I assessments of persons seeking nursing home admission and 428 Level II assessments of mentally ill or mentally retarded persons seeking admission to facilities. The most commonly received services were homemaker, attendant care, and case management. In 1989, the Kansas Legislature enacted the SCA to assist seniors age 60 or older in receiving in-home services to delay entrance into nursing facilities. The act is intended to prevent the inappropriate or premature institutionalization of persons who have not exhausted their financial resources. The program serves people with incomes that exceed Medicaid and other state-funded services guidelines.
Customers pay a portion of the cost of services based on income and household size.
Customers' share varies from a minimum of 20 percent to 100 percent of the cost of services. As in past years, the SFY-99 independent evaluation of the SCA by Kansas State University found the program to be effective in maintaining customers in their communities and in reducing the state funds that otherwise would be expended to match Medicaid nursing facility costs. The services are tailored to meet each customer's specific needs and special circumstances, which are identified through the assessment process and justified by the designated case manager. The service involves reviewing a person's needs and resources, linking the customer to a full range of appropriate services, locating funding for the services, and monitoring the care provided over an extended period of time. Throughout the period of service, the case manager monitors the plan of care and service provision, and makes changes as needed.