COMMUNITY PROGRAM FOCUS: BOSTON CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING

On April 30^th staff heard Debbie McCue inaugurate the Community Resource Center's community resource presentation program. This article is based in part on the information she shared.

The Boston Center for Independent Living (BCIL) is our local Independent Living Center, part of a network that provides similar services throughout the state. BCIL is staffed by people with disabilities who use an empowerment model to promote independent living. Services include Information and Referral, Skills Building, Peer Counseling, Individual Advocacy, Systems Advocacy, the Youth Services Program, and Personal Care Attendant (PCA) Services.

vThe Information and Referral program is linked to a statewide database of resources for people with disabilities and is the intake point for all other BCIL services. Advocacy tip: unfortunately this line is staffed by only 2 people, and it receives about 50 calls a day, so it may take a couple of days to get a call back. Be as clear as possible in your message about what is needed, including best times to reach you.

vSkills Building is a service for those with disabilities who need help with independent living skills such as budgeting, employment, transportation, housing, obtaining MassHealth coverage, self-advocacy, getting specialized equipment, etc.

vPeer Counseling is a program where person with a disability provides support for another on such issues as adjusting to a new disability, coping strategies, and communication strategies.

vIndividual Advocacy is a short-term program of teaching people to advocate for themselves. Center staff will step in and advocate for someone in a crisis if needed for example to keep someone's Food Stamps, if someone needs housing, or until someone can get communication equipment that will allow them to advocate for themselves.

vSystems Advocacy attempts to move beyond getting services for the individual to effect policy. Current projects include addressing the caps on the numbers of people under 55 with disabilities who can live in public housing. BCIL also provides training and consultation about the Americans with Disabilities Act.

vThe Youth Services Program is for 14 to 22 years olds those are transitioning from Special Education to community programs and/or independent living. They help with IEPs and referrals to appropriate agencies and services. Examples include: applying for housing, applying for The Ride or getting Driver's Ed., referring to Partner's for Youth with Disabilities, which is a mentoring program, and getting onto the PCA program (see below). They also sponsor 3-4 social activities a year for youth with disabilities.

vThe Personal Care Attendant program is probably the best known of BCIL's programs. To be eligible, a consumer must be MassHealth eligible (they will assist with applications) or able to private pay, have a disability that prevents him/her from doing their own ADLs, require 10 hours a week of hands on care, combined with another 4 hours total for shopping, housekeeping and laundry. For MassHealth coverage the consumer’s primary MD must believe that the service is medically necessary. PCAs are hired, supervised and paid by the consumer, with skills training from BCIL. The consumer is assigned a skills trainer who begins the process of determining eligibility and assessing the consumer's ability to manage the program independently. To do this each ADL and IADL is evaluated for the individual and a RN and an OT assess the amount of time required. They send the evaluation to the consumer’s MD for review and a required signature. This is then submitted to MassHealth as a request for a specific amount of hours of PCA service to be paid. If MassHealth agrees or modifies the hours the consumer then can hire PCAs and bill the Center for hours used, up to the limit approved by MassHealth. The process takes about 3 to 6 months if things go smoothly. If someone is unable to manage the PCA (perhaps due to a developmental delay or head injury), a surrogate can be appointed. This is generally someone in the consumer's life already, who is willing to help the consumer to manage the program on a permanent basis. BCIL then would offer to the surrogate the same skills training as is offered to the consumer. If no such person is available, there is the possibility of getting a Case Manager through the Mass. Rehabilitation Commission, but the waiting list is a couple of years long. So a person really needs to have someone willing to serve as surrogate until a Case Manager can be assigned.

For more information about BCIL or the PCA program call BCIL at (617) 338-6665 or the Community Resource Center, Ellen Forman x6-5807.