Massachusetts Group Adult Foster Care (GAFC) and SSI-G

Program Description

The Group Adult Foster Care (GAFC) program helps elderly, low-income Massachusetts’s residents with the cost of group adult foster care. Group adult foster care includes assisted living care, provided the GAFC Program has approved the residence. The residences included in this program tend to be smaller group homes.

GAFC pays for personal care services and medication management and administration. But it does not cover living costs, such as room and board. Massachusetts, however, provides financial assistance for assisted living room and board costs through the Supplemental Security Income (SSI-G) Assisted Living Benefit. This can be used in combination with the GAFC Program. The GAFC Program is under the administration of MassHealth—the Massachusetts Medicaid program.

Eligibility Guidelines

In addition to being age 22 or older and a Massachusetts resident, the eligibility requirements for the GAFC program consider both the applicant’s health and financial situation. To qualify, the applicant must need help with at least one of his or her activities of daily living, e.g. dressing, bathing, or using the bathroom. A medical doctor must document and certify the participant’s conditions and the level of care required.

Income
Financially, the applicant must qualify for MassHealth, which as mentioned before, is the state name for their Medicaid program. Massachusetts considers both the applicant’s income and their countable assets. In 2022, the maximum monthly income for a single senior is $1,133 per month. A married couple, regardless of whether both spouses are applying, can have up to $1,526 per month in income. These income limits are set at 100% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), which increases every year.

Assets
The maximum value of the applicant’s countable assets is set at $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a married couple (with both spouses applying for services). However, there are many exceptions to this rule. Countable assets do not include one’s home (given the applicant intends to return to the home or has a spouse living in the home), personal effects, household items, and a motor vehicle.

MassHealth eligibility is complicated and there are many gray areas and different income levels depending on the applicant’s conditions. Persons who do not meet the strict financial limits are encouraged to consult with a MassHealth eligibility expert before completing an application to ensure the best possibility of acceptance into this program.

Benefits and Services

The GAFC Program pays for the cost of personal care, medication administration, housecleaning, and transportation in group adult foster care or at approved assisted living communities throughout the state of Massachusetts. This program does not pay for room and board. Personal care includes assistance with the five activities of daily living—bathing, transferring or mobility, toileting, dressing, and eating—as well as other important activities, such as personal hygiene.

SSI-G, administered by the Social Security Administration, provides funding for the room and board part of adult foster care or assisted living.

How to Apply / Learn More

There are several options to apply.  One can call 1-800-841-2900 or visit any of the Massachusetts Elder Care Agency offices.  Both GAFC and SSI-G are available statewide.  To learn more about GAFC, one can reference the Group Adult Foster Care Manual.