Family Care Home demands the disabled clients w/ mental health concerns attend inappropriate rehab program, wolfing down Medicaid $$$

FROM: Marsha V. Hammond, PhD Licensed Psychologist, NC e mail: hammondmv@netzero.com cell: 404 964 5338 fax: 828 254 2013

TO: Donald Reuss, Director of Provider and Consumer Relations Western Highlands Network 356 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801 828 225 2785 x 2969 fax: 828 225 2784 donaldr@westernhighlands.org

RE: WNC Family Care Homes clients being inappropriately demanded to attend Psychosocial Rehabilitation Day Program

June 20, 2009

Dear Mr. Reuss:

Thank you for reading this e mail.

You may be a bit familiar w/ the matter of WNC Family Care Homes and my complaints to the associated regulatory agency, DHSR, Department of Health Services Regulation (see here for a copy of the letter: http://madame-defarge.blogspot.com/2009/06/letter-from-regulatory-agency-dhsr-re.html/). An employee of WHN LME, a gentleman who oversees the family care homes matter, was present at the meeting I had w/ Cheryl Simcox and Cathy Beatty of Buncombe DSS Adult Protective Services in early March, 2009 regarding my concerns about WNC Homes treatment of disabled people having mental health challenges who are my clients.

I am writing to you as I believe the matter I am about to describe concerns the local LME’s activity as associated w/ consumer choice and Medicaid funds.

I am awaiting a response from Congressman Shuler’s office pertaining to the possible illegal mingling of personal funds associated w/ SSDI/ SSI checks clients associated w/ WNC Homes and the non-timely non-payment of some residents’ monthly Personal Needs Allowance (PNA) (see: Sunday May 24, 2009: http://madame-defarge.blogspot.com/2009/05/family-care-home-refuses-to-answer.html)

Residents of WNC Homes (they have over one dozen family care homes in western NC and the specific set of home of which I speak is located in Leicester, NC: ------ Country Time Lane, Leicester, NC) are being demanded and pushed to attend, during the day, a Psychosocial Rehabilitation Program, Monday thru Friday, 8-3. The name of the program is associated with ‘Health Care Solutions’ and I have not yet turned up the corporate head quarters information or location of this program as there are several indicated online. I imagine that as the LME, you may know exactly whom they are.

WNC Family Care Homes and ‘Health Care Solutions’ appear to have colluded to stop Community Support Services, which the clients have asked for, and have demanded that they get on the bus and go to this PSR. As I understand it, Medicaid does not, nor should it, pay for both Community Support Services and Psychosocial Rehabilitation Services. These demands are not concerned w/ just this one client who live at WNC Homes.

The specific client of my concern, ----- (I am back-channel securely e mailing to you his Medicaid information), Hse -----, WNC Homes, Leicester, NC, has a diagnosis associated w/ a head injury and going and listening to group therapy topics for 7 hours/ day is not appropriate for him; is not helpful for him; and, it is a mis-use of Medicaid dollars.

I am asking you to investigate this matter as I understand that you are about to, or are, managing public Medicaid monies pertaining to these kinds of services. The service is not appropriate for this client, it is not what he wants to do, and it is being demanded by WNC Homes. Moreover, it appears that other clients at the Leicester, NC WNC Homes are being pushed to engage in Psychosocial Rehabilitation Services that may, or may not, be appropriate for them.

Here is the contact information that I have in my files for WNC Homes: WNC Homes: -----------------

If possible, I would like to hear from you about this matter by: July 6, 2009, two weeks from now. I am cc’ing DHSR contacts with whom I have spoken over the past six months re: issues at WNC Homes as well as disability attorneys with whom I have conversed concerning these pressing issues, over the past couple of years.

Thank you.

Marsha V. Hammond, PhD
Licensed Psychologist, NC

Cc:

Kayce Cowan, DHSR contact Buncombe county: Kayce.Cowan@ncmail.net 670-3391
Barbara Ryan, DHSR, Raleigh: 919 855 3784: Barbara.Ryan@ncmail.net
Doug Barrick, Policy Coordinator, DHSR, Raleigh: Doug.Barrick@ncmail.net
Lou Morton, DHSR, Raleigh: Lou.Morton@ncmail.net
"Cathy Beatty, Adult Protec Serv dir " Cathie.Beatty@buncombecounty.org
"Cheryl Simcox, APS, Buncombe DSS " cheryl.simcox@buncombecounty.org
John Rittelmeyer, Director of Legal Services, Disability Rights NC : "John Rittelmeyer"
Douglas Sea: Lead Attorney, Central Piedmont Legal Services, "Douglas Sea" dougs@lssp.org
Madame Defarge blogspot (removal of information associated w/ client)

Sincerely,

Marsha V. Hammond, PhD