Ron Yost Personal Assistance Services Funding (RYPAS): Fact Sheet

The SILC supports the improvement package submitted by the Division of Rehabilitation Services for a $200,000 continuing increase, at minimum, to the funding for the Ron Yost Personal Assistance Services (RYPAS) Program. The waiting list for the program continues to grow. Funding should be increased at least to a level which will continue to serve current recipients and address the waiting list.

Without the RYPAS program current recipients and those on the waiting list are at risk of being forced into nursing homes or other institutional settings.
There are currently 37 individuals on the waiting list for the RYPAS program and an additional $655,668 is the estimated cost to meet their needs.
An increase in funding for this program is essential to maintain the independence of recipients and secure the independence of those on the waiting list.
Currently, individuals on the waiting list are only moved onto the program when a current recipient dies or experiences a change in their living situation which eliminates their need for services.

The SILC strongly supports any increase in funding for RYPAS however, the $200,000 increase would eliminate less than one-third of the waiting list.

Why are Personal Assistance Services (PAS) Essential?

RYPAS provides funding for people with disabilities to hire personal assistants to help with their personal care and other daily activities of independent living. Recipients of RYPAS are people with severe disabilities who are in need of support and assistance to enable them to live in their own homes and communities instead of nursing homes or other restrictive, segregated settings. These services can include, but are not limited to, assistance with bathing, cooking, dressing, and housekeeping.

There are currently 22 recipients on the RYPAS program who use an average of 54.5 hours per week of PAS at an average cost of $15,672 per year. The WV Health Care Association reports the average cost of nursing home care is $188 per day or $68,620 per year.

Characteristics of the RYPAS Program:

The person with a disability is the employer of their personal assistant(s) and has the employer responsibilities of hiring, training, supervising, scheduling, paying, terminating (if necessary) their assistant(s), and managing all the employer tax responsibilities. They may also designate an individual to manage these responsibilities for them.
Eligibility is based on functional need rather than on medical diagnosis.
Individuals are eligible for RYPAS only if they are not receiving PAS from a Medicaid program and they must apply for the Medicaid programs and take them if they are eligible.
A sliding fee schedule requires recipients to contribute to the cost of services based on their ability to do so.

Contact

For more information contact Ann Watts McDaniel, WV Statewide Independent Living Council at 304-766-4624 (office) or 304-617-1417 (cell) or ann.meadows@wvsilc.org