What’s New

Jan 16, 2004

Proposals Invited to Expand Cash & Counseling Program for Elderly and Persons with Disabilities

Deadline: February 13, 2004 (Intent to Apply)

Initiated in 1995 through a partnership between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ( http://www.rwjf.org/ ) and the Department of Health and Human Services, the Cash & Counseling ( http://www.cashandcounseling.org/ ) program allows elderly Medicaid beneficiaries and those with disabilities to direct and manage their own personal assistance services and address their own specific needs.

The current call for proposals is designed to expand this model of consumer-directed supportive services to more states.

Under this program, up to ten states will be awarded three-year grants of up to $250,000 to implement the Cash & Counseling model and collect information to monitor the effectiveness of these programs. As many as three states could be awarded an additional $100,000 each over the same period from a special innovation pool to support especially ambitious plans to move beyond the basic Cash & Counseling model. Only one grant will be awarded per state.

States should propose programs that encompass the basic principles of Cash & Counseling, including person-centered planning for personal assistance services; consumer- directed individualized budgets, with flexibility to hire workers or buy other goods and services; client supports, including financial management and counseling services; and quality assurance and improvement systems.

State agencies responsible for administering Medicaid personal assistance services or home- and community-based waiver services are eligible to apply.

Full proposals will only be accepted from organizations that have previously submitted their intent-to-apply form. See the RWJF Web site for access to complete program guidelines.

RFP Link: http://rwjf.org/applying/cfpDetail.jsp?cfpCode=CAS&type;=open