Iowa Medicaid will use a major grant to help older and disabled Iowans stay in their own homes and avoid unnecessary nursing home placements.

Iowa is one of six states to receive funding through a federal provision called “balancing incentive payments,” with an objective to balance Medicaid long-term care programs between facility care and in-home supports.

The grant is available to states in which more than half of Medicaid long-term care spending is used for nursing homes and other facilities. Iowa’s award is $61.8 million through 2015.