Case histories of six consumers and their families in Cash and Counseling

Objective: To examine how the lives of consumers and their caregivers were affected by making choices and controlling their own resources with the cash option, this paper focuses on six case studies from the Cash and Counseling Demonstration Program. Data Sources: Twenty-one consumers, caregivers, and state consultants were interviewed about their experiences in the program. Study Design: The data come from a larger study of over 200 interviews conducted from June 2000 to August 2004. Interview data were analyzed for themes about caregiving and program satisfaction. Principal Findings: Cash and Counseling benefited consumers and caregivers by allowing consumers increased continuity and reliability of care, increased ability to set hours of care, more satisfaction with how caregiving is offered and more satisfaction with the quality of care. Conclusions: The cash option allowed consumers to create, schedule, and manage their own model of care. Some consumers faced challenges in the program with paperwork, accounting, worries about receiving care, and some ineffective state consultants who could have been more helpful.