SERVICE POLICY GUIDELINES
PRIMARY PROGRAM SERVICES FOR SENIORS
Tri-Counties Regional Center will work to ensure that individuals with developmental disabilities live fully and safely as active and independent members of their community. Tri-Counties Regional Center believes that individuals with developmental disabilities have the right to access the same educational, vocational, social/recreational, and employment opportunities available to non-disabled people of the same age in their communities.
Tri-Counties Regional Center will advocate on behalf of persons served to ensure that they receive full benefit from generic services. Tri-Counties Regional Center will provide a variety of supports necessary to enable its individuals to access all available generic services. Tri-Counties Regional Center will offer a range of community-based services options that are not available from generic services to meet an individual’s choices. The highest regard for the person’s cultural and ethnic heritage will be considered in the provision of primary program services.
Tri-Counties Regional Center recognizes that persons served over the age of 60 years or who have been determined by the Planning Team to need services and supports similar to a senior citizen have the right to choose between treatment and/or habilitation services, or senior activity services or a combination of primary program services for seniors. The provision of supports, services and/or program options will be based on the expressed preferences of the senior person and/or his or her family or other representatives. Tri-Counties Regional Center will advocate for and work with persons served and their families to access generic services for seniors.
Primary program services for seniors should provide them the opportunity to have a pattern of life similar to non-disabled persons of a similar age by providing them with planned activities to do outside of their home environment for a portion of each day. As appropriate, there should be close communication between the providers of primary program support, service and/or program options and the individual’s family and/or primary care givers to assure integration of services.
For persons served over the age of 60, current state legislation provides for the inclusion of people with disabilities into local community service options for older Americans. In accordance with the direction of the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act and the Older Americans Act, Tri-Counties Regional Center recognizes a responsibility to work cooperatively with established area agencies on aging to provide older persons with developmental disabilities the opportunity to engage in meaningful activity in integrated ettings.
For persons served over the age of 60, primary program options include most programs for senior citizens offered by agencies funded by Area Agencies on Aging under Title III of the Older Americans Act. These program options are available to Tri-Counties Regional Center individuals, as they are for their non-disabled peers of a similar age.
In addition to a primary program, programs for senior citizens may offer congregate and home delivered meals, case management services, in-home services, escort transportation, legal services, information and referral, health care services, mental health care services and other social activities.
Supports, services and/or program options provided to a senior citizen with developmental disabilities should assist that individual: to retain his or her ability to function as independently as possible; to remain mobile, physically capable and competent in activities of daily living while maintaining autonomy outside of an institutional setting.
Primary program services for senior citizens should include activities which promote the following: age appropriate leisure and recreation opportunities; general health and well-being; social and friendship networks; life review and reminiscence; end-of-life planning; and, adjustment to loss.
The provision of primary program services is determined by the Planning Team through the Individual Program Plan (IPP) using a person centered process. The Planning Team establishes the goals and objectives reflected on the Individual Program Plan. The Planning Team will consider individual and family preference when determining the choice of service options to meet the objectives of the Individual Program Plan.
Tri-Counties Regional Center will seek to provide persons served over the age of 60 years who are living in their own homes or in licensed residential arrangements with the opportunity to participate in the most appropriate adult support, service or program option to meet their individual needs. The determination of such adult service options is made in consultation with the individual and, as appropriate, their family, residential service provider or other representative, and will be based on the assessment of the person’s strengths and abilities as well as problem areas.
Tri-Counties Regional Center will assure that older persons with special developmental needs are aware of and have access to the supports, services and/or programs afforded to all individuals over sixty (60) years of age under the Older Americans Act.
Tri-Counties Regional Center will refer eligible persons to generic services for the senior population. Tri-Counties Regional Center may authorize funding for or develop specialized supports and/or services required to successfully integrate persons with disabilities into generic programs for senior citizens.
Tri-Counties Regional Center acknowledges that individuals with disabilities who are engaged in work or other primary program service options for adults should be involved in retirement decisions as part of the Planning Team through the Individual Program Plan process. Not all senior citizens with developmental disabilities may be best served in programs for senior citizens. Primary program services for senior citizens will continue to be available to persons with developmental disabilities over sixty (60) years of age.
Tri-Counties Regional Center will not authorize funding for any primary program service for seniors that is considered experimental, optional or elective in nature. The expected result from the purchase of any primary program service for seniors must meet measurable outcomes as stated on the person’s Individual Program Plan. The provision of any primary program service for seniors must be both clinically and fiscally an effective use of public funds.
Exception Policy:
Tri-Counties Regional Center recognizes that some individual needs are so unique that they may not be addressed in this Service Policy and may require an exception. Such requests for an exception to a Service Policy will be made through the Planning Team process.
Approvals:
