Description

DESCRIPTION: The Consumer Support Grant (CSG) is a cash grant for someone who has Medicaid Home Health Aide (HHA), Personal Care Assistant (PCA) or Home Care Nursing (HCN) services. The grant is used to purchase supports and services. The grant-recipient, as the employer, may use grant funds to choose and hire the supports they need. Support people chosen can be: * Family members * Spouses * Friends * Provider-agency workers Consumer Support Grant (CSG) recipients develop a person-centered plan with participating county or tribal agencies. The county or tribal agency approves the plan if all costs are within the person's CSG budget. County or tribal agencies may customize CSG within state guidelines to fit the needs of their residents. People should contact their local agency for more information. Grant recipients must hire a Financial Management Service (FMS) provider to help with employer obligations, billing and payment functions. CSG participants are responsible for training and supervising the staff that they hire. The amount of the grant is based on the county or tribal agency or home care nursing agency assessment: * The assessment will determine if home care services are needed and determine the home care rating; * The state sets a dollar amount for the CSG budget based on the home care rating. Individuals can obtain an estimate of their grant from their county or tribal CSG coordinator. CSG Plan - Once the CSG service budget is set, you make a service plan about how you plan to use the budget. The county or tribal worker can give you a guide for the plan and help you meet the rules of the program. The plan needs to show: * The specific supports and services, and who will provide them * How you will keep track of what you pay for services and supports * The local human services office (county or tribal government) will check the plan and approve it if it meets the rules - If it is not approved, they will send it back to you and tell you why it was not approved * Once the plan is approved, the participant may arrange for purchasing their goods and services. CSG Supports - Services and products in a CSG plan can include: * Companion Services * Chore services * Home or vehicle adaptations or modifications * Nutrition services (not regular food or nutritional supplements, but can cover needs like a prescribed special diet) * Home health aide or personal care-like services * Home care nursing services * Respite care * Specialized equipment * Transportation Services and equipment in a CSG plan must: * Relate to your functional limitations * Help you live at home * Be over and above the cost of supporting a person without a disability. - Costs such as food, clothing or rent, for example, are not allowed. More information about the CSG at the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) website (http://www.dhs.state.mn.us/id_000860).

What's Here