Rolling Prairie's director discusses funding at meeting
RED OAK — Staff in Rolling Prairie Case Management’s offices handle a lot of paper while trying to get services for their clients.
Sara Ketchum reported Thursday at Rolling Prairie’s annual meeting that because of forms, almost 80 percent of the caseworkers’ time is spent dealing with paperwork rather than clients.
Ketchum is the Director of Case Management for Montgomery and Mills County.
To qualify for services, clients must receive Medicaid, have a diagnosis of mental retardation, chronic mental illness, or have a developmental disability.
One of the goals of the program is to keep clients in communities who, without the program, might otherwise not be able to live in communities like Red Oak.
Caseworkers are required by Iowa code to meet with clients four times a year.
Though the number changes somewhat, currently each case manager meets with 27-28 clients.
Case managers evaluate the clients’ needs and help connect people with services and providers to meet their needs. Locally, Nishna Productions Inc. is one of the frequently used providers.
Of course, the services to clients are not funded by clients but primarily by federal and state dollars.
The two-county budget for fiscal 2010 is $768,354.
Ketchum said bills, shortly to be based on 15 minute increments that validate approved services, are sent to Medicaid for reimbursement of the allotted funds.
When asked about the money needed for the programs in the coming years, Ketchum said the program should be okay in 2010, but for 2011, she anticipates a reduction of funds.
In 1996, Iowa legislators required each county to provide services for clients and committed the state to picking up new costs. The state has been unable to do so.
But the state has required additional paperwork and is so far opposed to raising taxes although it mandates expansion of services.
Board members discussed the anticipated shortfalls and expect limited funds to cut services down to only essential services for clients.