Mass Health Assistant Secretary Daniel Tsai has begun formally notifying Adult Foster Care providers of the Baker Administration's intention to eliminate a Mass Health payment to primary caregivers for 14 days per year of respite services.

Adult Foster Care is an innovative alternative residential choice for people with disabilities or elders, who live in the home of a primary care giver, who in exchange for providing 24/hour-7Day supports receive a payment which is substantially less than the cost of 24/7 traditional residential provider based placement.

AFC caregivers, just like other family members who care for a loved one in their home, often find full time care for an elder or person with a disability to be exhausting, and cherish the limited opportunities for a break, which has been provided by 14 days of respite services allowing an alternative caregiver to come in to give AFC caregivers a break.  However the Baker Administration is indicating this action must be taken to achieve the Administration's 9C cut goal.  This cut would give back to the treasury around $3.5 million.

For other  families, there exists Family & Respite Services, recently restored and increased by the Massachusetts House of Representatives.  Ironically, as the House was adding dollars  to help families have respite; Mass Health was directed to cut the similar program for AFC in home caregivers.

Some in the elder and disability community have raised objections, noting that in February of this year, EOHHS announced a series of Mass Health eligibility cut backs; however those cut backs were quickly withdrawn after key advocates met with EOHHS Secretary Marylou Sudders.

Here is how State House News reported on that meeting held on February 13, 2015:  

"Advocates for the elderly and disabled emerged from a meeting Friday with top Baker administration officials encouraged that certain government services might be spared from spending cuts. According to Al Norman of Mass Home Care, advocates met for 45 minutes at One Ashburton Place with Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders and Administration and Finance Secretary Kristen Lepore. Norman said Sudders told them that cuts to three programs - personal care attendants, adult foster care and group adult foster care - were "off the table" for fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2016." State House News, 2/13/15

Thus AFC providers were surprised to learn late last week that the AFC Alternative Care/Respite cut is now being put into effect.  Many had interpreted the outcome of the February 13th meeting to mean there would be no cuts to AFC in the current or next fiscal year.

Advocates have been reaching out to Assistant Secretary Tsai and key legislators.  Tsai has indicated the department is bound by the numbers needed to accomplish 9C objectives; and has emphasized that he is committed to a series of key efforts to provide quality of life improvements for elders and people with disabilities and feels that other initiatives to be forthcoming from the department will be helpful for both elders and people with disabilities.

However, for AFC in home caregivers, in need of a break from 24/7/365 care giving, there remains hope that the Administration may reconsider or that the Legislature may restore this 9C reduction.

Advocates are urged to speak with their State Senators about this cut.