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CHOICE Program
Indiana’s Community and Home Options to Institutional Care for the Elderly and Disabled (CHOICE) Program is a resource that eligible individuals are using to receive support services in their homes.
The state of Indiana has funded CHOICE for all 92 counties since July 1, 1992, as part of a statewide IN-Home Services Program. The IN-Home Services Program brings together funding from CHOICE, Title III of the Older Americans Act, Social Services Block Grant, Medicaid Waivers and local funding.
The program serves those who are 60 years of age or older and persons with disabilities of all ages who are eligible due to long-term or lifelong limitations such as:
- Dependence on others to bathe, dress, eat, or go to the bathroom;
- Limitations in ability to express personal needs and/or understand the communication of others;
- Limitations in learning and maintaining self care, communication, social and/or domestic skills;
- Limitations in the ability to move purposefully between environments;
- And limitations in the ability to make decisions, show acceptable judgment, and/or recognize the consequences of one’s actions.
The program is available regardless of income, but there is a basic fee or cost share for services based on a sliding fee scale.
Services through the CHOICE Program are only one component in an array of In-Home Services that contributes to the ability of Hoosiers who are elderly and/or disabled to live in their own homes and maintain successful lives in their local communities.
The CHOICE Program in Central Indiana
If you live in Benton, Carroll, Clinton, Fountain, Montgomery, Tippecanoe, Warren or White Counties, contact Area IV Agency’s Aging & Disability Resource Center to begin the process of options counseling and determining eligibility for CHOICE.
Medicaid Waivers
Seniors and people with disabilities on Medicaid may be eligible for waivers that allow them to receive vital services in a home or community-based setting.
In the early 1980s a growing national trend moved away from institutional care for the elderly and persons with disabilities in favor of providing home and community-based services. In response, a new Medicaid program “waived” the federal requirement that services be provided in an institution. This allowed Medicaid recipients to receive non-traditional in-home and community-based services, so long as the cost was comparable.
Indiana began offering Medicaid Waivers in 1986 using federal and matching state dollars and today has two categories of waivers.
Medical Model Waivers are for children and adults with medical needs. They include:
- PathWays Waiver for people ages 60+
- Health and Wellness Waiver for people 59 and younger
- Traumatic Brain Injury Waiver (TBI)
Waivers are used to pay for services from qualified providers of attendant or nursing care services, home modifications (ramps), lifts for vehicles, residential and employment supports, etc., and are intended to help people with disabilities continue to live in their homes and communities instead of being moved to institutional care.
Every state has a maximum number of slots for Medicaid Waivers it can grant in a given year, filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Clients must meet eligibility requirements each year to continue receiving Medicaid and Waiver services.
Medical Model Waivers are administered by the Area Agencies on Aging (like Area IV Agency), which means that access to waiver services are initiated through Area IV Agency’s Aging and Disability Resource Center.
To be eligible for Medical Model Waivers, the individual must meet Medicaid requirements and be at risk of institutionalized care. An Area IV Agency Assessment and Transitions Specialist will visit the potential client and determine whether the individual is eligible to receive services based on income, level of impairment and the availability of funds. For children with disabilities under the age of 18, parental income and resources are NOT counted when determining financial eligibility.
Once the Medicaid Waiver intake process is complete, ongoing case management can be provided through Area IV Agency or handed off to an independent case manager, if the client so chooses.
Social Services Block Grant
About the Social Services Block Grant
The Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) is a flexible funding stream used by states and territories to support a wide variety of social services.
Federal law establishes several broad goals for SSBG including promoting self-sufficiency, eliminating dependency, and supporting community-based care for the elderly and disabled.
Available Services
Home and Community-Based Services:
- Home Care
- Care Management
- Health Promotion
Title III Older Americans Act
About the Older Americans Act
Enacted in 1965, the Older Americans Act (OAA) provides essential services to older adults (ages 60 and older). States are required to target services to older individuals with greatest economic need and older individuals with greatest social need, with particular attention to low-income minority individuals, older individuals residing in rural areas, low-income individuals, and frail individuals.
Area IV Agency utilizes OAA funds to provide important services and supports for people who are at risk of entering nursing homes by providing nutrition, home and community-based services, and family caregiver supports.
Available Services
Nutrition:
- Meals in congregate settings such as senior centers and adult day centers
- Home-delivered meals
- Nutrition counseling
Home and Community-Based Services:
- Home Care
- Care Management
- Transportation
- Health Promotion
Family Caregivers:
- Information and Referral
- Counseling
- Respite Care
- Support Groups
- Training
- Supplemental Services
Care Management
Determining long-term care needs and coordinating those services in alignment with your independent living goals can be confusing.
Area IV Agency Care Management is a comprehensive service designed to meet the long-term care needs of older adults and people of any age with disabilities in a home or community-based setting with better health outcomes, better care, and at a lower cost than institutional care.
Once services are established by an Assessment and Transitions Specialist, the individual’s care plan is turned over to a Care Manager to provide continuous support, monitoring client progress against person-centered goals and adjusting care plans as functional needs change, to promote health and safety.
Using a team-based, person-centered approach, our Care Managers regularly assess an individual’s eligibility for services, functional impairment and care needs, monitor and adjust their customized plan of care as needed, and coordinate all services required to extend independent living.
Still need help?
Fill out our contact form or call 765-447-7683 for assistance.
Options Counseling
What is Options Counseling?
Options counseling is a person-centered service for seniors, individuals with disabilities, or their caregivers. When you call our Aging and Disability Resource Center or make a referral online, our friendly and knowledgeable staff will listen to your concerns.
We may inquire about health, physical limitations, living arrangements, and transportation needs, or explore the possibility of a meal service or medical alert device. We may also discuss your financial situation to determine eligibility for publicly-funded programs. Then, we can provide personalized recommendations to help you achieve your goals. This conversation is free for everyone, regardless of income or financial assets.
If you are eligible for subsidized services, your information is transferred to an Assessment and Transitions Specialist, who will schedule an in-home visit within 10 business days. At your home, the initial assessment takes about two hours. During this time, we will talk with you and other family members about your long-term care needs and identify providers. The Assessment and Transitions Specialist then completes all necessary paperwork and submits it to Indiana’s Division of Aging for approval, which typically takes 20 days.
If you already have a Medicaid number, services can begin almost immediately following approval. If you don’t have Medicaid, your Assessment and Transitions Specialist will guide you through the application process. After submission, confirmation can take an additional 90 days.
Through it all, Area IV Agency’s dedicated staff will provide the support and practical assistance you need to help you achieve the greatest possible independence, dignity, and quality of life.
Still need help?
Fill out our contact form or call 765-447-7683 for assistance.