Walnut Street Center's Health Assistance Program is a pilot program funded by the Department of Mental Retardation. The program will provide a nurse, a case manager and/or psychologist to help your family with:

• Medical treatments and appointments
• Health education and advocacy
• Transportation
• Entitlements such as SSI, MassHealth, etc.
• Outside services such as the VNA, & Meals-On-Wheels
• Referral to elder services
• Personal Care Attendants
• Recreation and community integration
• Referral to respite care
• Skills training for your son/daughter
• Individual and group counseling for your son/daughter
• Housing issues
• Modifications to the home
• Access to flexible funds
• And many other services

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Walnut Street Center's
Health Assistance Program (HAP)

Overview

The Walnut Street Center's new Health Assistance Program (HAP) provides flexible case management supports to families who care for a son or daughter with a disability in the home. The HAP team will provide families with medical advocacy and consultation from a registered nurse, behavioral consultation and mental health treatment from a licensed psychologist and community integration and recreational services, as well as a wide range of other types of case management supports. In addition to basic core services, flexible funds will be available to families for purchasing approved goods and services. The majority of supports may be offered to families in their own homes.

Initial Assessment Phase

During the first few weeks of service, the HAP team will assess the family's needs and preferences, documenting the results of this assessment and planning for the delivery of services. Throughout this process, the HAP team will work closely with the DMR service coordinator. Behavioral, nursing and psycho-social assessments will be conducted by our psychologist and nurse. When needed, referrals for further evaluations (i.e. OT, PT, Speech, Medical/Psychiatric assessments) will be made to outside agencies.

Case Management

Case management support will be tailored to the needs of the particular family and may include assistance with:

• Skills training in ADL's , transportation and safety
• Medical, dental and psychiatric appointments and referrals
• Entitlements (obtaining SSI, Mass Health, Foodstamps, Elder Services, etc.)
• Obtaining and managing PCA's
• Housing
• Transportation
• Banking and Budgeting
• Managing household chores such as shopping, cooking,cleaning, etc.