46.27(1)(1)
Definitions. In this section:
46.27(1)(a)
(a) "Aging unit" means an aging unit director and necessary personnel, directed by a county commission on aging and organized as one of the following:
46.27(1)(a)1.
1. An agency of county government with the primary purpose of administering programs of services for older individuals of the county.
46.27(1)(a)2.
2. A unit, within a county department under
s. 46.215,
46.22 or
46.23, with the primary purpose of administering programs of services for older individuals of the county.
46.27(1)(a)3.
3. A private, nonprofit corporation that is organized under
ch. 181.
46.27(1)(ai)
(ai) "Community-based residential facility" means a facility that meets the definition in
s. 50.01 (1g) and that is licensed under
s. 50.03 (1).
46.27(1)(b)
(b) "Nursing home" means a facility that meets the definition in
s. 50.01 (3) and that is licensed under
s. 50.03 (1) and includes a state center for the developmentally disabled and the Wisconsin veterans home at King.
46.27(1)(bm)
(bm) "Private nonprofit agency" means a nonprofit corporation, as defined in
s. 181.02 (8), which provides comprehensive health care services to elderly persons and which participates in the On Lok replication initiative.
46.27(1)(c)
(c) "Program" means the long-term support community options program.
46.27(1)(d)
(d) "Residence" means the voluntary concurrence of physical presence with intent to remain in a place of fixed habitation. Physical presence shall be prima facie evidence of intent to remain.
46.27(1)(dr)
(dr) "State-operated long-term care facility" means a state center for the developmentally disabled and the Wisconsin veterans home at King.
46.27(1)(e)
(e) "Voluntary" means according to a person's free choice, if competent, or by choice of a guardian, if incompetent.
46.27(2)
(2) Departmental duties. The department shall:
46.27(2)(c)
(c) Review and approve or disapprove the selection of a county department or aging unit under
sub. (3) (b) to administer the program.
46.27(2)(d)
(d) In consultation with representatives of counties, hospitals and nursing homes and with recipients of long-term community support services, develop guidelines for implementing the program and criteria for reviewing community options plans from counties participating in the program. The guidelines and criteria shall address cost-effectiveness, scope, feasibility and impact on the quality and appropriateness of health services and social services and shall provide counties with maximum flexibility to develop programs that address local needs.
46.27(2)(e)
(e) Review and approve or disapprove the community options plan of each county participating in the program.
46.27(2)(f)
(f) Evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the program, the ability of the program to provide alternatives to institutional care of persons and the reasons why any county department or aging unit administering the program finds that a community arrangement is not feasible under
sub. (6) (d).
46.27(2)(g)1.
1. Require that a county, by use of a form provided by the department or other appropriate procedure, ensure that persons receiving services under this section meet the eligibility requirements for the program.
46.27(2)(g)2.
2. Periodically monitor the implementation of the program.
46.27(2)(h)
(h) Promulgate all of the following as rules:
46.27(2)(h)1.
1. Adoption of a long-term community support service fee schedule as part of the uniform fee schedule under
s. 46.03 (18) that is substantially similar to the fee calculation schedule existing on January 1, 1985, that was developed as a part of the guidelines required under
par. (d).
46.27(2)(h)2.
2. Conditions of hardship under which the department may grant an exception to the requirement of
sub. (6r) (c).
46.27(2)(i)
(i) Review and approve or disapprove waiver requests under
sub. (3) (f), review and approve or disapprove requests for exceptions under
sub. (6r) (c) and provide technical assistance to a county that reaches or exceeds the annual allocation limit specified in
sub. (3) (f) in order to explore alternative methods of providing long-term community support services for persons who are in group living arrangements in that county.
46.27(2)(j)
(j) By January 1, 1997, develop a model contract for use by counties for purchase of long-term community support services for persons who reside in community-based residential facilities. The governor and the joint committee on finance shall approve the model contract before it is implemented.
46.27(2m)
(2m) Reimbursement disallowances. The department may disallow reimbursement under this section for services provided to persons who do not meet the eligibility requirements.
46.27(3)
(3) Duties of participating counties. The county board of supervisors of any county participating in the program shall:
46.27(3)(a)
(a) Create an interagency long-term support planning committee, with the composition and the duties specified under
sub. (4).
46.27(3)(b)
(b) Designate one of the following, subject to departmental review and approval, to administer the program:
46.27(3)(b)5.
5. The departments under
subds. 1. and
2. jointly, if the county long-term support planning committee develops no more than one annual community options plan under
sub. (4).
46.27(3)(c)
(c) Develop procedures and phases for gradual implementation of this section in accordance with guidelines and criteria the department develops under
sub. (2) (d).
46.27(3)(cm)
(cm) Review and approve, disapprove or amend a community options plan to participate in the program, prior to submitting the plan to the department.
46.27(3)(d)
(d) Ensure that the program uses existing county resources and personnel to the greatest extent practicable and enhances the effectiveness of discharge planning from hospitals.
46.27(3)(e)
(e) Except as provided in
sub. (3g), after implementing the program for 12 months and within the limits of state and federal funds allocated under
sub. (7), provide noninstitutional community alternatives for a significant number of persons in each of the groups listed in
sub. (4) (a) 1. and eligible under
sub. (6). The department shall determine what constitutes a "significant number of persons" for each participating county, based on county size and on the statewide proportion of persons from each group receiving medical assistance in a nursing home, and, beginning on January 1, 1994, shall annually adjust each determination to reflect changes in the state population of eligible persons and to reflect purposes for which increased funds, if any, are appropriated by the legislature for the program. If a county fails to meet the "significant number of persons" requirement under this paragraph, all of the following apply:
46.27(3)(e)1.
1. For a county with an annual allocation for provision of long-term community support services under
sub. (7) (b) that exceeds $185,000, the department shall, unless the department finds that an emergency or unusual circumstance exists, designate a portion of the county's allocation for increased service in each calendar year that the county fails to meet the requirement, to one or more of the groups specified under
sub. (4) (a) 1. a. to
e.
46.27(3)(e)2.
2. For a county with an annual allocation for provision of long-term community support services under
sub. (7) (b) that is $185,000 or less, the department may designate a portion of the county's allocation for increased service in each calendar year that the county fails to meet the requirement, to one or more of the groups specified under
sub. (4) (a) 1. a. to
e.
46.27(3)(f)
(f) Beginning on January 1, 1996, from the annual allocation to the county for the provision of long-term community support services under
subs. (7) (b) and
(11), annually establish a maximum total amount, not to exceed 25% of the annual allocation, that may be encumbered in a calendar year for services for eligible individuals in community-based residential facilities. If the total amount that is encumbered for services for individuals in community-based residential facilities who are receiving services under
sub. (7) (b) on January 1, 1996, exceeds 25% of the county's annual allocation, a county may request a waiver of the requirement under this paragraph from the department. The department need not promulgate as rules under
ch. 227 the standards for granting a waiver request under this paragraph.
46.27(3)(h)
(h) Identify the service needs of persons with Alzheimer's disease and of their caregivers.
46.27(3g)
(3g) Waiver of requirements. The department may waive requirements under
sub. (3) (e) for a county if the county is able to demonstrate one of the following:
46.27(3g)(a)
(a) That the county has disproportionately lengthy waiting lists for services under
sub. (7) or under
sub. (11) for one or more of the groups listed in
sub. (4) (a) 1.
46.27(3g)(b)
(b) That demographic or other data indicate that the county's population is significantly at variance with the statewide proportion of persons from each group listed in
sub. (4) (a) 1. receiving medical assistance in a nursing home.
46.27(3m)
(3m) Powers and duties of a private nonprofit agency. A private nonprofit agency with which the department contracts for service under
sub. (11) (c) 5. shall have the powers and duties under this section of a county department designated under
sub. (3) (b) to administer the program.
46.27(4)(a)(a) The county board of supervisors shall select the county long-term support planning committee, which shall include at a minimum the following members:
46.27(4)(a)1.
1. At least 5 persons receiving long-term community support services, each of whom represents one of the following groups:
46.27(4)(a)6.
6. One representative of the county commission on aging.
46.27(4)(c)
(c) The planning committee shall develop a community options plan for participation in the program. The plan shall include:
46.27(4)(c)1.
1. A description of the county's proposed program, including the estimated numbers of persons to be assessed and the procedures to be used in performing assessments.
46.27(4)(c)2.
2. A description of the services available and the services to be developed or expanded as alternatives to institutional care under this program.
46.27(4)(c)3.
3. A description of the procedures to be used to coordinate the program with other county agencies, hospitals, nursing homes and providers of community support services.
46.27(4)(c)5.
5. A description of the method to be used by the committee to monitor the implementation of the program.
46.27(4)(c)6.
6. A description of outreach procedures to be used to ensure that significant numbers of people from each group listed in
sub. (3) (e) will be served by the program.
46.27(4)(c)7.
7. A description of services and programs to be provided to meet the needs of persons with Alzheimer's disease.
46.27(5)
(5) County department or aging unit duties. The county department or aging unit selected to administer the program shall:
46.27(5)(am)
(am) Organize assessment activities specified in
sub. (6). The county department or aging unit shall utilize persons for each assessment who can determine the needs of the person being assessed and who know the availability within the county of services alternative to placement in a nursing home. If any hospital patient is referred to a nursing home for admission, these persons shall work with the hospital discharge planner in performing the activities specified in
sub. (6). The county department or aging unit shall coordinate the involvement of representatives from the county departments under
ss. 46.215,
46.22,
51.42 and
51.437, health service providers and the county commission on aging in the assessment activities specified in
sub. (6), as well as the person being assessed and members of the person's family or the person's guardian.
46.27(5)(b)
(b) Within the limits of state and federal funds allocated under
sub. (7), arrange service contracts under
s. 46.036 and ensure the provision of necessary long-term community support services for each person who meets the criteria specified in
sub. (6) (b). No county department or aging unit may use funds allocated under
sub. (7) (b) to provide services in any community-based residential facility unless the county department or aging unit uses as a service contract the approved model contract developed under
sub. (2) (j) or a contract that includes all of the provisions of the approved model contract.
46.27(5)(c)
(c) Within the limits of state and federal funds allocated under
sub. (7), provide for ongoing care management services in accordance with the requirements established under
sub. (6d) (a) 1., periodic case plan review and follow-up services for any person receiving long-term community support services under
sub. (6) (b).
46.27(5)(d)
(d) Determine, under
sub. (6u), the cost-sharing obligations, if any, for all persons who meet the criteria specified in
sub. (6) (b) and are applying for or receiving long-term community support services that are funded under
sub. (7) or
(11).
46.27(5)(e)
(e) Within the limits of state and federal funds allocated under
sub. (7) and in accordance with the county's plan for gradual implementation and the requirements under
sub. (6) (a) 3., apply the program to any person residing in a nursing home who wants to be assessed and to receive long-term community support services, and coordinate the program with the protective services system under
ch. 55.
46.27(5)(h)
(h) Within the limits of state and federal funds allocated under
sub. (7) and in accordance with the county's plan for gradual implementation, apply the program to any person who has been diagnosed by a physician as having Alzheimer's disease, who meets the level of care requirements under
sub. (6r) (b) 4. and who wants to be assessed and to receive long-term community support services.
46.27(5)(i)
(i) In the instances in which an individual who is provided long-term community support services under
par. (b) for which the individual receives direct funding, serve directly as a fiscal agent or contract with a fiscal intermediary to serve as a fiscal agent for that individual for the purposes of performing the responsibilities and protecting the interests of the individual under the unemployment compensation law. The county department or aging unit may elect to act as a fiscal agent or contract with a fiscal intermediary to serve as a fiscal agent for an individual who is provided long-term support services under
s. 46.275,
46.277,
46.278,
46.495,
51.42 or
51.437. The fiscal agent under this paragraph is responsible for remitting any federal unemployment compensation taxes or state unemployment compensation contributions owed by the individual, including any interest and penalties which are owed by the individual; for serving as the representative of the individual in any investigation, meeting, hearing or appeal involving
ch. 108 or the federal unemployment tax act (
26 USC 3301 to
3311) in which the individual is a party; and for receiving, reviewing, completing and returning all forms, reports and other documents required under
ch. 108 or the federal unemployment tax act on behalf of the individual. An individual may make an informed, knowing and voluntary election to waive the right to a fiscal agent. The waiver may be as to all or any portion of the fiscal agent's responsibilities. The waiver may be rescinded in whole or in part at any time.
46.27(6)(a)1.1. Within the limits of state and federal funds allocated under
sub. (7) and within the limits of fees collected, an assessment shall be conducted for any person identified in
sub. (5) (e) or who is seeking admission to or is about to be admitted to a nursing home. A fee may be charged, unless prohibited, for the assessment.
46.27(6)(a)1m.
1m. Each assessment shall determine the person's functional abilities, disabilities and need for medical and social long-term community support services. Each assessment shall include an investigation of long-term community support services that could serve as alternatives to institutional care in a nursing home. The assessment shall include an explanation of the potential community alternatives to the person being assessed and the person's family or guardian.
