inveniam viam

Chris receives funding from Community Mental Health for aide hours. When he lived with his mom, she was granted about 7 hours per day for an aide to come and take Chris out into the community and to help her in the home.

When I took Chris into my home, he didn't have a current care plan and because of Linda's health problems (she had a heart attack) and Chris' case manager's incompetence, he had no care plan at all from July of 2017 through February 2018. But during those six months, Chris' case manager told me verbally, in front of both Linda or Kayla, to bill for 12 hours of care per day. I would care for Chris gratis the other 12 hours per day. I was also told I could have 14 days of vacation time where Chris would have round the clock care.

In February, we were told that the 12 hours of aide time was never approved, and that Chris had to "pay back" those hours by having his hours from February on reduced to 6.8 hours per day, and the aide pay cut from $12/hr to $10/hr. We met with the case manager's boss on Feb 22 and were given the options of a "fiscally responsible plan" or to put Chris in a group home.

To be clear, state law says that disabled citizens have the right to the "least restrictive" home environment, and that the state is responsible for making that happen with in-home care. The hours given to the disabled citizen are to based on need, not funding.

When I signed the new care plan in February, it was with a strong objection to this cut in hours and aide pay. I went and talked with my state representative and and filed an appeal. CMH came back saying that I'd filed the appeal two days too late. I contacted Michigan Protection & Advocacy Service (MPAS) and Chris was awarded an advocate.

Instead of an appeal, we filed a grievance. That was a month ago.

Yesterday, the CMH representative called to say that since I didn't get a copy of the care plan until February 22, they were going to use that date for the appeal, and so the appeal is going forward. Today!

After dicking around for a month of trying to get the case manager, the case manager's boss, and the case manager's boss' boss together for a meeting, we are having the meeting today at 11:00.

Because of the short notice, Linda, Chris' mom won't be able to come -- she's babysitting her grandkids. She's busy at this moment writing up a statement, though, attesting that she heard Chris' case manager tell me that I could bill for 12 hrs/day for an aide.

But the advocate and Kayla (who also heard the case manager promise 12 hrs/day) will be there, and I have a copy of my work hours (holy shit, I work a lot!) to attest to Chris' need for hours.

Wish us well! The judgement will take a couple weeks, but I'm hoping that the someone will at least allow me to bill for my work hours for the rest of the month, and for Wiscon.