Case Study: West Virginia FAIR Plus Nursing Home Diversion Modernization Grant

The Client:
West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services, Upper Potomac Area Agency on Aging

The Projects:
West Virginia FAIR Plus Nursing Home Diversion Modernization Grant

The Challenge:
The FAIR (Families with Alzheimer’s In-Home Respite) program operated by the Bureau of Senior Services (BoSS) provides respite services to family caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia. In 2007, BoSS received a Nursing Home Diversion Modernization Grant from the Administration on Aging (AOA). The purpose of the grant is to help seniors with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia to avoid nursing home placement and Medicaid spend-down by providing family caregivers with a flexible budget to purchase additional goods and services. FAIR Plus will be piloted in a 15-county region. Eligible caregivers will receive a monthly budget of up to $375 per month to supplement services available through the FAIR Program. Guiding principles important to the client
include:

• Maximum Caregiver Choice and Flexibility;
• Simplicity in Design;
• Timeliness of Payments;
• Accuracy in Record keeping; and
• Scalability and Sustainability

The Upper Potomac Area Agency on Aging contracted with PPL to provide fiscal intermediary services based on PPL’s national reputation and successful provision of providing financial management services and supports brokerage for West Virginia Personal Options (the self-directed option in the Aged and Disabled Waiver program). PPL will:

1. Confirm program rules, functional requirements and data specifications;
2. Design, test and install a web-based user interface including a participant and provider data base, a dynamic service authorization system, and an on-line invoicing system;
3. Develop and disseminate training materials and support authorized users to enter data in the web-based application;
4. Process invoices submitted by authorized providers for goods and services to eligible care givers and monthly payments to caregivers for amounts to be received as cash support;
5. Provide ongoing customer service and technical support;
6. Produce monthly and quarterly program reports and conduct quality management activities; and
7. Participate in project evaluation activities.