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 Wisconsin Statutes (Last Updated: January 10, 2017)
 Chapter 46. Social Services

  Section 46.87. Alzheimer's family and caregiver support program.  

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    (1)  In this section:
    (a) “Alzheimer's disease" means a degenerative disease of the central nervous system characterized especially by premature senile mental deterioration, and also includes any other irreversible deterioration of intellectual faculties with concomitant emotional disturbance resulting from organic brain disorder.
    (b) “Caregiver" means any person other than a paid provider who provides care for a person with Alzheimer's disease.
    (c) “Tribe or band" has the meaning given in s. 46.2805 (11) .
    (2)  From the appropriations under s. 20.435 (7) (b) and (o) , the department shall allocate funds to agencies designated under sub. (3) (c) or (d) , to be used for the administration and implementation of an Alzheimer's family and caregiver support program for persons with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers. The department shall allocate at least $1,000,000 in each fiscal year toward respite care.
    (3)  
    (a) A county board or tribe or band may apply to initially participate in the program created under this section by submitting to the department a one-time letter of intent to participate which includes a description of the program and services related to Alzheimer's disease which the county board or tribe or band intends to provide.
    (b) The department shall select counties and tribes or bands to participate in the program on the basis of criteria promulgated by rule.
    (c) The county board for each county selected to participate shall designate one of the following as the administering agency for the program:
    1. The county department under s. 46.215 or 46.22 .
    2. The county department under s. 51.42 or 51.437 .
    3. The county department under s. 46.23 .
    4. An aging unit, as defined in s. 46.82 (1) (a) .
    5. The local health department, if any, established under s. 251.02 .
    (d) A tribe or band selected to participate in the program shall designate an administering agency for the program.
    (4)  If a county board or tribe or band does not submit an application under sub. (3) (a) by January 1, 1986, the department shall make that allocation of the county or tribe or band available to a private nonprofit organization, as defined under s. 108.02 (19) , to administer the program created under this section and shall select the organization according to criteria promulgated by rule. An organization selected as the administering agency under this subsection shall continue to be eligible to receive the allocation of the county or tribe or band unless the county board or tribe or band subsequently submits to the department a letter of intent to participate and receives approval of its proposed program.
    (5)  The administering agency in each county or tribe or band may use the funds allocated to it to do any of the following:
    (a) Provide or contract for the provision of services and goods or make payments for services to households that meet all of the following conditions:
    1. At least one member of the household must be a person who has been diagnosed by a physician as having Alzheimer's disease.
    2. Either the person with Alzheimer's disease or the person's caregiver resides in the county or is a member of the tribe or band to which the household applies for participation in the program.
    3. The household meets financial eligibility requirements specified in sub. (5m) , and persons in the household are ineligible for the family care benefit under s. 46.286 in a county in which a care management organization under s. 46.284 operates.
    (b) Provide or contract for the provision of services and goods or make payments for services to a person with Alzheimer's disease living in a residential facility in the county or in a residential facility associated with the tribe or band who meets financial eligibility requirements specified in sub. (5m) and is ineligible for the family care benefit under s. 46.286 in a county in which a care management organization under s. 46.284 operates.
    (bm) Maintain a contract in effect on June 30, 1987, with a service provider under funds allocated under sub. (2) .
    (c) Contract with service providers to develop new programs or expand services, under this section, as defined by the department by rule.
    (e) Provide outreach or other activities designed to develop public awareness of Alzheimer's disease.
    (5m)  A person is financially eligible for the program under this section if the joint income of the person with Alzheimer's disease and that person's spouse, if any, is $48,000 per year or less, unless the department sets a higher limitation on income eligibility by rule. In determining joint income for purposes of this subsection, the administering agency shall subtract any expenses attributable to the Alzheimer's-related needs of the person with Alzheimer's disease or of the person's caregiver.
    (6)  
    (a) For the purpose of distributing funds allocated under this section to households or individuals participating in the program, the administering agency shall determine all of the following:
    1. The services and goods needed by the household to enable it to maintain the person with Alzheimer's disease as a member of the household, or the services or goods needed by a person with Alzheimer's disease living in a residential facility, and the cost of each service or good that is needed.
    2. The ability of the household or of the person to pay for the services and goods identified under subd. 1. , using as the basis for the determination the uniform fee schedule established by the department under s. 46.03 (18) .
    (b)
    1. An administering agency may pay to or expend on behalf of a participating household or individual person the cost of any goods and services identified under par. (a) 1. , less any amount paid under subd. 2. , except that the amount paid or expended may not exceed $4,000 in any calendar year for each person with Alzheimer's disease in the household or for an individual person living in a residential facility.
    2. An administering agency:
    a. Shall require that the household or person with Alzheimer's disease pay, if able as determined under par. (a) 2. , for services and goods provided under sub. (5) (a) , (b) and (bm) unless the contract is determined to be a contract under sub. (5) (c) .
    b. May require that the household or person with Alzheimer's disease pay, if able as determined under par. (a) 2. , for services and goods provided under sub. (5) (c) .
    (7)  The county board or tribe or band shall notify the department if any of the following occurs:
    (a) The administering agency in the county or tribe or band is replaced by another.
    (b) The county board or tribe or band intends to terminate participation in the program.
    (c) The program and services of the county or tribe or band related to Alzheimer's disease contain a substantial difference, as defined by rule, from the description of the program and services of the county or tribe or band contained in the letter of intent most recently submitted by the county board or tribe or band to the department under sub. (3) (a) .
    (8)  The department shall collect and analyze information about persons with Alzheimer's disease who are served under this section and about caregivers.