03/23/ iBudget Florida Customer and Family Information

Overall Goals of iBudget Florida Self-Direction Equity Simplicity Sustainability 03/23/20122iBudget Florida Customer and Family Information

What is iBudget Florida? A brand new waiver! Replaces the tiers Planned with the help of people with disabilities, their families, waiver support coordinators, providers, and advocates 03/23/ iBudget Florida Customer and Family Information

Who Helped Create iBudget Florida? APD and some customers, families, waiver support coordinators, providers, and advocates have worked hard to develop a new waiver system. Through a stakeholder group that met regularly, lots of public meetings across the state, and input via our website, APD has learned about the changes that people want to see in the system and then made those positive changes happen. For instance, a 16-member stakeholder group met for five two-day meetings and three conference calls to help APD think through many details of how the system should work. 03/23/20124iBudget Florida Customer and Family Information

We Listened to Your Concerns: During these public meetings and stakeholder meetings, we learned a lot. Here are a few of the problems people told us about. “We want more services” “I’m tired of so much change” “Services my son needs are denied” “We can do things better ourselves” “I have to wait for decisions” “There’s waaaay too much paperwork” “I want the waiver around to help for the long term” 03/23/2012 5iBudget Florida Customer and Family Information

Why a New Waiver? Best way to have more: Self-direction: you make more choices, have more control Equity: fairness Sustainability: waiver lives within its means—no deficits Simplicity: cut red tape 03/23/20126iBudget Florida Customer and Family Information

How will I know when iBudget Florida REALLY starts for me? The federal government has approved the iBudget Florida waiver (it pays for more than half of the cost of the waiver!) and customers in areas 1 and 2 (except CDC+) have already started the program. We’ll let you know through a letter and/or phone call when you will begin iBudget Florida. 03/23/20127iBudget Florida Customer and Family Information

What Does iBudget Florida Mean for Me? Can choose from your current providers Can keep your current Waiver Support Coordinator Can change providers and services faster in most cases 03/23/20128iBudget Florida Customer and Family Information

What Does iBudget Florida Mean for Me? Your support coordinator will use a new application to help plan and manage services Similar services available Organized into service families to help you choose among them 03/23/20129iBudget Florida Customer and Family Information

What Does iBudget Florida Mean for Me? New and renamed services: – New Personal Supports service (for adults in family or own home) combines respite, personal care, companion, and in-home supports services For more flexibility in what your worker does day-to-day – Respite Care is still available for individuals under age 21 03/23/201210iBudget Florida Customer and Family Information

What Does iBudget Florida Mean for Me? New and renamed services: – Adult Day Training, Companion, and Supported Employment renamed “Life Skills Development ” Still three separate services – Family and Legal Rep. Training (not available yet) Can negotiate rates for Personal Supports and Family and Legal Representative Training 03/23/201211iBudget Florida Customer and Family Information

What Does iBudget Florida Mean for Me? Due to the level of funding the Legislature gives us, people may have to prioritize how they use their funds – You’ll have a lot more choice & flexibility to do so! Need budget funding to last the whole year – Additional funding during year only in case of significant change in circumstances that budget can’t meet This will help APD not run deficits while giving individuals more choice and control 03/23/201212iBudget Florida Customer and Family Information

What Does iBudget Florida Mean for Me? You’ll be pre-approved for some services You can request others through your support coordinator Basically, you can budget any way as long as you: – Meet your health and safety needs – Meet requirements for receiving the service – Are within service limits (some of which are being raised) 03/23/201213iBudget Florida Customer and Family Information

What Does iBudget Florida Mean for Me? You’ll have more choice in waiver support coordination Most adults and children can choose full or limited waiver support coordination service –Full service remains the same –Limited will use a little less of your budget, but the waiver support coordinator will be more of a guide and information source There will be enhanced waiver support coordination for a very high level of service 03/23/201214iBudget Florida Customer and Family Information

New iBudget Florida Application Your waiver support coordinator will use the iBudget Florida application to create cost plans and track spending 03/23/201215iBudget Florida Customer and Family Information

What Will the New iBudget Florida Application Do? Enable your support coordinator to: Submit Cost Plans Review your iBudget Florida Account Information 03/23/201216iBudget Florida Customer and Family Information

CDC+ and iBudget Florida CDC+ option will continue CDC+ participants will have funding determined through the iBudget Florida waiver CDC+ participants will “spend” iBudgets according to CDC+ policies 03/23/201217iBudget Florida Customer and Family Information

Want more information? Browse the website iBudgetFlorida.orgiBudgetFlorida.org – There you can read frequently asked questions, watch a short video, and view other documents and presentations Contact your local APD area office for more information about iBudget Florida Call your Waiver Support Coordinator 03/23/ iBudget Florida Customer and Family Information