FSSA Announcements will Benefit People with Developmental Disabilities
Waiting for Services, Current Recipients of Home and Community Based
Services

650 People to Move Off Waiting Lists
FSSA has announced that 650 people with developmental disabilities, who have
been waiting for years to come off of Medicaid Waiver waiting lists, will
finally receive home and community based supports. New recipients of
services will include 500 people on the Support Services Waiver waiting
list, 100 on the Developmental Disabilities Waiver waiting list, and 50 on
the Autism Waiver waiting list.

John Dickerson, Executive Director, The Arc of Indiana, said, "The Arc of
Indiana is encouraged to see that savings achieved through reforms in
programs and services for people with developmental disabilities, and from
the movement of people from state institutions, is being put back into the
system to provide new services to people who have been on waiting lists for
years and years."

Over 15,000 people are on waiting lists statewide to receive home and
community based supports through the Developmental Disabilities, Autism, and
Support Services Medicaid Waivers. Medicaid Waivers allow Medicaid to pay
for supports to families to keep loved ones at home, and residential
supports to allow people with developmental disabilities to live in the
community.

Judy Abbot (Munster), The Arc of Indiana's Senior Vice President and
chairman of The Arc's Waiting List Committee, said, "A key objective of The
Arc of Indiana's Waiting List Committee has been to work with state
officials to move people off waiting lists. Providing new services to 650
people is an important start to addressing a critical issue. We will
continue to work with the state to move people off waiting lists, and to
provide appropriate supports to families in need who may not even be on
waiting lists."

Another objective of The Arc of Indiana's Waiting List committee is to have
the waiting list updated. FSSA is working with a call center to contact
2000 people on Medicaid Waiver waiting lists. These individuals will first
receive a notification card to let them know to expect the call. An
additional 500 people will receive a mailing with a post card that can be
returned to update information. The goal is to update waiting lists so that
the 650 new Medicaid Waiver slots will be filled as quickly as possible.

3.5% Increase for Individual Waiver Budgets Announced

The Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services has also announced
that effective July 1, 2006, FSSA/DDRS will increase individual Medicaid
Waiver budgets for Residential Habilitation and Support, Day Services and
Behavioral Management Services by 3.5%. Increases will take place on the
anniversary date of an individual's waiver plan of services. On the
anniversary date, when plans of care are renewed, recipients of services may
choose the 3.5% increase for their current plan, or, if significant changes
have occurred, they may submit a new plan of care that reflects the change
and includes a request for increased funding for services.