PLAN founders recognized that careful future planning is
vitally important for making good decisions for their family
members. In their experience, hurried planning due to unforeseen
crises, death of primary caregivers, or other unexpected events
seemed to be the only alternative available to families in
need. PLAN board members focused on this issue as they developed
their mission, realizing that sound planning requires careful
study, personal reflection, and considerable deliberation
with professionals familiar with pitfalls encountered in public
care systems. They developed PLAN's initial service agenda
as a combination of personal planning and information regarding
financial planning that helps families preserve family resources
and continue personalized services over a loved one's lifetime.
The
Benefits of Planning
Thinking about or making changes in one's present lifestyle
can be difficult and uncomfortable. The most difficult part
of planning for the future, whether for yourself or a loved
on, is to recognize the need to do it. After that, things
get easier. Planning for the future is important for everyone,
but it is perhaps even more crucial for people with disabilities
or family members of such people. Without proper planning,
families and their loved ones may depend on what government
agencies deem is the best care and the results may be catastrophic
- the interruption of quality care.
What's Prevented You From Planning?
It's difficult to plan for the future and face life's most
challenging passages. It can be sobering to realize that you
must plan now to be certain your wishes, for yourself and
loved one, will be honored. We believe, however, the future
for you or your loved one should be as you would want it to
be. Let us help you plan for the best tomorrow possible.
Our plans are developed in highly individualized ways to
address the specific needs of individuals and their families.
With the help of PLAN, people can plan today for services
in the future and take comfort in the fact that such care
has been prearranged.
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How
Does PLAN Work?
PLAN conducts initial meetings with family members and individuals
with disabilities to assess needs and family situations, and
determine whether PLAN may be an appropriate option for a
particular family. There's no formal referral process at PLAN:
Just give a call and we'll schedule a meeting for you at your
home or our office.
In most instances, PLAN then begins interactions with the
individual who has disabilities now, so that the relationship
and trust can begin to develop. PLAN professionals can help
loved ones with problems, questions, and issues currently,
but can also establish more routine contact (e.g., visits,
phone calls, outings) to get to know the person gradually
(and to let the person get to know them!). Short term plans
(on the order of 6-12 months) can be constructed to allow
families to determine whether a person will respond positively
to PLAN involvement before committing to the long term planning
process.
An individual Long Term Plan of Care is updated at least
annually, usually more often. As a person's needs and situations
change, PLAN involvement changes too so that the most appropriate
assistance is offered a person at all times.
PLAN starts with a individual and family plans for the future,
and modifies it as needs change. PLAN has no standard program:
rather, PLAN's mission is to carry out a jointly developed
blueprint for care PLAN personnel can suggest services, activities,
or directions they think may be constructive, but the bottom
line is that the family or individual maps out wishes and
needs for the future, agrees with PLAN to implement the plan,
and PLAN executes the plan according to those wishes in a
long term arrangement.
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PLAN
Fees
PLAN charges $650 to construct a Long Term Plan of Care. Each Long Term Plan of Care is updated annually at no additional cost. AS a PLAN client, service coordination activities are not billed unless PLAN provides direct service. A fee of $96 per hour is assessed for direct services provided by PLAN such as companionship, transportation, social outings, assistance with home maintenance, addressing benefits issues, advocacy, medical concerns and crisis intervention. All direct service fees are billed to the nearest quarter hour. 
PLAN can be creative in serving individuals if a family
has particular expense parameters in mind for routine involvement.
Families can also ask that PLAN appraise them if a needed
service is exceeds the parameters they stipulate.
PLAN also works in conjunction with attorneys/trust departments
to make arrangements for funding PLAN involvement with a family
member long term. Families can arrange for PLAN to bill supplemental
needs trusts or other trusts developed for the benefit of
a family member for PLAN service and involvement in the future.
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