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Planned Lifetime Assistance Network of Southwest Ohio, Inc.
"Planning and providing lifelong assistance for people with disabilities."
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About PLAN
HistoryThe American concept of PLAN originated in Virginia about 25 years ago and has grown nationwide since. At present, 26 fully operational and/or newly organizing PLAN organizations exist in 21 states across the country (Ohio has four PLAN organizations, more than any other state).
PLAN founders recognized that careful future planning is vitally important for making good decisions for family members. In their experience, hurried planning due to crises, death of primary caregivers, or other unexpected events seemed their only avenue. PLAN board members focused on this issue as they developed their mission, realizing that sound planning requires careful study, personal reflection, and discussion with professionals familiar with the pitfalls encountered in disability related systems. They developed PLAN's initial service agenda as a combination of personal and financial planning that helps families preserve resources and continue personalized services over a loved one's lifetime. The Benefits of Planning
The most difficult part of planning for the future, whether for yourself or a loved one, is to recognize the need to do it. Planning for the future is important for everyone, but it is crucial for people with disabilities. Without proper planning, families and their loved ones may have to deal with the worst consequence of an unplanned future - the interruption of quality care. Planning can provide families and individuals with disabilities peace of mind.
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 ones, will be honored. We believe the future for you or your loved one should be as you 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.
How Does PLAN Work?PLAN conducts initial meetings to assess family needs and determine whether PLAN is an appropriate option. There's no formal referral process at PLAN: Just give us a call and we'll schedule a meeting at your home or our office.If it seems that PLAN could be helpful, we then begin interactions with the individual who has disabilities now, so that a solid trusting relationship 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 a person gradually (and to let that 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.
PLAN FeesPLAN charges $650 to construct a Long Term Plan of Care. Hourly services such as companionship, transportation, social outings, assistance with home maintenance, addressing benefits issues, advocacy, medical concerns and crisis intervention are billed at $108 per hour. PLAN's Recreation Program services are billed at $36 an hour for group outings. All service fees are billed to the nearest quarter hour.
PLAN can be creative in serving individuals if a family has a budget in mind for routine involvement. Families can also request that PLAN appraise them if a needed service is exceeds the budget set. PLAN also works in conjunction with attorneys and trust departments to make arrangements for funding PLAN involvement with a family member long term. Families can arrange for PLAN to bill special needs trusts (or other trusts) for services, both now and in the future.
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PLAN of Southwest Ohio began when a group of concerned parents, siblings, and professionals convened in 1995 to discuss their hopes for an organization that would focus on the long term needs of family members with disabilities. This group formed the core of PLAN's subsequent Boards of Trustees and Advisors. The organization was incorporated as a private non-profit corporation in 1997 and opened for business in April, 1999. Today, PLAN serves families and individuals with disabilities in Butler, Clermont, Hamilton and Warren counties dealing with a variety of disability conditions including severe mental illness, mental retardation and/or other developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injury, degenerative medical conditions, dual diagnoses, and substance abuse issues.
There is no "standard" planning program at PLAN. Rather, our mission is to carry out a jointly developed blueprint for future care. PLAN provides the professional direction needed to strengthen the plan overall, but families direct the plan construction. The family or individual maps out wishes and needs for the future, agrees with PLAN to coordinate the plan, and PLAN executes the plan according to those wishes in a long term arrangement. A Long Term Plan of Care is updated frequently. As a person's needs and situation change, PLAN involvement changes too so that the most appropriate assistance is offered a person at all times.