Family Voices Indiana

By Emily McKinley, Health Information Specialist The countdown to the full implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) is in full swing. Yet, there are still many questions lingering among health care organizations and consumers. One is, who can help me purchase the right plan? The legislation addressed this in a not so tidy fashion. That is to say, in an effort to provide assistance to consumers, multiple types of “assisters” have been created. Here’s your Who’s Who Among ACA Assisters rundown: ·           Navigators  are ACA assisters who are funded by grant money. Indiana’s Navigators will be funded with federal dollars but will have to complete training and be certified by both the federal government and the state. Navigators will be the most extensively trained assisters in Indiana. They will provide outreach and education as well as assistance to consumers as they shop and apply for insurance coverage.  Navigators must remain unbiased and

Family Voices Indiana shares this announcement from DDRS: As indicated in the announcement dated June 4, 2013,  DDRS has evaluated the conversion  process and has determined that the decision to convert Supervised Group Living home  providers (SGL) to Medicaid waiver-supported living services is voluntary rather than  mandatory.  Via grant funds, the State will assist providers in the voluntary conversion of their  group home beds into Medicaid Waiver slots.  Risk mitigation grants are to be utilized by providers to offset allowable expenses incurred while transitioning individuals from a group home setting to receiving Medicaid waiver-supported living  services. It is not intended that these Risk mitigation grants will cover profit loss attributed to  consumers’ transitions to waiver services.  If a provider elects to convert its SGL home beds to Medicaid waiver slots, the SGL residents in  those homes will be given the option to transfer to another SGL sett

Family Voices Indiana Seeking Family Leaders to serve as Family Leadership Specialists   If you are a parent of a child with a disability, Family Voices of Indiana wants and needs YOU! The Indiana’s Family to Family Health Information Center Project will: Address the health care financing information needs of Indiana’s families raising children with special health care needs and disabilities Connect families to existing resources, direct support and advocacy Support and expand the Family Leadership Network statewide Now accepting applications from Family Leaders to support this project as contractors working up to 32 hours a month from your community (northern or southern part of IN) Requirements: •Must be the parent of a child with special health care needs •Knowledge of Family Leadership •Knowledge of services and systems in Indiana. We provide additional training and support Responsibilities: Provide information, assistance and support regarding

Family Voices Indiana Seeking Latino/Hispanic Family Leaders to serve as Family Leadership Specialists/Promotoras   If you are a Latino parent of a child with a disability, and speak Spanish and English, Family Voices of Indiana wants and needs YOU! The Indiana’s Family to Family Health Information Center Project will: Address the health care financing information needs of Indiana’s families raising children with special health care needs and disabilities Connect families to existing resources, direct support and advocacy Support and expand the Family Leadership Network statewide Now accepting applications from bilingual Family Leaders to support this project as contractors working up to 32 hours a month from your community (northwest Indiana or central Indiana) Requirements: • Bilingual required. Must speak Spanish and English •Must be the parent of a child with special health care needs •Knowledge of Family Leadership •Knowledge of services an

Family Voices Indiana recognizes that access to health insurance is critically important to the families we serve.  We also recognize that navigating the ever changing options available to Hoosiers can be overwhelming.  We share the following in an effort to help you: Today, Governor Mike Pence announced that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved the Indiana’s Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) extension application for one more year, through December 31, 2014.  You can read the details of the terms of the extension here:   http://www.in.gov/fssa/ hip/files/IN_2014_HIP_ Extension_STCs_Final.pdf   A few nuts and bolts highlights: If you are an adult earning below 100% FPL who currently has HIP, you can keep HIP, with its co-pays and coverage limits. If you are an adult earning below 100% FPL who is waiting for HIP, you may be able to get HIP if there is a slot available.  Slots are limited. If you are an adult earning above 100% FPL without

To: Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services’ (DDRS) consumers and stakeholders From: Nicole Norvell, Director, DDRS  Re: Caregiver Support Services Application Process Date: August 30, 2013  The Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services would like to announce that Caregiver Support  Services funds will be available for fiscal year 2014 starting September 1, 2013.  Applications no longer have to be made in-person at the Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services  (BDDS) district office. You may apply online, by mail or in-person.  To apply online, please click on the following link:  https://ddrsprovider.fssa.in. gov/BDDS/ConsumerInfo/ CaregiverSupportRequest.aspx .  You may also call your BDDS District Office and request an application be sent to you or apply in-person  at the District Office. Addresses and telephone numbers for each District Office are available here. A  Caregiver Support Services’ FAQ has also been posted to the B

Each month, Family Voices Indiana provides the families we serve with a summary of the month’s hottest items. If you missed us on  Facebook  in August, here is the latest! August Awareness: National Immunization Awareness Month. The goal of  NIAM  is to increase awareness about immunizations across the lifespan, from infants to the elderly. August 11-17, National Health Center Week.  Community Health Centers (CHCs) are a major component of America's health care safety net, providing high quality primary health care to low-income citizens, the uninsured, and other vulnerable populations. You can find your local community health center here: http://www.indianapca.org/aboutchcs/Map.html . Family Voices: Check out our Family Voices Staff Spotlights! This month’s page featured specialists Kerry Bonney, Brenda Darrol, Jan Labas, and Ofelia Jimenez. Facebook fans liked our many inspirational quotes. Be sure to check out our  page  for a pick-me-up. Also, we encourage yo

Family Voices Indiana shares the following information from The Arc of Indiana: Caregiver Support Services Opens September 1  The Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services (DDRS) has announced that Caregiver Support Services funds will be available starting September 1, 2013. Caregiver Support Services is 100 percent state funded and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. An application must be completed each year, even if you have received services in the past. . To be eligible for Caregiver Support Services an individual must meet the state definition for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities level of care. Services are not available if the individual with a disability receives or begins to receive other services from BDDS or programs such as Vocational Rehabilitation Services, First Steps, CHOICE, or Medicaid Waiver services.   Applications no longer have to be made in-person at the Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services (BDDS) distric