Shayne Nagel, right, comforts her daughter, Erin, who has autism. Erin lived at a state-run residential center for two years before moving into a triplex in the community with assistance from Washington state's Money Follows the Person program. (Bettina Hansen/The Seattle Times/TNS)

Money Follows the Person, a Medicaid program that provides financial support to people transitioning from an institution to apartment or small group living, will be out of money at the end of the year unless the U.S. Congress passes a bill to fund it. Advocates are cautiously optimistic that Congress will pass the bill, or a short-term extension, before the session ends this week.