Program Description
The Community Care Foster Family Homes (CCFFH) program provides Medicaid recipients a nursing home level of care outside of the nursing home environment. Instead of living in an institution, program participants live in the home of a foster family. These homes can house up to three participants.
Private pay individuals can also be accepted into this program. But only one private pay participant per foster home is permitted. Residents experience a family-like environment rather than an institutional nursing home setting. As of 2023, there are approximately 800 CCFFH’s throughout the islands of Hawaii.
Eligibility Guidelines
In order for residents of Hawaii to live in a certified foster family home and receive financial assistance from the government, there are certain eligibility requirements they must meet.
General Requirements
The applicant must need the level of care typically provided in a nursing home, which must be documented by a physician. A physical examination by a doctor is also necessary in the month preceding acceptance into the program, or within seven days following acceptance.
In addition, if candidates are eligible to receive Supplemental Security Income, abbreviated “SSI,” they must do so. And finally, the care recipient cannot be related to the foster family.
Financial Requirements
If an applicant is not already receiving Long-Term Care Medicaid, one must apply for assistance. Eligibility for this level of Medicaid follows:
Income Limits
To be eligible in 2024, residents are limited to a monthly income of $1,442.50 per month (100% of the Federal Poverty Level in Hawaii). Married applicants, when both spouses are applying, are EACH permitted up $1,442.50 a month.
Asset Limits
Individuals are allowed $2,000 in countable assets, and married couples, when both spouses are applying, are allowed $3,000. When only one spouse is applying, the non-applicant spouse is able to retain $154,140 in assets, in addition to the applicant’s $2,000.
Foster Home Requirements
In addition to the care recipient eligibility requirements above, there are also criteria for a home to be certified as a CCFFH. For instance, the main caregiver must be a minimum of 21 years old, experienced in caring for the elderly and disabled, and be a licensed practical nurse, a nurse aide, or a registered nurse.
Benefits and Services
Participants work with a Case Management Agency (CMA). The CMA will help place the applicant in a Community Care Foster Family Home and develop a service plan outlining the applicant’s needs. The CMA will also continue to provide case management services once the participant is a resident of the home.
Community Care Foster Family Homes provide the following services for their residents:
- Personal care
- Assistance with the activities of daily living (mobility, bathing, toileting, etc.)
- Room and board
- 24-hour supervision
- Homemaker services (preparation of meals, laundry, shopping, etc.),
- Recreational and social activities
- Transportation assistance
- Administering of medications
How to Apply / Learn More
Hawaii residents, age 65 and older, who have not yet applied for long term care Medicaid can do so online, in person at a benefits office or by calling 877-628-5076.
To apply for the CCFFH program, one must go through a Case Management Agency (CMA), either by contacting them directly or by getting a referral. A list of current CMA’s across Hawaii can be found here. CMA’s can also help applicants apply for long-term care Medicaid.
Make note, each CCFFH and CMA is independently contracted with various Medicaid health plans of their choosing. Therefore, it’s important to make sure that both are in the provider network for one’s health plan.
