CLTS and school services are two separate systems with different funding and different legal purposes. CLTS is a Wisconsin Medicaid waiver program that pays for home and community-based supports, while schools provide education and related services. A child can receive both at the same time. The family's role is to help the two teams coordinate around the same goals.

Table of Contents

  • [What is the Children's Long-Term Support (CLTS) program in Wisconsin?](#what-is-the-childrens-long-term-support-clts-program-in-wisconsin)
  • [How are CLTS services different from what a school provides?](#how-are-clts-services-different-from-what-a-school-provides)
  • [How does a child's CLTS service plan get built?](#how-does-a-childs-clts-service-plan-get-built)
  • [Where do CLTS and school services actually overlap?](#where-do-clts-and-school-services-actually-overlap)
  • [Who is on the team, and who do you talk to about what?](#who-is-on-the-team-and-who-do-you-talk-to-about-what)
  • [What if the two plans disagree, or a request is denied?](#what-if-the-two-plans-disagree-or-a-request-is-denied)
  • [How can skill-building supports fit alongside school and CLTS?](#how-can-skill-building-supports-fit-alongside-school-and-clts)
  • [Key Takeaways](#key-takeaways)
  • [References](#references)

What is the Children's Long-Term Support (CLTS) program in Wisconsin?

The Children's Long-Term Support (CLTS) Program helps children with disabilities and their families through supports and services that help children grow and live their best lives in their home and community, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

CLTS is also called "the Waiver" and is funded through Medicaid. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) runs CLTS at the state level and works with county agencies in all 72 Wisconsin counties. Each county has a health and human services agency that serves as the local entry point for families.

The county agency connects families with a support and service coordinator (SSC). The SSC is the family's one-on-one partner and main contact throughout the CLTS experience. The CLTS team includes the child, the family and caregivers, others the family wants involved, DHS, the county health and human services agency, and the child's providers.

How are CLTS services different from what a school provides?

CLTS pays providers for home and community-based supports, while schools deliver education and school-based services under a different system and funding source. CLTS is not a school program and does not replace an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or school services.

The two systems run on separate plans, separate teams, and separate timelines. A child can receive CLTS supports and school services at the same time without one canceling out the other. According to Milwaukee County, children can disenroll from CLTS to participate in other programs that meet immediate needs and can reapply as needs change.

Families looking for plain-language starting points can review the CLTS Participant and Family Handbook, identified as P-03689, and the "Welcome to the Children's Long-Term Support Program" guide, identified as P-03010. Both documents are available through the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

How does a child's CLTS service plan get built?

A child's CLTS service plan is built through the individualized service plan (ISP), the document that names the child's goals and the supports that will help meet them. The plan is developed with the family at the center of the process.

The Deciding Together approach is the team process used to find the right supports and services for a family and child. According to Jefferson County Human Services, the Deciding Together process ensures family partnership and appropriateness of ISP and outcomes development.

Family support coordinators and parents work together to develop an individualized service plan for each family, according to Burnett County. The Family Voices CLTS fact sheet series walks through this step by step, including "5. Developing Your Child's Individual Service Plan" and "6. Your Child's Service Plan: Creating Outcomes," as noted by Family Voices of Wisconsin.

Where do CLTS and school services actually overlap?

The overlap between CLTS and school services happens in the child's daily life, not in the funding. Both plans should point at the same real-world goals, such as getting to school, building routines, and taking part in the community.

Transportation and home modifications appear among CLTS-related supports, according to Burnett County. These supports can affect whether a child gets to school and activities consistently, which makes them relevant to the school team even though the school does not fund them.

Community schools coordinate academic, mental health, physical wellness, and social-emotional supports and take a whole-child approach to education, according to the Learning Policy Institute. A community school setting can be a natural place for the CLTS team and the school team to align around the same child.

The family's job is to share the same goals, language, and progress notes with both teams so nothing gets duplicated or dropped. Clear communication between the two systems helps everyone work toward the same outcomes.

Who is on the team, and who do you talk to about what?

The CLTS team includes the child, the family and caregivers, others the family wants involved, DHS, the county health and human services agency, and the child's providers, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

The support and service coordinator (SSC) is the main contact for CLTS questions, plan changes, and service coordination. The SSC is the family's one-on-one partner within the CLTS system.

School questions go to the school team, not the SSC. The family is the bridge who can share information both ways, with consent, so that each team understands what the other is working on.

Wisconsin Wayfinder children's resource guides assist families, caregivers, professionals, and organizations in finding supports and services available through the Children's Resource Network, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. These guides can help families understand the broader system of supports beyond CLTS and school.

What if the two plans disagree, or a request is denied?

Families in CLTS can use the county's grievance process, and they can also request an appeal through the State Division of Hearings and Appeals, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

The Family Voices CLTS fact sheet series includes "8. Appealing a Denial," which walks through that process step by step, as noted by Family Voices of Wisconsin.

A denial in one system does not automatically mean a denial in the other. CLTS and school services use different rules and different decision-makers, so an outcome in one system does not control the other.

Families can ask the SSC to explain the reason for a denial in writing and what would need to change for a new request. Written explanations help families understand the next step and share accurate information with the school team.

How can skill-building supports fit alongside school and CLTS?

Abide Supportive Living provides skill-building support in southeastern Wisconsin, serving Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington counties. Abide works alongside the people it serves rather than doing tasks for them.

CLTS Non-Medical Respite is short-term respite for children on the Children's Long-Term Support waiver. It gives families a planned break while their child stays engaged and supported.

Abide provides skill instruction and respite, not housekeeping, personal care, or nursing. The focus is on teaching skills with people so they build independence over time.

Adults funded through IRIS can access Daily Living Skills Instruction, Life Skills Training and Education, Money and Planning Skills, and Community Access Skills through Abide. Families and care coordinators can ask about a referral or current availability without any pressure.

Key Takeaways

  • CLTS is a Wisconsin Medicaid waiver program, also called "the Waiver," that pays providers for home and community-based supports for children with disabilities.
  • DHS runs CLTS at the state level and works with county agencies in all 72 Wisconsin counties; the county agency connects families with a support and service coordinator (SSC).
  • CLTS and school services are separate systems with separate plans and funding; one does not replace the other, and a child can receive both.
  • The Deciding Together approach is the team process used to build the Individual Service Plan and its outcomes with the family.
  • Families in CLTS can use the county grievance process or request an appeal through the State Division of Hearings and Appeals.
  • Abide Supportive Living provides CLTS Non-Medical Respite and adult skill instruction in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington counties.
  • Abide teaches skills with people, not for them, and does not provide housekeeping, personal care, or nursing.

References

  1. Children's Long-Term Support: Program Information for Families — Wisconsin Department of Health Services
  2. Children's Long Term Support Program | Disabilities Services — Milwaukee County
  3. Children's Long Term Support — Barron County Human Services
  4. Children's Long-Term Support (CLTS) — Jefferson County Human Services
  5. Children's Long Term Support (CLTS) — Burnett County
  6. 6\. Your Child's Service Plan: Creating Outcomes — Family Voices of Wisconsin
  7. Leveraging Resources Through Community Schools — Learning Policy Institute