 ADRCs serve as a highly visible and trusted place to go or call for unbiased information and assistance regarding public benefit programs, community-based services and long term support services for seniors, caregivers and individuals with disabilities regardless of income source.  ADRCs are information and access service systems that include networks of state and community organizations that work together in a coordinated manner to provide consumers with points of entry to public benefit programs, community-based services and long term care support services.

Service System Challenges  Increase in demand  Reduced service budgets  Fragmented systems  Hard to access  Confusing  Lack of focus on consumer  Institutional bias

 Seamless access system from consumer perspective  High level of visibility and trust  Proactive intervention with LTC pathways  Options counseling  Integration of aging and disability service systems  Formal partnerships across aging, disability, and Medicaid services  All income levels served  Quality improvement

 ADRCs are not necessarily located in a single physical place and the program components are not necessarily carried out by a single agency.  The service model of ADRCs is more a process than an entity.

The ADRC service model that Illinois elected to implement is the “no wrong door” approach where aging and disability providers partner together to enhance and strengthen the present access system.

“a relationship between organizations characterized by mutual cooperation and responsibility for the achievement of a specified goal.” American Heritage Dictionary

 Growth of the “aging with disabilities” population  Individuals with disabilities are growing older  Individuals who are aging are experiencing disability  Unnecessary institutionalization of both populations  Access to independent living is a civil right for everyone

 Accomplish goals together that are difficult to accomplish alone  Use resources efficiently/expand capacity  Reach and serve more people  Identify and meet unmet needs  Share a voice

 Building better service systems  Leveraging funding and resources  Rebalancing systems  Doing things together better that cannot be done alone

 Funding shared  Written agreement  Written referral protocols  Co-location of staff  Regular cross-training of staff

 Routine collaboration to better serve individual clients  Use of same or compatible IT systems  I&R resources are shared  Client data are shared  Joint marketing and outreach activities

 Formal Partnership Agreements, Protocols or Contracts with:  Critical Aging & Disability Organizations  Medicaid  SHIP, Adult Protective Services & 211  Veteran’s Administration (VA) Centers

Betsy Creamer Office of Older American Services One Natural Resources Way, #100 Springfield, IL /