Updated Questions and Answers for Parents and Families
This page answers questions helpful to and posed by parents and families of residents of Muscatatuck SDC and Madison State Hospital.
FSSA welcomes the input of parents and families. To submit questions or comments, please contact FSSA:
- E-mail to OfficeOfTheSecretary@fssa.state.in.us
- Phone: (toll-free) 1-800-903-9822.
- US mail: Office of the Secretary, Newsletter Q and A, c/o Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, 402 W. Washington St., Room W-461, Indianapolis, IN 46207-7088.
- How can parents and families stay informed about the transition?
- Why was Madison chosen as the site for the new Regional Service Center?
- What rights do parents have during the transition?
- What happens if a community placement does not work out?
- What is the safety net for the folks moved into the community?
- Who comprised the Governor's Council on State-Operated Care Facilities and can we get a copy of the report?
- Does the money spent on the client follow them into the community?
- Are the clients being moved into the community at risk of Medicaid cost cutting?
- Are offenders from Indiana Department of Correction housed at Madison State Hospital?
- How will the new regional center be planned and will family members have any input?
The planning will be coordinated by FSSA with the participation of several work groups focused on the pertinent issues. Family member participation in the planning processes is actively solicited. Families' input into how FSSA can develop and enhance services for people with disabilities in southeastern Indiana is very important. To learn more about the work groups, please send an e-mail toOfficeOfTheSecretary@fssa.state.in.us, or call toll-fee 1-800-903-9822. You may also request information via the US mail: Office of the Secretary, Southeast Regional Services Center Information, c/o Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, 402 W. Washington St., Room W-461, Indianapolis, IN 46207-7088.
Parents and families are an important part of the transition process and the Family and Social Services Administration wants to keep them informed of all the decisions and progress being made. Through the development of the "Family News" and "Employee News" newsletters, a toll-free information line (800-903-9822), and this web site, FSSA is striving to make our communications with parents, families, and employees timely, informative, and responsive. To get on the newsletter mailing list please contact FSSA.
After much consideration and review, the Family and Social Services Administration has decided to locate the Regional Service Center in Madison. One regional administrator will oversee all state-operated services in the region. Most of the state-operated beds will be used to treat, stabilize and integrate individuals into the community, not serve as long-term residences.
Providing the state-operated services in Madison will ensure quality patient care and use tax dollars responsibly. Individuals with mental illness and developmental disabilities will gain the most as FSSA develops a center of excellence where they can find help and integrate back into their homes and communities.
For more information on the decision to locate the Regional Service Center in Madison, Please see the December editions of the newsletters. The newsletters can be found on-line here.
Parents, families, and legal guardians are asked to play an active role in determining the type, level, and location of services that will be offered to their loved ones. It is hoped this will include active participation by families in the process - including visiting and selecting independent case managers and providers. We ask that parents of individuals with developmental disabilities assist in the Person Centered Planning process during the transition so that the services developed best represent the choices of loved ones and parents and families.
If a community-based placement does not succeed, the planning team (including family) which was formed prior to the placement is reassembled. That team then begins to plan again on how to better meet the needs of the individual. Immediate or crisis needs can be met immediately through existing services, and through the new regional service concept.
Indiana has worked to improve the "safety net" for people served in the community. Some of those improvements include a new toll-free incident reporting line (800-903-9822) that is intended to identify situations where residents have been harmed, or could be harmed so action can be taken immediately. The new state ombudsman for DD waiver services now exists (800-622-4484) will work on behalf of individuals and their families in resolving problems that may arise. Further, the state has increased its quality assurance standards, and can sanction providers for failing to meet those increased standards. Finally, local case managers, service coordinators, and quality assurance monitors will work diligently to ensure individual needs and health/safety are protected. In instances where they are not, corrective action will be taken, and if necessary, Protection and Advocacy Services and Adult Protective Services will be notified immediately.
Members of the Council were appointed by Governor Frank O'Bannon with the assistance of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) and the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH). Members included people with disabilities, families, legislators, advocates, state officials, providers, and disabilities experts. The mission of the Council was to conduct a review and analysis of the status and quality of services provided to people served by 11 state-operated care facilities in Indiana. From that, a recommended design for an array of services that address a wide range of needs among those served was created. The goal of the design is to improve the quality of life for the individuals receiving care not only in state-operated care facilities, but also in the community. Copies of the final report from the Council have been made available at Muscatatuck. They may also be mailed to parents by making a request to: State-Operated Facilities Council, c/o Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, 402 W. Washington St., Room W-461, Indianapolis, IN 46207-7088. A copy of the report is also available online here.
Yes. Individuals currently served at Muscatatuck who meet the level of care eligibility requirements of the Medicaid program have their services paid for by Medicaid - which is about two-thirds federal dollars and one-third state dollars. Residents who do not meet level of care requirements will have services paid via state resources.
No. Medicaid must pay for services required to meet the needs of the individual served. Cost control measures currently being undertaken in the Medicaid program do not affect Medicaid dollars used to serve people on the waiver in the community.
The Indiana Department of Correction operates the Madison Correctional Facility on the campus of Madison State Hospital. That facility serves about 150 "Level I" or non-violent, short-term offenders - typically those serving shorter sentences for drug or substance abuse violations. They receive treatment for substance abuse while they are remanded to the facility. This is a separate building from any of those operated by FSSA as part of the existing Madison State Hospital facility, and will remain separate in the future.
