The latest monthly summary from the Department of Social Services (DSS) shows that demand for the MFP program continues to grow. Between January 2009 (when the program started) and March 2011, DSS received over 2,000 applications, with March 2011 being one of the highest application months to date. Applications came from residents of 204 nursing homes (about 85% of the state’s total). Most referrals for MFP services came from family members, social workers, and the state’s nursing home ombudsmen. Nearly two-thirds of the applicants were under age 65.
About a quarter of the nearly 2,000 people who signed informed consents and were targeted for services had care plans approved and moved to the community by the end of March 2011. Nearly half of these individuals transitioned to elder services or personal care assistance.
The MFP program is a federal demonstration program that moves individuals out of long-term care facilities and into the community by providing a rich package of home- and community-based services. The cost of care can be as high as it is in institutions but in many cases, it will be less. The state receives a higher federal Medicaid match for the first year that someone participates in the demonstration. The governor proposed and the legislature approved expanding the program so that by 2013, 2,251 people will have transitioned into the community.
