Family Support Services
The Brown County Board of Developmental Disabilities (BCBDD) will provide Family Support Services (FSS) as specified in ORC 5126.11 and OAC 5123:2-1-09. The general purpose of Family Support Services is:
1. To Seek nurturing partnerships between family members, other supportive people and professionals who serve both the individual and their family;
2. To build on the unique characteristics of each family;
3. To utilize resources in each family's social network and community; and
4. To respect the beliefs, values and structure of each family.
Eligibility
A family will be eligible for planned FSS if the family member who resides at home has been determined eligible for county board services as per ORC 5126.1. For Emergency FSS, the family will be eligible if one of the following apply: the family includes an individual living at home who has been determined eligible for county board services.
Family means: a parent, brother, sister, spouse, son, daughter, grandparent, aunt, uncle, cousin or guardian of the individual with developmental disabilities and includes the individual with developmental disabilities. Family also means: a person acting in a role similar to those listed above even though no legal blood relationship exists. This applies if the person with the developmental disability lives with the person and is dependent on the person to the extent that if the support were withdrawn, another living arrangement would have to be found. The person will verify the relationship with the individual with developmental disabilities by signature.
FSS will be used only when no other financial resources are available. FSS is a payer of last resort. Resources such as private insurance, Medicaid, Bureau of Children with Medical Handicaps and Women, Infants & Children must be exhausted or unavailable to the family. A verbal inquiry of whether the family has checked with alternate resources and result of the inquiry must be made before FSS is approved.
The FSS Coordinator will monitor individuals who qualify for FSS, but decline all other County Board services with a home visit twice annually. A home visit form will be completed. Declined home visits may warrant non-renewal of future FSS allocations (see Due Process).
If financial resources are not available or if the annual FSS budget has been spent, BCBDD will place the family on an FSS waiting list as per BCBDD Policy 3.02.
Services Available from the Family Support Services Program Include
Service Supports - Anything needed to help alleviate family needs and has been approved through FSS. This may include adaptive equipment, FRS transportation, dietary supplies, diapers, camps, home modification, etc. Service Supports can only be approved if the need for the service support is a direct result of the person’s diagnosis. In order to verify the medical need for the service support, the request must be accompanied by a prescription or a letter of necessity from a physician, therapist or other professional (one letter per year, per need). The BCBDD has determined a list of approved expenditures (Appendix A to this procedure) and a list of limited excluded services (Appendix B of this procedure).
Respite Services – Intermittent care of an individual with a developmental disability provided by a paid individual in order to give the primary caregiver a break. Families will be approved for respite services through an hourly or daily rate. BCBDD has set the standard rate of $10.00/hour (Ohio minimum wage rate) for one to nine hours of respite and $100.00 as a daily rate for 10 hours or more. The BCBDD will determine respite eligibility on a case-by-case basis. An individual who is eligible for a Level 1 Waiver, an Individual Options Waiver, a SELF-Waiver or a TDD Waiver cannot utilize FSS for the same services. FSS cannot be used for Adult Day Services.
Examples of Approved Services
1. Respite Care: Either in-home, out-of-home care, family selected provider or board approved Provider. Respite care is temporary care, which helps maintain the family structure or assist in meeting planned or emergency situations. Respite may be used to allow family members to do shopping, banking, vacations, errands and other leisure activities. Respite may also be used for day care.
2. Adaptive Equipment: Specially modified equipment needed to provide for health, safety or care of the family member.
EXAMPLES:
Bath Chair/Bench
Hospital Beds
Communication/Speech-generating device
Gastric Tubes
LIfts/Lift repair
Wheelchair/accessories/repairs
Wedges
Gel Seat
Splints
Transfer Board
Adaptive Clothing
Helmets
Catheters
iPad or other tablet - 1 time purchase only
Eyeglasses
Side Layers
Adaptive bike
Therapy Rolls/Bars
Collars
Stoma Rings/seals/pouches
Air Filters
Safety Fence - 1 time purchase only- must be homeowners
Bed Rails
Standers
Feeding Equipment
Hearing Aids/FM System for home
Toilet Chair
Car Seat
Pediatric/adaptive cups/utensils
Safety Vests
Grab Bars
Stimulation Tools/objects for sensory issues
Training for Service Dog (Training for Service Dog must be done by a Professional Dog Trainer)
3. Home Modification: Modifications to the home include changes needed to make the home feel safe and accessible for the individual receiving services. Examples of changes could include wheelchair ramps, handrails or other structural modifications.
4. Counseling, Training and Education: Examples of this category would include: Speech, Muscular, Music, Behavior Management, Physical, Aquatic, Horseback Riding, Vision, Occupational Therapies and activities such as: Educational Materials, swimming lesions and camps.
5. Special Diets would include an extraordinary cost for food that is necessary for a medical, behavioral or disabling condition of the individual. A physician or a graduate of a dietary program must recommend a special diet.
6. Supplies: Examples of the supply category include medical supplies and equipment such as catheter supplies, stoma supplies, diapers, wipes, pull-ups and swimming diapers. Hearing aid batteries and batteries for other medical equipment.
LIMITED FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES EXPENDITURES
IPad/Tablets - $300 limit
IPad/Tablet Covers - $50.00 limit
Toys: No more than $300/program year for developmental toys that must be accompanied by a letter of recommendation by a physician or therapist. This is not meant to be a source of funds for Christmas toys.
Appliances – $130 a one-time allocation may be used for the purchase or repair of appliance or HVAC (heating only)
Admission Pass for eligible enrollee only for museums, art exhibits, Zoo, Kings Island, Aquarium, COSI, Coney Island, Krohn’s Conservatory, etc.
EXCLUDED EXPENDITURES
Swimming Pool
Sales Tax/Shipping cost
Air Conditioners
Internet Service
Rental Payments
No vehicle purchase or vehicle repairs
Trampoline
Computers/Software
Utilities
House Payments
Property Taxes
Purchase of Service Dogs
Warranties/Insurance
iPad/Tablet Applications (APPS)
Cell Phones
House Payments
Xbox/Kinect
Bevin Newton (937) 378-4891, ext. 255
bnewton@browncbdd.org