What Is It, Anyway?

Virginia Association of Housing and Community Development Officials

February 25, 2008

Money Follows the Person is a 4-year Demonstration program designed to

assist seniors and people with disabilities who currently live in institutions to transition to the

community if they wish to.

MFP is a Federal Initiative• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services• Largest investment ever in Medicaid Long Term

Care ($1.75 billion)• 37,000+ individuals to transition nationally• Designed to eliminate “institutional bias” in the

Medicaid program • HUD Secretary Alfonso Jackson contacted

public housing agencies twice last year about the importance of the Demonstration

MFP is a State Initiative

• Demonstration awarded in May 2007 to Department of Medical Assistance Services

• Eight state agencies (including VHDA and DHCD) have been working closely for 10 months to prepare for transitions to begin in May 2008

• Governor contacted public housing agencies in Virginia last Fall to underscore importance of the Demonstration

MFP is a Community Initiative• Local service agencies have partnered

with state agencies and others to plan the transition process– Centers for Independent Living– Community Services Boards Local– Area Agencies on Aging– Departments of Social Services

MFP is a Personal Initiative• In Virginia, over 1,000 people are projected to

move to the community from nursing homes, long-stay hospitals and Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Mental Retardation

• Participation is completely voluntary—each individual’s choice

• Each person will have an individual plan, services and supports that they need, and someone to work with them before and after

they transition

Services and Supports• Case manager or transition coordinator to plan

and assist in transitions• Personal assistance services• Assistive technology• Personal Emergency Response Systems• Supported employment • Home modifications• Rent during modifications period• Payment of utility and security deposits and

other up-front household expenses

Where Will People be Living?• Each individual who transitions must move

to a “qualified residence” in the community– Home owned or leased by the individual or a

family member– Apartment leased by the individual or a family

member– Setting in which no more than four unrelated

individuals reside

Qualified Residences in Virginia

• Homes

• Apartments

• Group homes (4 or fewer beds)

• Sponsored residential settings

• 4-bed Assisted Living Facilities

• Adult Foster Care

Why is Housing Important?

1. For some individuals, renting an apartment may be the best (or only) option

2. Most of these individuals are expected to have very low income

3. There are no funds available under the Demonstration to pay ongoing rental expenses for these individuals

What Are We Doing to Address the Housing Challenges?

• Money Follows the Person Housing Task Force created by Secretaries of Health and Human Resources and Commerce and Trade

• Diverse membership, including federal, state, local and private partners

• VAHCDO is represented • Will develop annual housing action plan this

spring

Annual Housing Action Plan– Multiple Strategies at Multiple Levels• Increase affordability and availability of

community housing • Increase availability of accessible transportation • Recognize the importance of the link between

housing and transportation• Education, awareness, and partnership building

among housing and human service agencies and the individuals they serve

PHAs’ Involvement in Annual Housing Action Plan

• Centers for Independent Living will contact you to ask you to partner with them and other local agencies to support individuals transitioning under the Demonstration. They will:

– offer assistance to you in understanding community living needs and preferences of people with disabilities and seniors

– assess local housing capacity needs and work with you to develop strategies to address the needs identified in future plans and planning processes

– document local changes in public housing policy, and work with you to foster and sustain increased housing options

• A directory of services agencies will be developed and disseminated, along with a Medicaid services primer, to all housing agencies

How Will This Benefit PHAs?

• Existing communication and policy gaps between some service providers and some housing agencies can be bridged

• Practical information on housing for seniors and people with disabilities will be provided

• Medicaid services will be offered not only to individuals in institutions, but also to individuals currently using Medicaid “waiver” services in the

community.

What PHAs Can Do Now• Review housing plans to see if the needs of very low

income people with disabilities and seniors are adequately addressed

• Help educate local service agencies and organizations, seniors, and people with disabilities about how to become involved in future planning processes

• Extend a special invitation to local service agencies and organizations, seniors, and people with disabilities to participate in future planning processes

• Assess whether a portion of your agency’s federal rental vouchers could be made available to individuals

transitioning under the Demonstration

For Further Information

Visit the Money Follows the Person Website http://www.olmsteadva.com/mfp/

E-mail MFP@dmas.virginia.gov