November 4, 2010
Partnership for Hope to provide services for 470 individuals with developmental disabilities across Missouri, including 80 in Boone County
Gov. Nixon, local families discuss benefits of Partnership for Hope for individuals with developmental disabilities
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Gov. Jay Nixon sat down with two mid-Missouri families this morning to discuss the Partnership for Hope, a new state program that is having a positive impact on the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities.
Gov. Nixon joined parents Sandy and David Sims, of Sturgeon; and grandmother Fern Anderson, of Columbia, to discuss the home- and community-based services the Partnership for Hope is providing to 470 Missourians with developmental disabilities. Because families will receive these services sooner than previously possible, the need for residential or institutional programs will be delayed or avoided in many cases. The partnership, which took effect Oct. 1, was made possible by a partnership between the state of Missouri; 37 participating county developmental disability boards; and the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
"The Partnership for Hope will offer help and support to hundreds of Missouri families caring for loved ones with developmental disabilities," Gov. Nixon said. "For too long, families were forced to wait for a crisis before help was available. This partnership shows that families and communities can work together successfully to care for individuals with developmental disabilities at home and in the community."
Keith Schaefer, director of the Missouri Department of Mental Health, and Les Wagner, executive director of Boone County Family Resources, also participated in the roundtable.
Prior to implementation of the Partnership for Hope, demand for home- and community-based services had resulted in a large backlog of Missouri families waiting for help. Because of the backlog, many families waited years before receiving the services they need. Priority had been given to individuals in crisis, such as individuals who were homeless or whose primary caregiver had passed away; in many of those cases, residential or institutional treatment became the only option.
Through the Partnership for Hope, 470 individuals will receive up to $12,000 in services per year. Funding for the program comes from the Missouri Department of Mental Health, county developmental disability boards and CMS. The county boards are contributing $1.5 million annually for the program, which will be matched by $1.5 million in state funds to draw down $5.2 million from the federal government.
The funds will be used to provide services from local providers in the 37 participating counties. Funding will be available on a continuing basis for future years. The number of individuals served in each county will depend on the financial commitment given by the county's board. County boards will determine which individuals within their county will receive services.
In Boone County, 80 individuals will receive services through the Partnership for Hope, including Nathan and Mitchell Sims, sons of Sandy and David Sims; and Norma Anderson, the granddaughter of Fern Anderson. Since Oct. 1, more than 30 individuals already have started receiving services in Boone County.
Nathan and Mitchell Sims, who have autism, graduated from high school in May and live with their parents and sister in Sturgeon, about 20 miles from Columbia. Although the family lives in Sturgeon, Sandy and David both work full time in Columbia.
While in high school, Nathan and Mitchell benefitted from meaningful and productive daily activity, their mother said. After graduating, Nathan and Mitchell lost that daily structure, and their parents worried they might lose some of the progress they made in school.
Through the partnership, both Nathan and Mitchell will receive numerous services, including vocational skills; job-placement and support; and personal assistance. Most importantly, a case manager will arrange transportation to work and other locations for the brothers, which will allow both parents to continue to work. Prior to the partnership, the Sims family was ineligible for services because they were not in crisis.
"Like any parent, I want my sons to be independent, productive and happy," Sandy Sims said. "Nathan and Mitchell are very intelligent, but they need personal assistance and guidance to learn how to work. This program will help make that possible. Rather than sitting home all day, Nathan and Mitchell now have support to find employment and volunteer opportunities, and transportation to get them to work and home. This is a Godsend for our family, and we're very grateful to all those who helped make it possible."
Norma Anderson has lived with her grandmother, Fern, since she was four years old. Now 20, Norma has Asperger's Syndrome, which is a form of autism. Norma aspires to live independently, find work and care for herself.
After Norma graduated from high school, she lost access to school-based services, and she was not eligible for support under other programs because she was not in crisis. Through the Partnership for HOpe, Norma has been assigned a community specialist, who will asses her abilities, target her needs and develop a plan for independent living. She also will receive training for adult life and work.
"Norma is very capable of living independently, working and contributing to the community, provided she has adequate preparation and support," Fern Anderson said. "We are very thankful for the support we are now receiving, and the results have been promising. It's wonderful to know that more families will have access to these services earlier, when they really can make a lasting difference."