You asked for an update on the planned 300-unit moderate- and low-income assisted living demonstration program for seniors and other state-funded assisted living programs.

SUMMARY

Assisted living is a long-term care model that provides health care and other assistance to seniors in various types of elderly housing situations who may not need or want nursing home care, yet need some help with activities of daily living, such as dressing, walking, eating, bathing, errands, and chores. Until recently, assisted living in Connecticut could be obtained only in relatively expensive private facilities. The services have to be provided at the facilities by a licensed assisted living services agency (ALSA); the facilities themselves do not have to be licensed, but they have to qualify as “managed residential communities” by meeting certain state requirements and providing certain core services.

Since 1998, the legislature has gradually expanded low- and moderate-income seniors’ access to assisted living through several state-subsidized demonstration projects. These include (1) the moderate and low-income assisted living demonstration, which has been planned since 1998 and which opened the first of its four sites in September 2004; (2) assisted living in 16 existing state-funded elderly congregate housing facilities; (3) state subsidies for assisted living in up to four federally

funded elderly housing complexes, of which three are already operating; and (4) a private assisted living pilot project that helps people remain in private facilities if they have run out of money.

MODERATE AND LOW-INCOME ASSISTED LIVING DEMONSTRATION

This demonstration program is based on legislation first enacted in 1998 and 1999 that (1) directed the departments of Social Services (DSS) and Economic and Community Development (DECD) and the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority to work together to establish an assisted living demonstration program for moderate- and lower-income seniors and (2) authorized construction of up to 300 units of state-subsidized affordable housing for the program.

There are four locations for the demonstration: The Retreat in Hartford, Herbert T. Clarke House in Glastonbury, Luther Ridge in Middletown, and Smith Street Assisted Living in Seymour. Herbert T. Clarke House is the only one currently open. It officially opened in September 2004 with 25 units (to get on the waiting list, people can call the facility at (860) 652-7623). The Retreat is scheduled to open in December 2004 with 95 units ((860) 560-2237). Luther Ridge is scheduled to open in July 2005 with 45 units, and Smith Street in January 2006 with 56 units. The four locations will ultimately have a total of 221 subsidized units and five unsubsidized units.

Applicants must be at least 65 years old, at risk of being placed in a nursing home, and eligible for DSS’s Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders (CHCPE) (PA 98-239, PA 99-279; CGS § 17b-347e).

STATE-FUNDED ELDERLY CONGREGATE HOUSING ASSISTED LIVING

Sixteen of the state’s 24 state-funded elderly congregate housing projects are now offering assisted living services. These are Augustana Homes in Bethel, D. J. Komanetsky Estates in Bristol, Herbert T. Clark House in Glastonbury, Mystic River Homes in Noank, Mount Carmel in Hamden, Bacon Congregate in Hartford, Luther Manor in Middletown, Ella B. Scantlebury in New Haven, Ludlow Commons in South Norwalk, The Marvin in Norwalk, St. Jude Common in Norwich, Silverbrook Estates in Orange, Seely-Brown Village in Pomfret, Prospect Ridge in Ridgefield, Virginia Connolly in Simsbury, and F. J. Pitkat Congregate in Rockville.

A congregate housing complex contains separate living units for frail elderly residents, but also provides some housekeeping, personal care, and transportation services and usually at least one meal a day in a common dining room. Legislation in 2000 allows all state-assisted congregate housing projects to offer additional, more extensive assisted living services and permits the CHCPE program to pay for them for those who qualify financially. DECD pays for services for some seniors who do not qualify for CHCPE. The services must be provided through ALSAs. This combined program currently serves 164 people and has served a total of 369 people from its beginning in May 2001 (PA 00-2, June Special Session, CGS §§ 8-119m, 17b-342(c)).

STATE ASSISTED LIVING DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM IN FEDERALLY FUNDED ELDERLY HOUSING

Legislation in 2000 and 2001 required the DECD commissioner to establish a demonstration program in up to four federal elderly housing developments to provide assisted living services. Three are already operational: Tower 1/Tower East in New Haven, Immanuel House in Hartford, and Juniper Hill in Mansfield. DECD issued a request for proposals for a fourth project this summer but received no responses and is consequently planning to issue it again. Subsidies are provided by CHCPE and by DECD for people not eligible for CHCPE. The combined program currently serves 118 people and has served 240 people from its beginning in May 2001 (PA 00-2, June Special Session, PA 01-2, June Special Session, CGS § 8-206e(d)).

PRIVATE ASSISTED LIVING PILOTS

Two newer pilot programs, which began in 2003, pay for assisted living services (but not room and board) for some seniors in private assisted living facilities who run out of money if their assets and income qualify them for the CHCPE. Applicants must live in a private managed residential community where an ALSA provides the services and be ineligible to receive these services under any other pilot established by the state (PA 02-7, May 9 Special Session, CGS §§ 17b-365 & 17b-366). The two pilots were initially a Medicaid waiver for up to 50 people and a state-funded program for 25 people. A 2004 legislative change replaced the original separate enrollment limits with a combined overall limit of 75 participants (PA 04-258). The program currently serves 49 clients and has served 67 since it began in March 2003.

HN: ro