Governor Scott Walker Announces Family Care Expansion in Northeast Wisconsin

Press Release

Governor Scott Walker traveled to Options for Independent Living today to announce the expansion of Family Care in northeast Wisconsin. Previously, 57 counties offered Family Care services. This expansion allows seven additional counties to have access to the long-term care, offering independence and a greater quality of life, by allowing people to stay in their own homes longer.

"This is a win-win for the entire state, and people who are aging or who have physical or developmental disabilities," Governor Walker said. "The expansion of this program allows more people to stay in their homes, where they prefer to be. By extending Family Care services, they can have a better quality of life, more independence, and they can avoid the expense of moving into a nursing home before it's necessary."

The expansion includes Brown, Door, Kewaunee, Marinette, Menomonie, Oconto, and Shawano Counties. An analysis by the Department of Health Services (DHS) found expanding Family Care to the remaining counties could reduce long-term care costs by $34.7 million over ten years, and that the reduced costs will grow over time.

Established in 1998 as a redesign of Wisconsin's long-term care system, Family Care provides flexible, comprehensive care for people with physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities. The goals of Family Care services are to: give individuals better choices about where they live and the types of services they receive in order to meet their goals; improve access to care; improve the quality of care through a focus on health and social outcomes; and create a cost-effective system for the future.

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