Aging and Disability Resource Center of Dane County

Aging and Disability Resource Center of Dane County ADRC Update December, 2007

What is an ADRC? • The Mission of the ADRC is to support seniors, adults with disabilities, their families and caregivers by providing useful information, assistance and education on community services and long term care options and by serving as the single entry point for publicly funded long term care services while at all times respecting the rights, dignity and preferences of the individual.

ADRC Goals • Welcome the whole community to an attractive, accessible, non-threatening facility. • Serve elderly people and people with disabilities, regardless of their income health condition and long term care needs. • Provide outreach and services to young people (age 17½ years) with disabilities as they transition from the school system to adult services. • Provide reliable and objective information about a broad range of community resources of interest to elderly people and people with disabilities.

ADRC Goals - Continued • Enable people to make informed, cost-effective decisions about long term care. • Delay or prevent the need for long term care services and/or public funding for them. • Provide information and assistance to promote health and independence. • Serve as the single entry point for publicly funded long term care. • Identify people at risk and with needs and connect them to needed services. • Help adults access needed services through advocacy and assistance.

What’s Ahead? • State of Wisconsin will provide about $4. 0 million for Dane County’s ADRC. • This amount based on Dane Co’s population and the experience of other ADRC’s • Funds released two months before Family Care starts in Dane Co.

Activities to Date • 22 members representing consumers, agencies, family members, county staff, co-chaired by Barb Thoni and Theresa Sanders • Steering Committee and two subcommittees • Nearly 50 meetings since Sept. 2006 • Field trips to ADRC’s in other counties • Guest speakers from other ADRC’s • ADRC Application: 2/3 rd’s complete; can’t do much more until Dane Co’s role in Family Care is determined

Consensus Items in Application • Dane and Rock will each have their own ADRC • Dane’s ADRC will be operated by Dane Co. • Governing Board, approved by the Dane Co. Board of Supervisors, will be at least 25% consumers/family members/advocates • Governing Board will have consumer members and at least one elected official

Consensus Items - continued • Staffed primarily by county employees • Certain functions (e. g. , aging benefits specialists, disability benefits specialists, short term case management for individuals not eligible for Family Care) will likely be performed by Purchase of Service Agency partners

Consensus Items - continued • All Family Care target groups will be part of the ADRC from Day 1 – Older Adults – People with Developmental Disabilities – People with Physical Disabilities and Chronic Health Conditions

Consensus Items - continued • As a One Stop Shop, the ADRC will also: – Provide info to callers on mental health and alcohol and drug abuse services – Have staff with MH & AODA expertise to assess and respond to the needs of people who are Family Care eligible and also have a MH/AODA need

Ideal Location Characteristics • Storefront/business zoning • Good bus service • Nice physical appearance • Some private offices • Sufficient space for easy internal traffic flow • Welcoming, accessible • Centrally located in county for consumer & staff driving needs • Off the beltline or other easy to get to setting • Co-location w/ STEP unit • Clean and maintained • Visable, easy to find • A place where people go (e. g. shopping mall) • Flexible internal space • Environmentally friendly

Advocacy & Protection • Strong emphasis on client rights • Listen carefully to and respond to all complaints • Services will be fully accessible and culturally appropriate • To maintain a welcoming environment, protective services will not be part of the ADRC

Still to be Written • How IT, accounting, human resources and administrative support will be provided • Who the Director and staff will be • Physical Location • Location within County Government • Timelines with dates • How the financial eligibility process will work (depends on co-location with STEP)

Still to be Written - continued • Marketing Plan • How enrollment & disenrollment counseling will be provided • How the ADRC will relate to the CMO’s • Transition services are well defined for DD consumers, but not for other consumers End of Slide Show