Finding CHOICES in the community.

MCIL helps individuals remain in the community

By Bobbie Fields, Transition Coordinator
One consumer MCIL served this year is a fifty-six year old gentleman who was hospitalized due to a stroke in February of 2015. MCIL became involved when the hospital refused to continue treating him after his condition improved. In fact, they were threatening to release him out in the streets if his sister couldn't find a place for him to go.

The hospital wanted to send him to a nursing home and had not told him that he had the option to remain in the community. MCIL helped him apply for CHOICES, a program of  TENNCare Medicaid to help people live in their own home and not expensive institutions.

We met with the individual and his sister about his options as far as housing, healthcare, and the hospital responsibilities.  We also had a meeting with the hospital social worker and the administrative representative about their responsibilities and discharging him into an unsafe environment.

The consumer was given resources to help him begin the process of getting insurance, finding housing, and medical care. He eventually received home and community based services through the CHOICES Program and he was also able to find affordable, accessible, integrated housing from the list we provided.

Today, the MCIL consumer calls me periodically about his progress and to thank us for all of our help and support. He is thankful for MCIL helping him to remain independent in his community. He is excited about the start of basketball season and tells me he can't wait to catch a live game.