We have a person who started out as a foster child of ours 30 years ago, this person is mentally and physically disabled with seizure disorders. This person was dropped by the foster care program when adulthood was reached. And is now considered self guardianship.. This person 47 years old now, and cannot be left alone because of serious health issues, and mental disability.. Everything was fine when I had my own business, (which ended because of the economical down our country has been, meaning lack of business). Anyways this person could go to work with me and was happy and fine where I could keep a close eye on and earn a living at the same time. Now I need work, but cannot leave this person alone. This person because of seizure activity and behavioral issues is hard to place in a adult day care or similar facility, but this person does fine at home. My husband and I have been taking care of this person's needs now free of charge for over 30 years, and we need help now. Is there anyway this person's social security can pay me to tend to her needs now. We are not asking for a lot, just something to help with the expense, she only receives a very small ssi check once a month now that covers her share of the rent and a few of her personal needs(toiletries etc). I have taken care of (have experience in) disabled (mentally and physically) folks for many years, and wonder if I could qualify for a stipend to help with her care expenses.. travels to doctors, clothing,.. my husband and I have been footing the bill for pretty much all her needs all these years because we care for this person, but it has gotten to the point of being way to hard to pay our own bills now, that I cannot leave this person alone to earn extra income. Is there anyway to get the financial help we need to continue caring for this person. It seems to be ridiculous that I might be able to get money to pay someone else to look after this person (meaning we would have to change this person's routine which is barely tolerable to a mentally disabled person), but won't pay me to do the exact same thing. This person is not related to us in any way.
She is also full blood Athabascan Indian, but that really doesn't mean anything when it comes to services, we approached some native tribal offices to see if they had anything and we were told that there have been so many people needing help that it has practically bank-rupt them.. sigh! So that ended that route, her own villages do not have anything to provide, except she does get a small check (200 to 300 dollars) once a year from the group her village is involved with.. I can't think at the moment of what they are called. It has been quite stressful and getting the runaround on the phone when no-one seems to know anything.
Have you talked about this with her Medicaid case worker? Have you called the disability hotline?
There MUST be a way. If you said, "Sorry, we can no longer take care of this person. She must leave our house by Dec 1" they sure as heck would have to find a place for her, with no 3 year wait, and at much greater expense. This is absurd.
Go through channels first. Check with disability services. Talk to the case worker. If that doesn't help, kick it up a notch. Write to your state and national representatives. See if you can interest a newspaper or television channel in this bureaucratic quagmire.
Things like this really push my hot button. You are not trying to put one over on the system. You are providing a great service and you want to be able to continue to provide it. It is in everyone's best interest to pay you, just as foster parents are paid. Grrrrrr ...
Obviously it would cost the state considerably more to place this person in a care facility, and on that basis you may be eligible for some waiver program. Is this person now on Medicaid?