THE COMMUNITY CARE SERVICES PROGRAM

REV. Dec 2014

What is the Community Care Services Program?

The Community Care Services Program (CCSP)

assists individuals who are elderly and/or functionally

impaired to remain in their homes and/or

communities. For eligible consumers, CCSP offers

community-based services as an alternative to nursing

facility placement. The Department of Community

Health administers and operates the CCSP.

What services are available through this program?

Adult Day Health

 Daytime care and supervision in an adult day

center

 Nursing and medical social services

 Planned therapeutic activities

 Physical, speech, and occupational therapy

 Meals, including prescribed diets

Alternative Living Services

 Alternative residence for persons unable to remain

independent in their own homes

 Meals, personal care, and supervision

Emergency Response Services

 In-home electronic support system providing two-

way communication between isolated persons and

a medical control center

 Service available 24 hours a day, seven days a

week

Home-Delivered Services

 Skilled nursing services

 Physical, speech and occupational therapy

 Medical social services and home health aide

assistance

 Personal care and assistance with meals

Personal Support Services

 Assistance with meal preparation, hygiene and

nutrition

 Light housekeeping, necessary errands, and other

support services

 In-home respite care provided by an aide

Consumer-Directed Personal Support Services option

Same as Personal Support Services, except:

 Consumer hires and supervises worker(s) of choice

 Clients enrolled in the option are required to

choose a Financial Management Services provider

that will issue paychecks and adhere to federal and

state tax laws on behalf of the client

Out-of-Home Respite Care

 Out-of-home overnight respite care in an approved

facility with 24-hour supervision

Home Delivered Meals

 Prepared outside the home and delivered to the

client

Who is eligible for Community Care Services?

The eligibility criteria for CCSP include the following:

 Functional impairment caused by physical

limitations

NOTE: Alzheimer’s and dementia are physical

conditions.

 Unmet need for care

 Approval of an intermediate level of care (LOC)

certification for nursing home placement

 Approval of care plan by client’s physician

 Medicaid eligible or potentially eligible after

admission to CCSP

 Client chooses community-based, rather than

institutional services

 Services fall within the average annual cost of

Medicaid reimbursed care provided in a nursing

facility. Health and safety needs can be met by

CCSP

 Participation in one waiver program at a time

 Medicare home health services or hospice

(Medicare or Medicaid) does not meet consumer

need for services

 Home Delivered Meals is not the only service need

 The home environment is free of illegal behavior

and threats of bodily harm to other persons.

A client is not required to be homebound to receive

CCSP services.

(over)

REV. Dec 2014

How does an individual obtain Community Care

Services?

Step 1: The individual contacts the Area Agency on

Aging for an assessment.

Step 2: If the individual is eligible for CCSP, the care

coordinator determines which services the applicant

needs.

How are services arranged?

Step 1: The care coordinator arranges for CCSP

service agencies to provide the needed services.

Service agencies are approved Medicaid providers

who bill the Department of Community Health

directly for services rendered to Community Care

clients. Care coordinators also arrange for client

services through other service agencies and fund

sources.

Step 2: If the individual is not a Medicaid recipient,

she/he applies for Medicaid at the local county office

of the Division of Family and Children Services.

Step 3: The care coordinator maintains regular contact

with Community Care clients to assure that services

are appropriate and that individuals' needs are met.

Client /family representative participates in the

development of the client care plan.

What are the financial eligibility requirements?

The following information summarizes the financial eligibility criteria for the CCSP.

 SSI category: Persons who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and are eligible for medical

assistance. The Social Security Administration takes applications for SSI.

 Medical Assistance Only (MAO) category: Persons who do not receive cash benefits under the SSI program

may qualify for medical assistance under another Medicaid category. The county Departments of Family

and Children Services take applications for MAO. MAO participants may have to pay toward the cost of

services.

SSI Income Limits:*

CCSP Medicaid/

MAO Income Limits:

SSI and CCSP Medicaid

Resource Limits:

Individual

Below $733/ Month $2,199/month $2,000 or less

Couple

(both in CCSP)

Below $1,100/ Month

$2,199/month

per individual

$3,000 or less

Individual in CCSP,

But married

Below $1,100/ Month $2,199/month

$2,000 or less for SSI

$121,220.00 (combined) or

less for CCSP Medicaid **

* These limits change when the Social Security Administration increases Social Security and SSI.

** If the CCSP Medicaid applicant has a spouse who is neither in CCSP nor in an institution, the assets of the

spouse MUST be considered in the eligibility determination. The combined total of countable assets of the

individual and the spouse must be $121,220.00 or less. The CCSP client must transfer assets in his/her name in

excess of $2,000 to the community spouse within one year from the month Medicaid eligibility begins.

A CCSP Medicaid eligible person may divert up to $2,980.50 per month of income to a legal spouse who is neither

in the CCSP nor an institution. The legal spouse’s income is deducted from the $2,980.50 limit before determining

the amount of income to divert.

REV. June 2016

Community Care Services Program (CCSP)

Lead Agency and Geographic Service Areas

Listed below are Georgia’s 12 Planning & Service Areas. Each lead agency, called Area Agency on

Aging (AAA), coordinates a variety of services and resource information for the elderly and disabled,

including assessment and referral to programs including CCSP. The AAA serves as the CCSP’s entry

point, determines both consumer eligibility and the type of services needed.

ATLANTA REGIONAL COMMISSION

CCSP Information - (404) 463-3333 (Atlanta)

Area Agency on Aging - (404) 463-3100 (Atlanta)

Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette,

Fulton, Gwinnett, Rockdale, and Henry

CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER

CCSP Information – 1-888-922-4464 or (706) 210-2018

Area Agency on Aging - (706) 210-2018 (Augusta)

Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Hancock, Jefferson, Jenkins,

Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Screven, Taliaferro,

Warren, Washington and Wilkes

COASTAL GEORGIA

CCSP Information – 1-800-580-6860

Area Agency on Aging - (912) 437-0800

Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn,

Liberty, Long and McIntosh

LEGACY LINK

CCSP Information – 1-800-845-LINK or (770) 538-2650

Area Agency on Aging - (770) 538-2650 (Oakwood)

Banks, Dawson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart,

Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union and White

HEART OF GEORGIA /ALTAMAHA

CCSP Information - 1-888-367-9913 or (912) 367-3648

Area Agency on Aging - (912) 367-3648 (Baxley)

Appling, Bleckley, Candler, Dodge, Emanuel, Evans, Jeff

Davis, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair,

Toombs, Treutlen, Wayne, Wheeler and Wilcox

MIDDLE GEORGIA

CCSP Information - (478) 751-6466

Area Agency on Aging -

(478) 751-6466 or 1-888-548-1456

Baldwin, Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Jones, Monroe,

Peach, Pulaski, Putnam, Twiggs and Wilkinson

RIVER VALLEY REGIONAL COMMISSION

(formerly Lower Chattahoochee)

CCSP Information - (706) 256-2900 or 1-800-615-4379

Area Agency on Aging - (706) 256-2900 (Columbus)

Chattahoochee, Clay, Crisp, Dooly, Harris, Macon,

Marion, Muscogee, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Stewart,

Sumter, Talbot, Taylor and Webster

NORTHEAST GEORGIA

CCSP Information - 1-800-474-7540 or (706) 583-2546

Area Agency on Agency - (706) 369-5650 (Athens)

Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Jasper,

Madison, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe and

Walton

NORTHWEST GEORGIA (formerly Northwest Georgia)

CCSP Information - 1-800-759-2963 or (706) 802-5506

Area Agency on Aging- (706) 295-6485

Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer,

Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk,

Walker and Whitfield

SOUTHERN GEORGIA (formerly Southeast GA)

CCSP Information- (912) 287-5888 or 1-888-732-4464

Area Agency on Aging - (912) 285-6097 (Waycross)

Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks,

Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier,

Lowndes, Pierce, Tift, Turner and Ware

SOUTHWEST GEORGIA (SOWEGA)

CCSP Information- (229) 432-1124 (Albany)

Area Agency on Aging - 1-800-282-6612 or

(229) 432-1124 (Albany)

Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early,

Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas

and Worth

THREE RIVERS REGIONAL COMMISSION

(formerly Southern Crescent)

CCSP Information - (706) 675-6721 or (770) 854-6026

Area Agency on Aging - 1-866-854-5652 or

(678) 552-2838 (Franklin) or (770) 854-6026 (Atlanta)

Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Heard, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike,

Spalding, Troup and Upson