UCP Family Support Program

Questions and Answers

 

Q:  What counties does the UCP program cover?

A:  Rutherford

 

Q:  I don’t live in Rutherford County. How do I get information about Family Support for other Tennessee counties?

A:  Go to:   http://www.tennessee.gov/dmrs/family_support/agencies.html or call UCP at 615-242-4091.  We are glad to mail or fax a list of Family Support agencies for each Tennessee county.

 

Q:  Who may apply for Family Support Funding?

A:  The Family Support program is open to individuals of all ages, with all types of disabilities. To be eligible for Family Support, the individual must have a disability that significantly impacts their abilities to perform daily life functions.  The person must be living in the community in a home, apartment or other setting that is characterized as an “unsupported setting,” meaning that no personal support or direct living assistance services are being supplied by state or federal funding. 

 

Q:  How can I apply?

A:  You can download the application from the UCP website:  http://www.ucpnashville.org  or you can have the application mailed or faxed to you if you call the UCP Rutherford County Program at 615-796-3341.  The Rutherford County Family Support Coordinator is Laura Crain.

 

Q:  How much money is available?

A:   The maximum amount of funding to be distributed per year per family is determined by the Local Family Support Council, a volunteer group consisting of representatives of family members and individuals familiar with the needs of persons with disabilities in Rutherford County.  This is a small fund, so allocations are generally $1,000 or less. Families/individuals  should apply on the basis of their most significant unmet needs.

 

Q:  Who decides which requests are funded?

A:  Funding determinations are made by the Rutherford County Family Support Council on the basis of priorities established at the beginning of each year. The Council reserves the right to fully fund, partially fund, or decline any request, based on established priorities and availability of funds.

 

Q:  How long does funding last?

A:   Commitments for Family Support Funding are on a one-year basis beginning July 1 and ending June 30 of each year (the State of Tennessee fiscal year). Families may reapply each year, but no commitment may exceed the year end.

 

Q:  What happens when the money runs out?

A:  When funds are depleted, requests are placed on a waiting list. It is important for families to make application when the need exists, even if the funding is depleted. The state makes many funding allocation decisions based on unmet needs. If families do not have a record of their needs on file, the state has no way of knowing how much funding is actually required/needed in any specific region or area of the state.