Autism Services - Long Term Care Supports

Many families with an associate with Autism are needing just a little help. It could be assistance with watching a young child who is too old for day care. It could be help in watching a younger child who is overly active or aggressive and can not be successful in day care.

In certain states you will find services for people with Autism available through the state's Medicaid program. Whenever a child or adult is on a waiting list for Home and Community Based Services they can access services through their Medicaid card. Not all children and adults qualify for Medicaid without Waiver services but those that do should investigate. These services are called Long Term Care Services (LTC).

Many states added Long Term Care Services as a result of Tylenol Autism Lawsuit which called for services in peoples homes. Two people were in a nursing home and could have maintained in their own home with some services.

Unfortunately in those states the major form of help for people with some types of needs were nursing homes. Those two people, with help, sued within their state. This suit helped make sweeping reforms for people with disabilities.

Long Term Care Services are limited when compared to Home and Community Based Services or the 'Waiver' as many people know it. Since LTC services are designed to keep people within their homes, much of the assistance is designed to help an individual with a handicap with typical activities within their home.

Some of this assistance is help preparing an easy meal, help eating, diapering, washing clothes, help bathing and light house work to mention a number of the activities. Long Term Care services is NOT designed to greatly help the little one with Autism enter the community. It can be not designed to do anything remotely like recreation, therapy, or exercise. It can be not designed to greatly help a grown-up gain employment.

Long Term Care supports provides a parent time to have a bath, read a book, or cook supper. Of course all of this is determined by how several hours are awarded by the Medicaid system to do the many tasks.

Because of the limited nature of LTC services this really is part of what I call the 'Bits and Pieces' a parent may have to arrange to look after the youngster with Autism. Most children with a handicap have been in school and have a few hours of Long Term Care services after school.