CHOICES - TennCare
TennCare CHOICES in Long-Term Services and Supports (or CHOICES for short) is for adults (age 21 and older) with a physical disability and seniors (age 65 and older). CHOICES offers services to help a person live in their own home or in the community. These services are called Home and Community Based Services or HCBS. These services can be provided in the home, on the job, or in the community to assist with daily living activities and allow people to work and be actively involved in their local community.
For CHOICES COUNSELING assistance, contact your local Area Agency on Aging and Disability (AAAD). Contact information for the AAADs is available online https://www.tn.gov/tenncare/long-term-services-supports/choices.html.
You may also call the LTSS Help Desk for additional information about this program: 1-877-224-0219.
What Home Care Services are covered in CHOICES?
Here are some of the kinds of home care covered in CHOICES. Some of these services have limits. Your MCO will help you to determine what services below will meet your needs.
Personal care visits - Short visits of no more than 4 hours when someone will help you do things like get out of bed, take a bath, get dressed, fix and eat meals, or use the bathroom.
Attendant care - The same kinds of help you get with personal care visits, but for longer periods of time.
Personal Emergency Response System - A call button you can use to get help in an emergency.
Community-Based Residential Alternatives - places to live that offer care and support for someone who can no longer live alone that include the following:
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Community Living Supports – A shared home or apartment where you and no more than 3 other people live. The level of support provided depends on your needs and can include hands-on assistance, supervision, transportation and other supports needed to remain in the community.
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Community Living Supports – Family Model – A shared home or apartment where you and no more than 3 other people live with a trained host family. The level of support provided depends on your needs and can include hands-on assistance, supervision, transportation and other supports needed to remain in the community.
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Companion Care – Someone you hire who lives with you in your home to help with personal care or homemaker services whenever you need it. This is available only for people in consumer direction who need care throughout the day and night that can’t be provided by unpaid caregivers. And only when it costs no more than other kinds of home care that would meet your needs.
Some of these services can be provided through Consumer Direction.
Consumer Direction is a way of getting some of the home care you need that offers more choice and control over WHO gives your home care and HOW your care is given than receiving CHOICES services and not consumer directing. You actually employ the people who provide some of your home care services - they work for you (instead of an agency). This means you must be able to do the things that an employer would do - like hire, train, and schedule workers.
You can hire a family member, friend, neighbor, or other person you know to provide care in Consumer Direction, but there are some limitations. We want to support, but not replace, care already provided by family and friends. You'll find out more if you sign up for CHOICES.
Employment and Community First CHOICES is for people of all ages who have an intellectual or developmental disability (I/DD). This includes people who have significant disabilities.
Services help people with I/DD gain as much independence as possible. People are supported to live with their family or in the community, not in an institution. Residential services are available for adults with I/DD who do not live with family but need supports where they live.
Employment and Community First CHOICES can help the person with I/DD explore the possibility of working. Services can also help people learn skills for work, find a job, and keep a job. This could be a part-time job, a full-time job or self-employment. Working helps people earn money, learn new skills, meet new people, and play an important role in their communities. Work can also help people stay healthy and build self-confidence.
Other services help people learn and do things at home and in the community that help people achieve their goals. If a person lives at home with their family, the services help the family support the person to become as independent as possible. Services also help people get actively involved in their communities and include peer supports for the person and for their family.
What Services are covered in ECF CHOICES?
Here are some of the kinds of home care covered in ECF CHOICES. Some of these services have limits. Your MCO will help you to determine what services below will meet your needs.
Personal Assistance – Someone to help you with personal care needs or daily living activities in your home, at work or in the community. Includes help with your household chores or errands. They can help you do things like get out of bed, take a bath, and get dressed so that you are ready to go to work or out in the community.
Community Living Supports – A shared home or apartment where you and no more than 3 other people live. The level of support provided depends on your needs and can include hands-on assistance, supervision, transportation and other supports needed to remain in the community.
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Community Living Supports – Family Model – A shared home or apartment where you and no more than 3 other people live with a trained host family. The level of support provided depends on your needs and can include hands-on assistance, supervision, transportation and other supports needed to remain in the community.
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Supportive Home Care – this is like personal assistance but for people who live at home with their family. Someone to help you with your personal care needs for daily living activities that your family can’t help you with. This help could be in your home, on the job, or in the community.
You may also call the LTSS Help Desk for additional information about this program: 1-877-224-0219.
EMPLOYMENT & COMMUNITY FIRST CHOICES (ECF)
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