Overview
Pennsylvania provides funding so that people with physical disabilities can receive high-quality care at home.
Instead of moving to a facility like a nursing home, you or a loved one could keep the connections you have built in your community and maintain your independence.
Some of the support and services include:
- Help coordinating and accessing medical, social, educational, housing, or other needs
- Help with daily activities like bathing, getting dressed, eating, taking medications, and meal planning and prep
- Help with grocery shopping, housekeeping activities like laundry, and transportation
- Help with decision making, finances, and planning activities
Eligibility
To qualify for these services, you must meet the following requirements.
- Be a resident of Pennsylvania;
- Be between 18 and 59 years old;
- Meet the level of care for a skilled nursing facility, which means you need ongoing help with daily living and mobility tasks;
- Be able to: a) hire, fire, and supervise attendant care worker(s); b) manage your own financial affairs; and c) manage your own legal affairs;
- Be capable of directing your own care;
- Have a medically diagnosed physical disability that is expected to last at least one year or that may result in death; and,
- Be financially ineligible for Medicaid.
To receive services, you may need to pay a minimal co-payment. This co-payment is based on your income and will not be more than the total costs of services.
Eligibility Resources
Application Process
DHS' Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) uses an Independent Enrollment Broker (IEB) to enroll people in its programs.
The IEB is in charge of determining eligibility for OLTL programs, except for level of care determinations, for multiple home and community-based services and the Act 150 Program.
To determine your eligibility, the IEB will do the following:
- Conduct an initial in-home visit and begin an initial needs assessment
- Provide you with information on your rights and responsibilities through the program, opportunities for self-direction, appeal rights, the Services and Supports Directory, and the right to choose from any qualified provider
- Provide you with a choice of receiving nursing facility institutional services, waiver services, Act 150 services, or no services. Your choice will be recorded on the OLTL Freedom of Choice Form
- Provide you with a list of qualified Service Coordination Entities (SCEs) and record your choice of provider
- Assist you with getting a completed physician certification form your doctor
- Refer you to the entity responsible for performing the level of care determinations
- Assist you with completing the financial eligibility determination paperwork
- Help to transfer your information, assessments, and forms to your SCE
Frequently Asked Questions
Call the PA Independent Enrollment Broker (IEB) at 1-877-550-4227.
Eligible participants may qualify for Home and Community-Based Services, which allows individuals to receive long-term services and supports in their homes.
Participants may receive ongoing services as long as they continue meet the Program’s guidelines.
Your Service Coordinator will help you figure out how much you may be required to pay for a weekly fee toward the cost of your services.