STATEHOUSE (Feb. 15, 2024) – The Indiana House of Representatives advanced State Rep. Julie Olthoff's (R-Crown Point) legislation to identify ways to help more low-income Hoosiers with intellectual disabilities access in-home care options.
Indiana currently offers a Community Integration and Habilitation (CIH) waiver, which is a Medicaid program that helps provide home and community-based services to eligible children and adults with a developmental disability or related condition and can provide compensation for family members. Olthoff said the demand for waivers is high, but eligibility requirements can be tough for individuals and families to meet and many applicants are turned away. If approved, applicants could be placed on a wait list for up to a year to be matched with a provider. Olthoff said that's why she authored legislation to create a review team who would determine ways to increase access for Hoosiers in need.
"In-home care is usually the best and preferred choice in care for intellectually disabled individuals compared to institutional settings," Olthoff said. "We need to evaluate the eligibility process to see where improvements can be made and create a plan of action to support more of our most vulnerable Hoosiers and their families."
With Olthoff's legislation, a five-member Special Service Review Team would evaluate denied or waitlisted CIH applications to determine why applicants are not selected and how to improve the process to help more families. For those denied the waiver, the review team may recommend alternative resources. The team would review cases from Gary, Terre Haute and Clarksville area until June 2025. The evaluation would be completed by Dec. 31, 2026.
Some qualifications for the current CIH waiver to receive in-home care services include being diagnosed as having an intellectual or developmental disability or related condition prior to age 22 and expected to continue indefinitely, meeting certain income requirements, requiring a certain level of care and meeting a certain priority criteria like transitioning from a nursing facility or state-operated facility. According to Olthoff, some families are so desperate for a waiver, they institutionalize a loved one to qualify for assistance.
"Families taking their loved ones with intellectual disabilities out of their home and placing them in institutions just to be eligible is a devastating reality," Olthoff said. "I can’t imagine the impact that has on those in need of support or services. I'm committed to alleviating this issue and finding better ways of giving Hoosier families the support they need."
This legislation would also expand the eligibility of the CIH waiver to include cases with suspicion of health risks, safety risks, neglect or abuse.
House Bill 1187 now heads to the Indiana Senate for consideration. To learn more and follow legislative proceedings, visit iga.in.gov.
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State Rep. Julie Olthoff (R-Crown Point) represents House District 19,
which includes portions of Lake and Porter counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
