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| Friday, May 09, 2008 | |
| WV - DHHR - BHHF | Last updated: Monday, April 21, 2008 |
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| The WV Family Support Program |
| In the fall of 1989, the Developmental Disabilities Planning Council organized the state's first task force on family support. In response to the national movement away from institutional care, the Council proposed that the WV Department of Health and Human Resources should shift funding to family support efforts. In 1991 the WV Legislature mandated this shift with an initial appropriation of $200,000 to support four regional programs. Today we have 14 behavioral health regions and a budget of over one million dollars. |
| The Program provides help with planning for needs and finding resources; help with identifying and applying for appropriate government and community programs; funding for goods, services or home modifications that will help families stay together; and networking and support services. |
| Costs vary widely in community settings, and the Family Support program assists families with services that aren't available through other resources. |
| The Program's average expenditure per family is $1,000. Each child or adult with a disability who lives at home saves the state thousands of dollars each year; family support pays for itself very quickly. And even though the state provides part of the funding, private donations constitute an ever- growing percentage of the budget. |
| "Terry is 26 and lives with his mother. Recently she had emergency surgery, leaving no one to care for Terry and no money to hire help ---- until their case manager asked the Family Support Program for emergency respite care. Without it, Terry would have gone to a nursing home. This small financial support kept the family together and saved thousands of dollars. " |
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Families fill out a simple application requesting support. The Regional Coordinator meets with each family to develop a long range plan. Together they decide how the Family Support Program can best serve the family. The Regional Council meets regularly and reviews all applications. They determine how the funds will be distributed to benefit the most families. Often, a Council member can recommend a local resource to reduce the overall cost of a request (volunteer labor, discounts at local businesses, etc.). In this way, the limited funds can be stretched to reach those families most in need. |
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Additionally, the State Family Support Council meets quarterly with the Regional Coordinators and the State Program Director. In December of 2006, the council adopted a new set of Bylaws for the Family Support Program and in April of 2007 the State Council adopted a statewide Family Support Application and updated the Family Support Brochure. The Family Support application is now available online and should be taken to your local regional Family Support Coordinator for review and processing. |
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