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​​June 2021: Survival Coalition's "Recognizing the Need to Address the Caregiver Crisis and Supports to Families in State Budget"

June 2021: Save IRIS' "A Crisis for One is a Crisis for All"

Archives:

-Helpful Document from The Wisconsin Long-term Care Coalition, " Ask Your 2016 State Assembly and Senate Candidates If They Will Stand up for Wisconsin’s Long Term Care System! September 2016​

-Recommendations to Improve Quality and Sustainability of Family Care, IRIS and Partnership Programs in the 2017-19 Budget while Containing Costs, July 14, 2016​

-From The Wisconsin Long-Term Care Coalition, June 14, 2016:

Memo to Wisconsin Legislature,"Wisconsin Long-Term Care Coalition Reaction to DHS’ Announcement to Withdraw Family Care/IRIS 2.0 Concept Plan" 

-From Save IRIS, May 23, 2016:

"The Future of Wisconsin’s Long-Term Care System:  Slow it down and get it right!"

​-From Save IRIS, May 19, 2016:

An Open Letter, "Please Listen to Wisconsin Residents. Save IRIS."

-From the Wisconsin Aging Advocacy Network: May 2016 Issue Brief:

"Family Caregivers Strengthening this cost-effective, vital support system "​

-From The Wisconsin Aging Advocacy Network:  May 2016 Issue Brief

"Adult Long-Term Care System Expand existing options for cost-effective, quality care"

​-From The Wisconsin Long-Term Care Coalition: Memo to the Joint Finance Committee,

"Subject: Our Analysis of the Numbers behind Family Care/IRIS 2.0 " 

​​​-From Wisconsin Long-Term Care Coalition, Letter to JFC Chairpersons, Subject:  Response to April 5, 2016 Legislative Fiscal Bureau Memo to JFC, and Recommended Action on DHS Family Care/IRIS 2.0 Concept Paper, April 12, 2016

​​​-From Save IRIS: "Keep It Simple  and Sustainable at the Kitchen Table" ​

-From Save IRIS: Letter to Joint Finance Committee, April 19th​​

- From Wisconsin's Department of Health Services: Family Care/IRIS 2.0 Concept Paper released on 3/31/16​

-From DHS, "Family Care/IRIS 2.0 Frequently Asked Questions"

-From Save IRIS, Talking Points to Share, "Ask DHS and Legislators to Keep their IRIS Promise"

​-Link to the IRIS Program page of the DHS website containing an update from DHS regarding the "40 hour Health & Safety Assurance Policy" and a statement about Conflict-free Case management

-Disability Rights Wisconsin's "Clarification of New Paid Caregiver Policies, updated March 10, 2016"

-NEW: Written Testimony by Save IRIS presented at the DHS Public Hearing in Madison on

  March 7, 2016

-NEW: From Wisconsin's Department of Health Services: Family Care/IRIS 2.0 Concept Paper

-From Save IRIS: Talking Points for True Self-Direction

-From the Wisconsin Long-term Care Coalition: "Testimony in response to DHS Family Care/IRIS 2.0 Concept Paper - 3/7/16"      

-Wisconsin BPDD's Public Comments regarding the DHS Family Care and IRIS 2.0 Draft Concept Paper (3/7/16)

-Survival Coalition's Public Comments regarding the DHS Family Care and IRIS 2.0 Draft Concept Paper (3/7/16)​

​-From the Wisconsin Long-term Care Coalition: "Family Care and IRIS 2.0 Draft Concept Paper Talking Points"

​-Save IRIS Responds to Your Questions

​​-From the Wisconsin Long-term Care Coalition: The Stakeholders' Blueprint for Long term Care Redesign and its Executive Summary.

-" Don't Reinvent the Wheel," a document from Save IRIS to share with legislators & DHS about what self-direction should look like in the new system & protections that should be in place.

Resources from Our Presentations at the 2015 Self-Determination Conference

-Self-Direction: Keeping it Real Power Point Presentation on 11/10/15​

-Handout from Self-Direction:Keeping it Real Presentation on 11/10/15

-Jump Into Advocacy Power Point Presentation on 11/9/15

-Advocacy Tips from the Successfully Unsuccessful Save IRIS Campaign 11/9/15

What has been happening since the 2015-2017 Budget was signed into Law? 

Information below:​

-A helpful document from In Control Wisconsin, "Comments on the new Long-term Care Program in Wisconsin"

-From  In Control Wisconsin: "Long-term Care in the Wisconsin State Budget for 2015-2017 What's Next? " - Powerpoint  for the webinar and recording of the webinar

- ​​Department of Health Services Public Hearing 2015–2017 State Budget, Act 55 Provisions Regarding Family Care and IRIS (Include, Respect, I Self-Direct) 2.0. Click here and then click on "Public Hearing Materials" to see the PDF of the Powerpoint presentation

-Talking Points for DHS Public Hearings on Long-term Care: Principles that must be the foundation of Wisconsin’s future Long Term Care system

-​The Survival Coalition's Summary of 2015-2017 Wisconsin State Budget

- Letter from DHS in response to the Survival Coalition's inquiry on stakeholder input

-1 Page Information Sheet from In-Control Wisconsin: Long Term Care for Adults in Final 2015-2017 WI State Budget: Key Items ​

-Survival Coalition has released a detailed Question and Answers document on what the state budget means for Long-Term Care in Wisconsin and how these changes will unfold over the next two years. These changes will happen after the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approves a waiver—which will contain details on how the new program will run.

-Governor Walker's Message about the Budget. Links to List of Vetoes: References to IRIS and Family Care are on page 33.​

​-Governor Walker signed the budget into law on 7/12/15. Budget summary text taken  from Wisconsin Long-term Care Coalition post to Facebook on 7/12/15

-Wisconsin Newspaper Contact List -please contact your local newspaper with a letter to the editor

-Media Contact List for Wisconsin -please contact the media about your concerns with the budget.

-Wisconsin's Joint Committee on Finance Contact Information Sheet

​​- ​Document from The Survival Coalition comparing the Governor's proposed budget to the JFC Motion #513

​-Document from Wisconsin Long-term Care Coalition "Family Care is already cost-effective."

-Letter to Members of Joint Finance Committee, Dated 5/25/15, from the Wisconsin Long-term Care Coalition. Subject: Recommended Alternatives in Legislative Fiscal Bureau Papers #356, #357, #358

-Open Letter to Sen. Alberta Darling and Rep John Nygren Co-chairs and Members, Joint Finance Committee Dated 5/18/15 from: Save IRIS. Subject: The Preservation of IRIS as a Separate Medicaid Waiver Program

-​Open Letter Dated 5/15/15 To: Sen. Alberta Darling and Rep. John Nygren, Co-Chairs, and Members, Joint Finance Committee, From: Wisconsin Long Term Care Coalition Subject: Concerns regarding 5/14/15 Announcement, “JFC Republicans Protect Long Term Care”

-​ Save IRIS Document to share with legislators: "Please Read Before the Final Budget Vote on Long-term Care"

-State Comparison Chart of Long-term Care Programs in Tennessee, Kansas, and Florida to Wisconsin​

-Document to share with legislators to show that there is too much that is unknown about what will happen if the proposed changes go through: Too Many Questions

-Document to Share from Wisconsin's Long-term Care Coalition: Keep Our Care at Home: Memo sent to legislators to  provide FACTS that address Misinformation Regarding the Wisconsin Long-Term Care System 

-Rumor or Reality: What do we really know about the proposed changes to Wisconsin's state of the art long-term care system?

-Fact sheet about Wisconsin's long-term care system from the Wisconsin Long-Term Care Coalition: Keep Our Care at Home

-"Fact Sheet from Wisconsin's Long-term Care Coalition: Keep Our Care at Home: 

The ADRCs Work- Because They're Local"

​-From the Survival Coalition: ​Overview of FL, KS, CA long term care (LTC) approaches in contrast to Wisconsin model

-Save IRIS One-Page Information Sheet​

-​Comparison Chart: "Self Direction is NOT the same in Family Care and IRIS"

-The Legislative Fiscal Bureau's Memo regarding the "Potential Impact of the Proposed Long-term Care Changes on the Self-directed Services Option" June 30, 2015

​​-The Legislative Fiscal Bureau's Report to the Committee on Joint Finance, Paper #356, regarding Long-term Care Changes

​-The Survival Coalition's Adult Long Term Care Issue Card, March 2015

-Survival Coalition's FAQ document, "What does the proposed state budget mean for my long-term care services?"

-​​Sample Script for calling legislators

​-Save IRIS Powtoon (a short cartoon explaining what is happening in the budget related to IRIS)

-How to Write a "Letter to the Editor" of your local paper

​-Joint Finance Committee Tip Sheet

​-Online 2015-17 WI State Budget Briefing for Disability Advocates Video (58 minutes) with Lisa Pugh, DRW and John Shaw, BPDD

-Survival Coalition: After Joint Finance Hearing Disability and Aging Participants and other Stakeholders Are Still Left Asking: What’s the Plan for People with Disabilities and Older Adults?

-Department of Health Services  Secretary Kitty Rhoades' prepared remarks to the Committee on Joint Finance- March 3, 2015

-Legislative Fiscal Bureau's Full Budget Summary

​-Legislative Fiscal Bureau's Budget Summary: Department of Health Services Section

-The Survival Coalition's Budget Analysis of 2015-2017 Governor's Budget

​-​(Disability Rights Wisconsin) "Governor Walker 2015-2017 Budget Proposal Summary Provisions Impacting People with Disabilities – 2/16/2015"​