Program Description
The Ron Yost Personal Assistance Services program, abbreviated as RYPAS, provides financial assistance for personal care services to assist elderly and / or disabled West Virginia residents in achieving their activities of daily living. Assisting in these activities, such as bathing and grooming, helps them to remain living in their homes and communities.
Although this is not a Medicaid program, it is modeled after the Medicaid concept of Cash and Counseling. This concept is also referred to as participant direction, self-direction, and consumer direction. The idea is that the program participant has control over who provides their care instead of the program administrators. Thereby increasing the satisfaction of the participant and lowering the administrative cost of the program.
Friends, neighbors, and even family members (including spouses) can be hired to provide personal assistance, transportation, and to assist with light home maintenance that the program participant cannot manage on their own.
The Ron Yost Program is administered by the Statewide Independent Living Council.
Eligibility Guidelines
General Requirements
To be eligible for this statewide program, participants must live in West Virginia and have a disability, which can be a result of the natural aging process. The disability must be expected to continue for a minimum of 12 months and must be significant enough that it requires the individual to receive assistance in order to complete their activities of daily living, such as eating, dressing, bathing or basic mobility.
Examples of disabilities that would meet the eligibility requirements include Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, severe arthritis, and severe heart conditions.
Financial Requirements
Medicaid Requirements
RYPAS is intended to help those in need who fall between the cracks with Medicaid. And as such, individuals cannot be able to receive personal assistance services through Medicaid. Applicants must first apply for Medicaid, and if denied, they will then be considered for RYPAS.
Income Limits
Once applicants have exhausted their options through Medicaid, the annual upper income limit for RYPAS is set at $38,000 for 2024. While Medicaid may count the household’s income, RYPAS only considers the applicant’s income. And expenses related to one’s disability can be deducted from their income.
Income Levels
Funding is provided on a sliding scale based on the individual’s adjusted income (subtracting deductions for dependents and all disability related expenses). The income levels and reimbursement percentages are as follows:
|
Adjusted Annual Income
|
Reimbursement Percentage
|
|
$0 – $21,999
|
100%
|
|
$22,000 – $22,999
|
98%
|
|
$23,000 – $23,999
|
96%
|
|
$24,000 – $24,999
|
94%
|
|
$25,000 – $25,999
|
92%
|
|
$26,000 – $26,999
|
90%
|
|
$27,000 – $27,999
|
88%
|
|
$28,000 – $28,999
|
85%
|
|
$29,000 – $29,999
|
81%
|
|
$30,000 – $30,999
|
76%
|
|
$31,000 – $31,999
|
70%
|
|
$32,000 – $32,999
|
63%
|
|
$33,000 – $33,999
|
55%
|
|
$34,000 – $34,999
|
46%
|
|
$35,000 – $35,999
|
36%
|
|
$36,000 – $36,999
|
25%
|
|
$37,000 – $37,999
|
13%
|
|
$38,000+
|
0%
|
Benefits and Services
RYPAS provides financial assistance in the form of reimbursement checks to participants so they can hire personal care assistants. Program participants are allocated up to $8.75 an hour to pay a personal assistant. Participants may qualify for up to 24 / 7 care if the functional assessment demonstrates the need and the RYPAS Board approves that level of care.
Personal assistants can provide care with the following types of daily living activities:
- Basic mobility in and around the home
- Transportation assistance away from the home
- Bathing and personal hygiene
- Dressing and grooming
- Meal preparation (eating and cleanup)
- Meal planning and grocery shopping
- Basic housekeeping and laundry
- Bill paying
- Managing a daily schedule
How to Apply / Learn More
One can learn more about RYPAS and begin the application process on the program’s webpage, or by calling the West Virginia Statewide Independent Living Council at 855-855-9743 or 304-766-4624.
As part of the application process, individuals are required to apply for Medicaid, and if rejected, they can then be considered for the Ron Yost program. Applications and instructions on how to apply for Medicaid’s Aged and Disabled Wavier (ADW) Program and Personal Care (PC) Services Program can be found here.
Details on qualifying for RYPAS, instructions on how to apply, and an application can be found here.
Make note, there is currently a waitlist.
