In the state of New Jersey, individuals who require nursing home care may still have the option of remaining in their homes and receiving home care. The Jersey Assistance for Community Caregivers, or JACC, program, is a state-funded program that prevents or delays individuals who require skilled nursing and other nursing home services from being placed in a nursing facility.
JACC provides a wide range of home care services to the participant, including homemaker, respite, adult day care, home-delivered meal, transportation, and caregiver training services. The cost of certain medical equipment, as well as accessibility adaptations (e.g., mobility scooters), may also be covered. All required services and items are drawn up in a Plan of Care which is developed in collaboration with the participant and his or her Care Manager.
The JACC program is not a Medicaid sponsored program. Instead, the JACC program is a New Jersey supported program which serves those individuals who are deemed ineligible for Medicaid. The cap on JACC program services is $7,200 a year or $600 a month. Services providers for the participant must meet qualification requirements and be competent in their field. However, in collaboration with his or her own Care Manager, the program participant can employ his or her own service providers.
Qualifications for a participant in the JACC program include residency in the state of New Jersey, an age of 60 years or older, the owning or renting of a home (or residency in the private home of a relative or friend), and U.S. citizenship or legal alien status. The participant must also have no alternative means for securing the skilled nursing and other services that he or she needs.
Financially, the JACC program participant must be deemed ineligible for Medicaid, have a monthly income that is no greater than 365% of the federal poverty level (i.e., no greater than $3,296 per month), and have personal financial resources no greater than $40,000 (or $60,000 per couple).
There may be a co-pay involved in receiving JACC program services, and this co-pay is applied on a sliding scale basis, dependent on personal financial resources and income.
To apply for JACC, New Jersey residents may call 1-877-222-3737, or they may write to or contact the following agency:
New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services
Division of Aging and Community Services
PO Box 807
Trenton, NJ 08625-0807
Phone: 1-800-792-8820
Home care can be a wonderful alternative to a nursing home, allowing the participant to maintain his or her dignity and independence. The JACC program is available in every county throughout New Jersey, provides professional yet personalized services, and is a more cost-effective option to skilled nursing and nursing home care.
Tags: Home Care, Medicaid, New Jersey, Nursing Homes, skilled nursing
