Family Care Home refuses to answer requests regarding Personal Needs Allowance assoc w/ Social Security check: CALLING CONGRESSMAN SHULER

FROM: Marsha V. Hammond, PhD: Clinical / Health Psychologist
NC License # 2748 e mail: hammondmv@netzero.com
Cell phone: 404 964 5338 FAX: 828

TO: Congressman Heath Shuler
356 Biltmore Ave., Suite 400. Asheville, NC 28801

RE: Social Security check monies not made available to recipient, B--: address: House # ---- WNC Homes -------Leicester, NC 28748-6213

May 24, 2009

Dear Congressman Shuler:

I am a clinical psychologist in Asheville, NC. I am writing to you regarding a client of mine, B--, who has given me permission to speak to you regarding the loss of his Medicaid regulated Personal Needs Allowance (PNA) as per his agreement w/ Western North Carolina Homes (the Family Care Home that provides him w/ food & shelter) in Leicester, NC.

I am sorry to trouble you with this but my client and I have been trying for six months to get some information on why he has not received PNA, for the most part, and we have gotten nowhere re: what has happened to his PNA as per the NC Regulatory Agency, Department of Regulatory Services, which oversees Family Care Homes in NC, as well as their local representative, DSS Buncombe County (Adult Protective Services, Family Care Homes, supervisor Cheryl Simcox).

Specific to that matter, I wrote a letter to WNC Homes (telephone number: administrator, Jeff Clifton, FAX: 254 4844; general telephone number: 828 808 3597) in December, 2008 and received no information. The client is followed by myself as well as receiving Community Support Services (CSS) via ---------------, an Endorsed Provider company as per Western Highlands Network LME. ------------ CSS worker, RH, called WNC Homes mid April, 2009, and received no answer.

Additionally, I have a one inch plus file now related to problems vis a vis clients/ residents associated w/ WNC Homes and over 10 letters back from DHRS and DSS Buncombe indicating that ‘nothing in error was found.’

So, in exasperation, and at the insistence of the client, I am asking you to investigate the thievery of federal monies pertaining to B--'s PNA which is what he receives BACK from his Social Security Disability check. WNC Homes is the current payee; this entitles them to manage his check but per Medicaid guidelines, they must give back to him $66/ month minus any co-pays for medications as is warranted by the pharmacy documentation.

Mr. C indicates to me that he has received his PNA less than a handful of times over the past two years, the length of time he has been living at WNC Homes (WNC Homes took over the same physical address formerly known as Evergreen Homes in August, 2008 and so prior to that time, the owners were different but according to Mr. C, they did not give him his Medicaid regulated $66 / month PNA either).

According to Family Care Homes law in NC, requests for clarification must be given when there is a request. And as I stated above, the client has requested verbally and I have requested in writing and RH via ----------------- the Endorsed Provider company, has asked via telephone calls to WNC Homes.

Can you please help this citizen to find out what has become of his PNA which are monies that are part of his Social Security Disability check? These are federal monies we are talking about here and so I believe that is within your purview.

Thanks for your assistance and if I can provide you w/ more information, I am glad to do so and have the permission of the client to do so.