Northwest Senior and Disability Services outlines local Medicaid, SNAP and senior-support programs to Clatsop County advisory group

Suzanne Bjarnsen, program manager for Northwest Senior and Disability Services, told the Clatsop County advisory group that her agency is the local Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) and serves five Oregon counties, including Clatsop.

Bjarnsen said the agency helps residents apply for Medicaid long-term care, Medicare savings programs and SNAP, connects callers to local services, runs senior meal sites and provides caregiver supports. “We’re a local intergovernment agency … a one-stop shopping for when people have resource information they need,” she said.

Why it matters: Northwest Senior and Disability Services is a primary local access point for older adults and people with disabilities seeking long-term care and benefits. Its eligibility work and community programs affect care placement, household budgets and food access for county residents who are older or disabled.

The agency’s services and how people find them

Bjarnsen said the agency receives federal and state funding and some private donations and that county-level work is coordinated with a board made up of county commissioners and advisory councils. She described two eligibility steps for Medicaid long-term care: a financial review by eligibility specialists and an in-person assessment of activities of daily living by case managers. Services may be provided in home-based settings or in assisted living, adult foster homes or nursing facilities when guideline thresholds are met.

She said the agency also helps lower-income Medicare enrollees with Medicare Part B premiums through Medicare savings programs and provides SHIBA (Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance) counseling to explain Medicare and drug-plan options.

Enrollment and local operations

Asked by Amber Bowman how many county residents are enrolled, Bjarnsen said there are “just under probably 400 people on long-term care services and supports” in Clatsop County receiving in-home care or facility services. She said applications are accepted by phone, online or in person and that referrals commonly come from hospitals, social workers, word-of-mouth and partner agencies.

On volunteer counseling and staff capacity, Bjarnsen said Northwest Senior and Disability Services does not currently have local SHIBA volunteers but that Kim Combs, the county community program supervisor, and regional counselors can provide assistance by phone or Zoom during busy periods.

Meals on Wheels and SNAP

Bjarnsen described three meal sites in the county (Astoria/Swenson, Warrenton and Seaside) and said the agency has partnered with Meals on Wheels Northwest to provide home-delivered meals on varying delivery schedules. Asked whether federal funding cuts would affect the local Meals on Wheels operations, she said, “At the moment, we’re not being affected. Everything is business as usual,” and that agency leadership had not flagged immediate concerns.

Other programs

Bjarnsen noted the agency also provides Older Americans Act programs, caregiver supports, chronic-condition education (for example, fall-prevention and diabetes management) and options counseling to help residents plan for future needs without prematurely spending down assets.

What remains unclear or to follow up

Bjarnsen said she did not have SNAP enrollment counts for Clatsop County available at the meeting but offered to supply those figures later. She also said the ADRC referral line routes callers to the appropriate local office and that adult protective services investigations are managed from the county office.

Ending

Bjarnsen invited follow-up questions and noted the agency’s willingness to provide more enrollment and SNAP-related figures to the advisory group.