Washington State’s Community Living Connections is part of a national collaborative effort of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Veterans Administration and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services designed to help individuals of all ages, disabilities and income levels, their caregivers, legal representatives and families get the right home and community-based supports and services at the right time, in the right place.
Finding the right services can be a daunting task and Washington State’s CLC network will help individuals, their caregivers, legal representatives and families navigate and connect with information and access to long-term and home or community-based service and supports system.
By linking consumers with services and supports that match their individualized priorities and preferences, CLC network partners have the ability to assist individuals to remain at home or in their communities.
CLCs provide four key services to consumers: Information, Referral, and Awareness; Options Counseling and Assistance; Streamlined Eligibility Assistance for Public Programs; and Person-Centered Care Transitions Supports.
ADRCs serve as highly visible and trusted places where people of all ages, disabilities and income levels know they can turn for objective information on the full range of home and community supports and service options.
The ADRC’s information, referral, and awareness services are designed to help consumers navigate the variety of agencies and organizations offering services and supports with differing eligibility criteria, application processes, and cost sharing requirements for public pay, private pay, and local community or faith-based resources.
The CLC Options Counseling and Assistance function provides person-centered counseling and support with decision making, including one-on-one assistance with individuals, caregivers, legal representatives and families to navigate long term services and supports in their local community.
Streamlined Eligibility Assistance for Public Programs begins with screening for eligibility. When someone appears eligible and wants to go forward with the process, CLC staff guide and assist the individual through the eligibility determination process. While the details may be complex, CLC staff endeavor to make the eligibility determination process as seamless as possible, for programs funded by Medicaid, the Older Americans Act, and other state and federal dollars.
Transitions or movements of individuals between health care settings require some coordination. The Person-Centered Care Transitions component of the CLC assists individuals to coordinate care needs for people transitioning from one setting of care to another.