Dunn, Chippewa and Eau Claire counties team up to receive “Independent Living Support” pilot grant
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
MENOMONIE — Dunn County, Chippewa County and Eau Claire County teamed up to apply for an “Independent Living Support” pilot program grant through the state of Wisconsin and have been awarded $3.5 million all together.
Participants in the Independent Living Support grant will receive $7,200 for items or services to help keep them safe in their homes, such as ramps, lift chairs and nursing help, said Tracy Fischer, manager of the Dunn County Aging and Disability Resource Center, at a meeting of the ADRC Advisory Committee March 20.
The program is designed for those who do not qualify financially for other programs and has an income cap of 300 percent of the federal poverty level. Assets are not counted, Fischer said.
The Dunn-Chippewa-Eau Claire project is one of 12 projects in the state that received funding, she said.
The original grant application was for 320 slots among the three counties, but after the application was submitted, state officials said 500 more slots would be provided across the state. Fischer said she asked for an additional 180 slots to make it an even 500 and received an additional 110 slots for a total of 430.
The official said they probably would not be able to award the entire 180 slots to Dunn-Chippewa-Eau Claire, and Fischer had said she would be grateful for any additional slots.
The grant program provides an additional $864 per slot for administrative costs, she said.
In total, Dunn-Chippewa-Eau Claire will be receiving $371,520 for administrative costs and $3.1 million for direct spending by residents, for a total amount of $3.468 million, Fischer said.
Up to two full-time or multiple part-time people will be hired to fill two full-time-equivalency positions to cover the pilot program in the three counties, she said.
The state had unspent American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and asked the federal government for approval to spend the money for a purpose other than COVID-19 education, Fischer said.
The state is anticipating the program will be successful and plans to continue and expand the program. That is how the ADRCs started, as pilot programs that expanded, she said.
Every county in Wisconsin is now required to have an ADRC.
“I hope it will be permanent and be expanded … I almost started crying when I found out we got it. I was very pleased,” Fischer said.
Enrollment will begin July 10, and there will be a nine-month enrollment period. People who receive the $7,200 will have one year to spend the money, she said.
Dunn County is the lead agency but will not be the fiscal agent. Another agency will be the fiscal agent, Fischer said.
The Dunn-Chippewa-Eau Claire grant is the third-largest awarded, right behind Milwaukee County and Dane County, she said.
State officials are very interested in how the regional approach of Dunn County, Chippewa County and Eau Claire County will work out, she said.
