Arkansas is pleased
to be one of four states selected to participate in the national Cash
and Counseling Demonstration Project sponsored jointly by the Robert
Wood Johnson Foundation and the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services. New Jersey, Florida and New York share in the prestigious
selection. The University of Maryland is serving as the national technical
advisor.
The Division
of Aging and Adult Services developed the Arkansas proposal and is
implementing and managing the Project. The Demonstration Project,
entitled IndependentChoices, will offer Medicaid eligibles the opportunity
to receive a cash allowance rather than traditional agency managed
Personal Care.
Participants
of the Project may hire friends, relatives, and neighbors to assist
them with their daily personal care services. Funds may also be used
to purchase other services or items related to the general category
of personal care.
The amount of
the cash allowance will be based on a percent of the current plan
of care. One of the goals of the Project will be to create an opportunity
for persons to express their independence with dealing with the day
to day functions of life.
To participate
individuals must be:
- Eligible to
receive Arkansas Medicaid benefits
- Interested
in self-direction or have an appropriate representative to assist
- Willing to
participate
- At least 18
years of age or older
Outreach and
marketing of the Project began in May, l998 and is continuing. Implementation
is scheduled for October, l998 with active enrollment beginning November
1, l998. Each participant will have the opportunity to receive the
cash allowance for at least two years.
Mathematica Research
Institute, Inc. is responsible for evaluating the Project in the four
states. A classic experimental design has been selected to format
the study. A Treatment Group, composed of 1,750 randomly selected
willing eligibles, will receive the cash allowance.
A Control Group,
composed of 1,750 randomly selected willing eligibles, will participate
in the study but continue receiving traditional Medicaid Personal
Care services. Results of this evaluation and the experience of each
of the demonstration states will serve as the foundation to encourage
program development changes to promote consumer-direction.
Each participant
will be given support and guidance in consumer-direction from a Counseling/Fiscal
Agency. This new Arkansas provider category will be involved to the
degree preferred by each participant. The provider agencies are being
selected using a Request for Proposal method. Selection will be final
in late September, l998.
For additional
information, contact the Division of Aging and Adult Services, Debby Ellis.
