Since 1996, Black Stone has provided the elderly with non-medical care through Ohio's PASSPORT program. In fact, today we are the largest provider of PASSPORT services in Southwest Ohio. 

PASSPORT (Pre-Admission Screening System Providing Options and Resources Today) is a program provided by the State of Ohio through the Council on Aging that helps people age 60+ who are in need of hands-on help with dressing, bathing, toileting, grooming, eating or mobility. If you are eligible for Medicaid, you may qualify for PASSPORT and your care would be free, or set at an affordable level, depending on your income and assets.

To research if you qualify for PASSPORT, start by going to www.ohioaging.org and click on your location on the map. Or call 1-800-252-0155. 

Various area agencies have local programs to offer assistance.  For example, another option is the Elderly Services Program (ESP), a taxpayer-supported program. If you do not qualify for Medicaid, but still cannot afford to pay privately for in-home care, ESP steps in. ESP clients can have a higher income level (some ESP clients have a co-payment) and a less-severe level of disability than PASSPORT clients. Because ESP is supported by county tax dollars, it is reserved for those who have no other options; it is the payer of last resort. In other words, ESP clients may not be eligible for services through another source such as Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance.

Other than differences in income and disability qualifications, PASSPORT and ESP offer many of the same in-home care services, including housekeeping, personal care, medical transportation and home-delivered meals.