Home Modification and Repairs for Older Adults: Challenges and Opportunities for State Units on Aging: This report by the USC Fall Prevention Center of Excellence and ADvancing States reports on a national survey

COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES/STATE UNIT ON AGING (State Unit on Aging)

State Units on Aging (SUAs) are designated state-level agencies that develop and administer state plans that advocate for and provide assistance, including home modifications or repairs, to older residents, their families, and adults with physical disabilities. SUAs administer funds, including Older Americans Act funds, which may be used to support home modification or repair services through local Area Agencies on Aging and other state and local entities.

COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CARE POLICY AND FINANCING

Home Modification Benefit 
Program Description: The Home Modification Benefit is a Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid Program) benefit that covers specific home modifications in an eligible client’s existing home setting ($14,000 lifetime maximum). The Home Modification Benefit is available through the following state Medicaid Waiver programs:

1. Brain Injury Waiver
Population Served: This waiver is an extra set of Health First Colorado benefits for people with a brain injury who need extra support to live in their communities.

2. Children’s Extensive Support (CES) Waiver 
Population Served: This waiver provides services and supports, including home modifications, to help children up to the age of 17 who have developmental disabilities establish a long-term foundation for community inclusion as they grow into adulthood.

3. Children’s Home and Community Based Services (CHCBS) Waiver 
Population Served: This waiver provides case management and in-home support, including the home modification benefit, for medically fragile children up to 17 years of age with significant medical needs and who are at risk for institutional care in an acute hospital or skilled nursing facility.

4. Community Mental Health Supports Waiver (CMHS) 
Population Served: This program provides assistance to people with mental illnesses that require long-term supports and services in order to remain in a community setting.

5. Developmental Disabilities Waiver 
Population Served: This Home and Community-Based Services Waiver provides access to 24-hour, seven days a week supervision for individuals age 18 years or older through Residential Habilitation and Day Habilitation Services and Supports. Living arrangements vary and services may include home modification.

6. Elderly, Blind, & Disabled Waiver (EBD)
Population Served: This program provides assistance to people age 65 and older who have a functional impairment or are blind, and to people age 18-64 who are physically disabled or have a diagnosis of HIV or AIDS and require long-term support and services in order to remain in a community setting.

7. Home and Community-Based Supported Living Services Waiver (SLS)
Population Served: This waiver serves adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities with home modification as one eligible service.

8. Spinal Cord Injury Waiver (SCI)
Population Served: This program is geographically limited to people living in the Denver Metro Area with spinal cord injuries.

COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES

1. Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) 
Program Description: The benefits of LEAP include repair and replacement of a home’s primary heating system, such as a furnace or wood-burning stove.
Population Served: Colorado residents who earn a maximum family household income that does not exceed 60% of the state median income level.

2. Single Family Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation Program
Program Description: The Colorado Division of Housing works with 14 non-profit organizations throughout the state to connect with homeowners in need of repairs through its pool of single family rehabilitation dollars. These funds are used for any health and safety defects and repairs including roofing, plumbing, and wiring repairs.
Population Served: Low-income residents through local governments, community housing development organization, and non-profit and for-profit housing developers.

COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL AFFAIRS

Home Modification Tax Credit
Program Description: Colorado passed the Income Tax Credit for Retrofitting Home for Health bill (HB18-1267) in 2019 to create a state income tax credit of up to $5,000 to help people with an illness, impairment or disability as well as their spouses or dependents to retrofit their residence for greater accessibility and independence. The tax credit is available for modifications completed in tax years 2019 through 2023.
Population Served: Colorado state income taxpayers with an illness, impairment or disability that necessitates the requested home modification. Current income eligibility requirements may be found on the website.

COLORADO STATE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM

Assistive Technology Partners 
The State Assistive Technology Grant Program, funded under the Assistive Technology Act of 2004, supports comprehensive, statewide programs in each state that improve the provision of assistive technology (often home modification-related) to individuals with disabilities of all ages.

COLORADO STATE FALL PREVENTION COALITION

Colorado Adult Falls Prevention Coalition
For an up to date list of all state fall prevention coalitions, visit: https://www.ncoa.org/resources/list-of-state-falls-prevention-coalitions/

SPOTLIGHT ON LOCAL HOME MODIFICATION EFFORTS BY THE AGING NETWORK

1. To locate the Area Agency on Aging in your state, please contact Eldercare Locator at https://eldercare.acl.gov/Public/Index.aspx

2. Data Brief: Building Community Capacity to Serve Older Adults: The Role of Area Agencies on Aging in Home Modifications and Repairs
This Data Brief highlights key findings from the 2019 National Survey of Area Agencies on Aging on how Area Agencies on Aging are providing and funding home modification and repair activities. It was developed by the USC Fall Prevention Center of Excellence in partnership with the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging as part of the Administration for Community Living project, “Promoting Aging in Place by Enhancing Access to Home Modifications.”

3. Featured Efforts:

Construction Services
Southern Ute Indian Tribe
Ignacio, Colorado
The Construction Services Division of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe Tribal Housing Department provides services focused on supporting safe and sanitary housing for members of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe. This includes home repairs, maintenance, and new home development on tribally-assigned land. They also provide education to recipients to assist them with maintaining their own homes and employ tribal members to carry out the services when possible. Services include emergency repairs for older adults and people with disabilities.

Home Chore and Homemaker Services
San Juan Basin Area Agency on Aging
Pagosa Springs, Colorado
The San Juan Basin Area Agency on Aging provides minor home repair and handyman assistance for older adults.