The Frequently Asked Question: How can I get...

• a personal care attendant to help me with day to day tasks like dressing, bathing, eating, cooking & cleaning?
• a group home for my son?
• an assisted living facility for my mother?

The Frequently Given Response:

Most of the time, the disability community is given telephone numbers and names of people who “might be able to help”. And most of the time, they can’t help! The result is “the referral circle”: You call person after person, agency after agency and finally you realize that the most you’ll get is your name on a waiting list—a waiting list that shortens very, very slowly. So the real answer to the question “How do I get any of the above services?” is “not very easily!”. If you get services, it will depend on your...

• resources (or money).
• diagnosis or age.
• ability to be persistent and to join with others to tackle the problem of long waiting lists.

If you have resources (money):

The first thing to understand is that private funds will make the task easier. If you or your family have the money, you can hire in-home assistants or purchase a “bed” in a facility. But the reality is that most people don’t have the money to pay for such services especially if they will be required for a long time. But if you do have funds, there are many fee-for-service agencies that can be of assistance. In most communities, the Area Agency on Aging (called the “Triple A”) will have a list of providers or places to contact. This list of Triple A’s is attached. (See blue sheet entitled Community Care Services Program - CCSP). You can also look in the yellow pages under Home Health Agencies. TDD callers should use the Georgia Relay Service at (800) 255-0135 or 411.

PLEASE NOTE: Any time you pay an agency, you are paying for “overhead” – an office, a manager, the answering service, etc. People with significant disabilities often find that “word of mouth” is the best way to get reliable, honest and affordable help. So if you’re not a part of a support group or some other type of self-help group, you may want to find one by contacting your Center for Independent Living. (See attached list on the pink paper.)

If you have little or NO money:

If you are in this category, it is important to understand that most of what low-income people with disabilities need is not readily available in Georgia. And the few services that do exist are fragmented because they are based on the type of disability you have or your age. But here is how to get started.

If you have a goal of working, entering work training or attending college or technical school,

you should contact the Division of Rehabilitation Services. NOTE: Some counselors may be reluctant to spend a lot of money on personal care attendants, but if that is what you need in order to fulfill your employment goal, DRS can provide funds for this service. If you and your counselor disagree on whether or not you need a personal care attendant, contact the Client Assistance Program at (800) 822-9727 if you’re outside of the Atlanta area. If you are in the Atlanta area, phone (404) 373-4110. TDD users should call the Georgia Relay Service at (800) 255-0135.

If you do NOT have a goal of working, which agency you call depends on your diagnosis.

If you have a label of Mental Retardation or Mental Illness you should contact your Regional Board for Mental Health, Mental Retardation & Substance Abuse Services.

If you have a physical disability or brain injury that causes you to need assistance with daily living (eating, dressing, bathing, reminders to these activities, etc.), you can apply for services in one of two ways.

1. The Community Care Services Program (CCSP) .To apply for this program, contact the agency serving your county. For a list, choose the "local info and referral" link on the GA Dept. of Labor, Division of Aging Services'Community Care Service Program web page. CCSP is the largest home and community-based program in Georgia serving over 14,000 (mostly elderly) people. Although this program serves Georgians under age 65, most of the providers are oriented toward people who are elderly with disabling conditions. In general, the CCSP program has limits on the amount of service you can get—an hour or so a day. You can appeal this limit with the assistance of Georgia Advocacy Office at (800) 537-2329 or by contacting Georgia Legal Services or Atlanta Legal Aid (404) 377-0701 for Atlanta residents. TDD callers should use the Georgia Relay Servce at 711, or (800) 255-0135
   
   

2. The Independent Care Waiver Program (ICW). While this program serves very few people in comparison to CCSP, it can provide more hours of service. It is intended for people who are in or at risk of nursing home placement OR who occupy hospital beds because they are technology-dependent. (For example, someone who requires a ventilator to breathe or tube feeding for nourishment is “technology-dependent”.) To apply for the Independent Care Waiver, call Georgia Medical Care Foundation (GMCF) at (404) 982-0411. They will do a telephone screening. If GMCF determines that you a re a probably candidate then they will mail an apllication to you. Complete and mail vback the application by registered mail so that you hav ea verifiable date of delivery and receipt. If you are a probable candidate based on the application the GMCF will send a nurse to do a face-toface assessment to determine your needs and put you on a waiting list. From the time of your phone call until the nurse finishes the assessment should take 30 days unless the applicant does not get the qritten application completed in a timely manner.

   If you are denied ICW services, you may appeal the decision by following the same procedure as described in step #1 above.

   PLEASE NOTE: It is very important to document your efforts to secure services in any of the above-listed programs. Be sure to follow phone calls with a letter saying what you talked about and what your understanding is. Keep copies of any applications or information. If you need help with this, contact the Center for Independent Living closest to you.

What if I want services for my school-age child?

The world of in-home services for children is also complex. For more information on Children’s Services, call Parent to Parent at (800) 229-2038 or (770) 451-5484 if you’re in Metro Atlanta. Parent to Parent also has a web site: http://www.parenttoparentofga.org

Unlock the Waiting Lists!! Campaign

As was said at the beginning of this FAQ, if you have no money, getting on a waiting list for services is what you can expect. And you will have a lot of company! As of this publication, there are 11,000 people on the waiting lists for programs described above. But it doesn’t have to stay that way! Publicly funded programs are a result of a fundamental American institution—democracy! So—if you’re not registered to vote, get registered and VOTE. Then, speak to your state elected officials. You can call your Voter Registration Office or Public Library to find out who represents you at the state Capitol. After you’ve taken these steps, join the Unlock the Waiting List Campaign! Call or write-

Unlock the Waiting List
1727 Turner's Corner Rd.
Cleveland, GA 30528
Toll-Free: 1-877-WAITLIST
(1-877-924-8547)
Attn: Grace Fricks

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A number of people reviewed and contributed to this FAQ: Mark Johnson and Tammy King of Shepherd Center; Tina Hopper of Disability Connections, Grace Fricks of Unlock the Waiting List, Charles Martin of the Client Assistance Program, Marsha Montague of the Department of Medical Assistance, Sue Jamieson from Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Vi Perry of Support Systems and Dotti Wesley of the SILC.