Frequently Asked Questions
Community Bridges is a non-profit, 501(c)3 agency serving families in central New Hampshire affected by disability. Disability, a natural part of the human experience, may occur from developmental impairments, brain injury, or aging. Since 1982, we’ve advanced the integration, growth, and interdependence of people with disabilities in their communities, while promoting and supporting them to live as independently as possible.
Community Bridges links individuals and families to services, providers, and resources. But our name also refers to our goal of encouraging and supporting those with disabilities to be connected, contributing members of our community, as much as they are able and comfortable doing so.
We are a large organization and usually have job opportunities available. Call 1-800-499-4153 to contact a recruiter in our Human Resources department. You can also check our available openings on our Careers Page.
We provide guidance and support to families and those with developmental disabilities or brain injury. We are an advocate and caring partner for those individuals and their families from early childhood through all phases of life. It’s our mission to help everyone discover and use their skills and talents, so they can live a productive and rewarding life that they choose for themselves.
We do this by connecting families and individuals with disabilities to agencies, service providers, training, and experiences to enrich and support them.
To determine eligibility for service contact one of our intake coordinators by calling our general business line. Our receptionist will ask you a few questions in order to connect you with the most appropriate person.
*Please note that we cannot accept third party referrals, such as doctors or school officials. We can only initiate the intake process with the individual seeking services or their guardian.
Community Bridges conducts service eligibility evaluations for people living in central New Hampshire. We have two coordinators. Based upon the type of service needed and age of the recipient, the appropriate coordinator will be assigned to you. Call our main number at 1-800-499-4153 to request an eligibility determination. After answering a few simple questions, you’ll be connected to the right person.
The Developmental Disability Wait list is a list of people who are waiting for budgeted services when there is not enough funding to support the needs of an individual with a developmental disability and/or acquired brain injury. The wait list is for any person who is eligible for DD or ABD waivered services.
According to NH RSA 171-A:1-a An individual can be put on a waitlist in one of three ways:
A) For persons in school and already eligible for services from the area agencies, funds shall be allocated to them 90 days prior to their graduating or exiting the school system or earlier so that any new or modified services needed are available and provided upon such school graduation or exit.
B) For newly found eligible adults, the period between the time of completion of an individual service agreement pursuant to RSA 171-A:12 and the allocation by the department of the funds needed to carry out the services required by the agreement shall not exceed 90 days.
C) For persons already receiving services who experience significant life changes, such as a significant change in their medical conditions, the period of time for initiation of new services shall not exceed 90 days from the amendment of the individual service agreement except by mutual agreement
A Medicaid waiver is a provision in Medicaid law that allows the federal government to waive rules that usually apply to the Medicaid program. The intention is to allow individual states to accomplish certain goals, such as reducing costs, expanding coverage, or improving care for certain target groups. In NH for Developmental Services, there are 3 Medicaid waivers:
A) Developmental Disability Waiver (adults)
B) The Acquired Brain Injury Waiver (adults)
C) In-Home Support Waiver (children)
Yes! Our services are available to individuals throughout the life span, unless the individual no longer qualifies for services or until services are no longer requested. Adults with an acquired brain injury, or who are dealing with later-in-life age-related challenges may also be eligible for services such as elder care.
Community Bridges’ services can be paid for privately, but most are paid for through the Medicaid eligibility of the person receiving services. Call 1-800-499-4153 and ask to speak with an Intake Coordinator to find out more.
Our Medicaid Specialist is available to answer your questions regarding Medicaid, Social Security, Home and Community-Based Care eligibility, and Coordination of Benefits. Navigating the long-term care system in NH can present unique challenges. Whether you have an application question, a ‘Medicaid Category’ question, or are simply trying to determine how the different programs work together, we are here to help support you with this process.
Community Bridges can serve as a "Rep Payee" to assist in managing funding you may receive from the Social Security Administration. Please contact your service coordinator to learn how to access this support.
What is the Representative Payee responsible for in their role?
Representative Payees follow all the guidelines as outlined in the Social Security Administration (SSA) guidebook. This includes monthly paying agreed-upon bills, collecting bank account statements, wage stubs if the individual is working, communication with the team to keep funding sources in place, and timely attention to requests from the team. While the Representative payee works closely with a team that supports the individuals who receive Rep Payee services, they do not handle other cash benefits.
What is the Representative Payee NOT responsible for in their role?
The Rep Payee is not responsible for doing the following; filing for other cash benefits, filling out SNAP or other benefit documents, and is not the sole communicator for money needs of the individual.
If you have questions or need assistance with your Medicaid benefits, we encourage you to reach out to your case manager. Community Bridges does have a Medicaid Specialist and be a great resource for you and your team.
Information directly from the Social Security Administration
We understand that there may be questions about the role a representative payee plays in supporting an individual’s finances. The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers several tools and resources to assist. We want to provide you with those resources.
· What are the rules under SSI? Where do I find out more?
https://www.ssa.gov/payee/faqrep.htm
· What are the duties of the Representative Payee as per the Social Security Administration (SSA)?
Our Medicaid Specialist is available to answer your questions regarding Medicaid, Social Security, Home and Community-Based Care eligibility, and Coordination of Benefits. Navigating the long-term care system in NH can present unique challenges. Whether you have an application question, a ‘Medicaid Category’ question, or are simply trying to determine how the different programs work together, we are here to help support you with this process.
For media inquiries, please contact Ann Potoczak, President & CEO, by email or by calling our main number at 1-800-499-4153.
To file a complaint, call the Office of Client and Legal Services at 1-855-450-3593. You can also make a complaint or report a problem to your Service Coordinator or the Quality Assurance Department at Community Bridges. Community Bridges staff can assist you in documenting your complaint and will send it the Office of Client and Legal Services. OCLS will return a call to you with an assigned investigator.
The Department of Health & Human Services has a very helpful website - visit here.
Conflict-Free Case Management is a federal law enacted in 2014 that requires all states to comply with Federal law and rules to assure that services provided to individuals on Medicaid Waivers are conflict-free. This means that no area agency can provide both case management/service coordination and direct services to the same person.
