Planned Lifetime Assistance Network of Southwest Ohio, Inc.
Planned Lifetime Assistance Network of Southwest Ohio, Inc.
Planned Lifetime Assistance Network of Southwest Ohio, Inc.
"Planning and providing lifelong assistance for people with disabilities."

Frequently Asked Questions About PLAN of Southwest Ohio

My family member already receives services from county Mental Health/county MR/DD agencies. Aren't these services sufficient for his/her future care?

They may be, and if you're satisfied with the type and level of services provided your loved one now, you may be able to determine whether such will continue in a quality way. If you're unsatisfied, however, or you provide some of the "extras" that existing service providers do not for your loved one, that's where PLAN can help.

PLAN aims to serve as a sort of "surrogate parent" for a disabled family member. If you are involved in the care and monitoring of your family member now (even if they receive services from existing agencies), you can contract with PLAN to care for and monitor your family member in the same ways in the future. If something prevents you from providing for your child (e.g., illness, disability, death), your written agreement with PLAN dictates that PLAN provide replacement services, services you've preemptively directed through a Long Term Plan of Care. PLAN hopes to serve your family member in the ways in which you would, if you were able to directly. Delineation of exactly what needs to be done in this respect is developed and contained in a Long Term Plan of Care.

What if I have family who agree to care for my relative when I no longer can?

It's great to have family members involved in a disabled member's life. Family has the best and most relevant information regarding what would add to the quality of their life, what problems they may encounter, and what sorts of support they may need as they age.

PLAN's primary client is "the family". Family members dictate the extent to which they wish PLAN to be involved in caring for a family member with disabilities. Often, siblings, children, and other relatives are relieved to know that they can direct PLAN's involvement with their disabled family member's life. Siblings and other family members can delegate primary responsibility for arranging/delivering services a disabled relative needs to PLAN.

For instance, interested family members can acknowledge that their relative needs help getting to the grocery store weekly, but can delegate the transportation and supervision for the weekly shopping to PLAN. In this way, families can remain as involved as they'd like in the lives of their family member, but have help in ensuring that "things get done" via PLAN.

Does my family have any say when the Long Term Plan of Care is developed?

Since "the family" is PLAN's primary client, families have essentially ALL the say in how the Plan is constructed. PLAN's mission is to carry out a parent/family "blueprint" for care, and to carry it out in ways in which the family would if they were able to. PLAN personnel can suggest services, activities, or intervention they may think would be constructive, but the bottom line is that the family maps out how they'd like to see their family member cared for, agrees with PLAN to do so, and PLAN executes the plan according to families' wishes.

Is there any flexibility in the Long Term Plan of Care?

If there's no flexibility, then there's something wrong with the plan! PLAN is prepared to handle modifications and changes to care plans at any time to keep current with the needs of family members with disabilities. The one time fee for a Long Term Plan of Care with PLAN includes annual updates at no additional cost. It's important to keep the information and description of needs and services as current as possible so that a family member is cared for and monitored in ways in which the family directs. Minor changes can be made to the Plan between annual updates at no cost as well.

Is there any way PLAN can initiate services with my family member now (as opposed to starting them if something catastrophic should happen to parents or other family caregivers)?

Definitely. It's a good idea to begin PLAN involvement with a disabled loved one now instead of waiting until something catastrophic happens to key family members. PLAN hopes to establish a relationship your family member now, so that if something does happen, we don't appear out of nowhere to care for him/her. It's a good idea to start limited services now so a relationship can be established early on. If something tragic happens later, your family member has someone familiar to support them through difficult times and beyond.

How do I know that PLAN will provide quality services to my family member? How do I know that my family member will respond positively to PLAN's involvement?

It's hard to know whether your family member will respond positively to PLAN personnel and involvement. And it's true that you don't know how PLAN will perform when it comes to quality service and your family member. Short term plans of care are the answer to these dilemmas for some families. PLAN can construct a short term plan of care with limited, specified service provision to your family member for a period of six months to a year. Families are able to sort of "test drive" PLAN's program and involvement in this way before committing to lifetime monitoring through a Long Term Plan of Care.

I spend most of the winter out of state. Are there any provisions for increasing monitoring and care during the time I am gone?

Absolutely. The Long Term Plan of Care needs to be flexible in order to accommodate such changes in family members' lives. The Plan of Care in this case can dictate that PLAN increase services as needed during the months in which parents are out of state.

What if I move out of state?

As long as your family member retains residential status in Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, or Warren counties Ohio, PLAN of Southwest Ohio can continue to provide services. Long Term Plan of Care updates can be conducted over the phone with absent family members or during visits to Ohio.

How will PLAN work with the trust established for my loved one's care?

In any way in which a family would like. Since PLAN will provide supplemental services only, PLAN services can be billed to and covered by a standard supplemental needs trust. If a family sets up a trust for their loved one, PLAN can bill the trust for services rendered after their death. Services agreed to by families and PLAN can be provided indefinitely using trust moneys as a way to finance long term care.

Does PLAN provide all services directly or "in house"?

PLAN either arranges necessary services with entities that provide them, or provides them directly. PLAN cannot provide primary services (e.g., housing, job coaching, emergency on-call), but can make the arrangements needed to set such up in the community with existing service providers. If a service exists in the community, PLAN will strive to arrange a connection with that service first (which reduces costs to clients). If a needed service does not exist through primary providers, or if families and consumers prefer, PLAN staff provide services directly.