"Lives Beyond Limitations"
You may apply or refer someone for services by contacting an Intake worker at (573) 368-2200.
A developmental disability is a long-term condition that significantly delays or limits mental or physical development and substantially interferes with such life activities as self care, communication, learning, decision-making, capacity for independent living, and mobility and occurs before a person reaches age 22.
The cost of the person receiving services is determined by ability to pay. When a person applies for services, regional center staff will ask for information about the individual or family income and the financial resources of the person for whom services are being sought. Most services are subject to minimal charges. More detailed information is available in the information booklet called "Sharing the Cost of Services".
Persons determined ineligible for services have the right to
appeal. At your request, staff personnel area available to assist in
developing an appeal. More detailed information about appeals is provided
in a brochure, "Your Right to Appeal," which is available to you.
Personnel at Missouri Protection and Advocacy Services, which maintains a toll-free telephone number (800 392-8667), also are available to assist in appealing decisions on eligibility or in securing services from other agencies.
Service coordination is a series of activities designed to
support individuals with desired services and supports, assistance with funding
various services and supports, monitoring the quality of services and supports
accessed by an individual and their family and advocating for improvement in the
array of services and supports available.
Crisis Intervention activities assist families by designing
appropriate intervention and support strategies for individuals with challenging
behaviors.
Choices for
Families
The program provides funds to help meet the needs of
family members and people with disabilities who live at home. Families
either pay for services and submit receipts for reimbursement, or obtain
vouchers to purchase services. The vendors providing the services then
turn the vouchers in for repayment. The program can be used for many
family support services for which they may not be a contracted provider
available
Home and Community Based Medicaid Waiver
The waiver is used as the primary source of funding for people
who live in the community. The division uses general revenue funds to
match federal Medicaid dollars to pay for services under the waiver. The
waiver includes people who live in group homes, supported living, and with their
families.
The Sarah Jian Lopez Medicaid Waiver allows access to funding for
appropriate care and support for children with developmental disabilities so
they may continue living at home with their families.
Medicaid guidelines
require parental income and resources be considered for children who live at
home, but allow such income and resources to be disregarded for children who
live out of the home, in an institution, a group home, or in other residential
settings. The family of Sarah Jian Lopez, who was born with developmental
disabilities, lobbied the Missouri General Assembly to change some of the
requirements in the Medicaid program. The waiver, which went into effect
in 1996, is named after Sarah, who died at the age of five.
The waiver allows
parental income and resources to be disregarded for permanently and totally
disabled children living at home who otherwise would require services at an
institution.
Eligibility is based on the following guidelines: the
income and resources of the child must not exceed Medicaid financial guidelines;
the child's condition must meet the criteria set by Medicaid for the permanently
and totally disabled; the child must be certified to need the level of services
provided by an intermediate care facility designed to treat mental retardation;
and the cost of providing the needed services in the child's home can be no
greater than the cost of the services provided in an intermediate care
facility.
The Sarah Jian Lopez Waiver will allow up to 100 children, under
age 18, with developmental disabilities to receive specialized care funded by
Medicaid while continuing to live at home with their parents.
Provide temporary and short term oversight of the safety, well
being, and daily living care needs of a person with a disability who lives at
home.
Central Missouri
Autism Project
Autism is a lifelong developmental disability
that typically appears during the first three years of life. Persons with
autism may be severely impaired in reasoning, communication and social
interactions. As part of the Central District's Autism Project, Rolla
Regional Office helps to secure services and supports for individuals with
autism.
Certification and Quality Enhancement
Providers that receive Medicaid Home and Community-Based
Waiver Funding are evaluated and an enhancement plan is developed by the agency
and Rolla Regional Office to help ensure that desired outcomes are met, and to
develop community linkages for people they support. The long-range goal
of this program is to change the way persons with developmental disabilities are
perceived within their communities.