to provide the number of PCA hours
authorized, rather than relying on a Home Care Agency to provide this
service.
Due to
a limited supply and great demand, licensed home care agencies have had
difficulty recruiting and retaining home health aides. Under the CDPAP
program, the individual providing the care may be a friend, neighbor,
relative (not living in the home) or whomever the client feels may be
appropriate as a caregiver. It is the responsibility of the client to train
and schedule their aide.
Competitive Edge assists the consumer with the recruitment process.
Additionally they process the payment being made to the CDPAP assistant.
Services that are provided under the CDPAP also save Medicaid dollars,
as fewer Public Health Nursing visits are required. Under the traditional
PCA program, nursing visits are required every 90 days in order to supervise
the aide. Under the CDPAP nursing visits are required only every 6 months.
Currently 50% of the PCA caseload has opted to have services provided by
CDPAP.
Long Term Home Health Care Program (LTHHCP)
The
Long Term Home Health Care Program is also a program that offers in-home
services to Medicaid eligible individuals who would otherwise require
nursing home placement. In addition to personal care services, nursing,
physical therapy, occupational therapy, nutrition support, Medical Social
Work, Respiratory therapy, Social Daycare, Respite services, Lifeline and
case management services may be provided.
Private Duty Nursing
Private duty nursing services may be provided to Medicaid eligible
individuals who require skilled nursing services on a daily basis in order
to remain safely at home. The assessment of eligibility for these services
is done by caseworkers at the County level with final approval given at the
State.
