AGING AND DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER GRANT
The Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) were initially developed under a Real Choice Systems Change Grant for Community Living grant funded by the Administration on Aging (AoA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The goal of the Aging and Disability Resource Center Program is to empower individuals to make informed choices, to streamline access to long-term support and organize the long-term support system. The vision is to have Resource Centers in every community serving as highly visible and trusted places where people can turn for information on the full range of long term support options and a single point of entry to public long term support programs and benefits.
Resource Centers gather and manage information from individuals in a way that ensures their confidentiality, but limits repeated collection of the same information throughout their long-term support careers. Resource Centers move beyond information and assistance and assume the role of primary entry point into the long-term support system.
ADRCs are a resource for both public and private-pay individuals. Making information and counseling available to private-pay individuals is a central element of the AoA/CMS Resource Center vision. Reaching people before they become Medicaid-eligible, and helping them to learn about low-cost options and programs such as private long term support insurance, can help individuals make better use of their own resources and help to prevent or delay spend-down to Medicaid. Resource Centers serve elders age 60 and older and people with physical disabilities over the age of 18.
Montana received its 4 grant, which have aided in the development of the ADRC model. The original grant in 2003 established the first ADRC in Yellowstone County. In 2006, 11 more counties and two Reservations were added to the model. They include: Missoula, Carbon, Big Horn, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Wheatland, Musselshell, Judith Basin, Petroleum, Fergus and Golden Valley as well as the Northern Cheyenne and Crow Reservations. Under a 2009 grant from the National Council on Aging, 5 additional counties developed ADRC models. They include Hill County and Lake, Lincoln, Mineral and Sanders counties. In 2009, Lewis and Clark, Gallatin, Park, Broadwater, Meagher, Ravalli and Cascade counties were added.
To date, ADRCs have accomplished the following:
- Increased capacity and expertise to provide information and assistance to consumers needing help in exploring long-term care services and options.
- Developed relationships with Independent Living Centers for training and to provide assistance to persons with physical disabilities.
- Provided outreach and public education on long term care topics.
- Developed an Internet based system for people to apply for multiple public benefits (including Medicaid programs, Food Stamps, Low Income Energy Assistance (LIEAP), Big Sky Rx, Vocational Rehabilitation Services and Aging Services programs). The system limits repeated collection of the same information when applying for public benefits.
- Develop a Memorandum of Understanding with Medicaid on ways to increase coordination between Medicaid and ADRCs and continue efforts to simplify the application process for public benefits.
- Develop a proposal to obtain Medicaid administrative dollars for ADRC Medicaid related activities in conjunction with the state Medicaid program and submit it to CMS.
- Implement a formal client screening/assessment process in the ADRCs
For more information contact:
Yellowstone County:
The Resource Center/Yellowstone County Council on Aging
(406) 259-5212
Carbon, Big Horn, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Wheatland, Musselshell, Judith Basin, Petroleum, Fergus, Golden Valley Northern Cheyenne and Crow Reservations:
Area II Agency on Aging
(800) 551-3191
Missoula and Ravalli County:
Missoula Aging Services
(406) 728-7682
Hill County:
Area X/Full Circle Center
(406) 265-5464
Lake, Lincoln, Mineral, and Sanders Counties:
Western Montana Area VI Agency on Aging
(800) 551-3191
Lewis and Clark, Gallatin, Park, Broadwater and Meagher Counties:
Area IV Agency on Aging
(406) 447-1680
Cascade County:
Area VIII Agency on Aging
(406) 454-6990
