GREEN BAY – Governor Jim Doyle today signed Senate Bill 653, legislation to expand the Family Care program statewide, eliminating waiting lists for community-based long term care programs over the next five years. About 11,500 people, including more than 500 in Brown County, are currently on waiting lists for Family Care, which provides affordable long term care options for seniors and people with disabilities who don’t want or need to live in nursing homes.
“Family Care has already offered thousands of Wisconsin families an affordable alternative to nursing homes,” Governor Doyle said. “While Family Care is great for the taxpayers of our state, it’s about so much more than that. It’s really about what any one of us would want for our mother or father. By expanding Family Care statewide we can make long-term care more affordable and available to middle-class families across Wisconsin, so their loved ones can live independently with dignity.”
Governor Doyle first proposed the expansion of Family Care during his State of the State Address in January as part of his Affordability Agenda. Last month the Governor called on the Legislature to send the Family Care legislation to his desk before it adjourned for the year.
Governor Doyle thanked Senators Carol Roessler and Julie Lassa, as well as Representatives Dean Kaufert, Jennifer Shilling and Curt Gielow for their work on this bill.
Family Care currently serves residents in five counties across the state. Senate Bill 653 will allow the program to expand to all 72 counties and raise the statutory cap on the percentage of the state’s eligible population Family Care can serve from 29 percent to 50 percent.
A study of the Family Care pilot program released last year found that in 2003 and 2004, the program saved a monthly average of $55 per person in Milwaukee and $452 per person in the other four counties with the program.
The expansion of Family Care will help reach the goal Governor Doyle has set for the state: to reduce the overall use of nursing homes by 25 percent over the next 8 years.
The Department of Health and Family Services has awarded $1.4 million in planning grants to counties around the state to prepare for Family Care’s expansion. These grants are helping develop partnerships between multiple counties to lay the groundwork to implement Family Care programs and eliminate waiting lists for community-based long term care.
Governor Doyle also acted on Senate Bill 391 and Assembly Bill 539, which will result in greater reporting of abuse and will offer better protection to adults who are at risk. The legislation clarifies the definition of abusive situations to include identity theft and financial exploitation, along with neglect and physical and verbal abuse.
“This legislation will ensure that Wisconsin seniors and adults with disabilities are treated fairly and with dignity,” said Governor Doyle.
Governor Doyle thanked Senators Luther Olsen and Mark Miller, as well as Representatives John Townsend and Peggy Krusick for their work on SB 391. Governor Doyle thanked Representative Suzanne Jeskewitz for her work on AB 539.
Governor Doyle also acted on the following bills:
Senate Bill 530, which creates a pilot program in Winnebago County that will encourage more enrollment into drug and alcohol treatment programs.
Governor Doyle thanked Senator Carol Roessler, as well as Representatives Dean Kaufert and Terese Berceau for their work on the bill.
Assembly Bill 868, which transfers ownership of submerged land within the waters of Green Bay to Brown County for a project to restore the Cat Island chain, which was washed out in the 1970s. Owning the land will allow Brown County to use dredge material from Green Bay in the restoration project and will help protect fish and wildlife habitats important to the local ecosystem.
Governor Doyle thanked Representative Judy Krawczyk and Senator Dave Hansen for their work on the bill.
Senate Bill 478 makes several changes to the laws governing state building projects. The changes work to update and streamline the process by which the State Building Commission approves projects.
Governor Doyle thanked the four legislative members of the State's Building Commission for their work on this bill: Senators Carol Roessler and Fred Risser, and Representatives Jeff Fitzgerald and Jennifer Shilling.
