Community Inclusion

New job descriptions and titles are being developed to focus on the needs of individuals for activities such as support coordination, brokerage and personal resource management. This report helps to define the concept of “support brokerage” as it relates to persons with developmental disabilities. It addresses issues such as conflicting interests, self determination and structural requirements.

Are you looking to develop resources for a Veteran-directed HCBS program? Find materials developed for Southern Maine’s program, including a marketing brochure, a detailed guidebook defining concepts such as self-direction and financial services, forms and instructions for emergency backup, safety and prevention strategies, care plan development and budget worksheets, and detailed information and forms to help veterans in their role as an employer.

Listen to a recording of a webinar presenting strategies for program administrators to consider as they determine how to provide FMS in their Community Living and Veteran Directed programs. Topics include how to decide on a model of FMS, whether to contract for Financial Management Services, provide them "in-house" at the AAA, or use a hybrid approach. Accompanying tip sheets and documents are included.

Learn about the status of the public LTC delivery system, and opportunities and obstacles for LTSS reform and rebalancing. The study surveys states’ current HCBS expenditures and utilization, analyzes factors underpinning Medicaid’s institutional bias, looks at federal and state initiatives to improve the ratio between institutional and community-based care, and points to statutory and regulatory “fixes” that could enhance the states’ ability to improve their LTC delivery systems.

To inform long-term care reform efforts, a web-based survey of over 1,000 LTC specialists nationwide was conducted. Findings included the need for LTC to be rebalanced toward HCBS settings, though few supported doing so by limiting nursing home bed supply. Although virtually all felt that the federal government was doing a poor job regulating LTC providers, most believed that the approaches used to oversee nursing homes should also be applied to assisted living.

Find an article produced for the general public discussing the progress of Money Follows the Person. The author cites study findings suggesting reasons for states’ slow movement in nursing home transition: problems finding affordable housing, resistance from nursing homes, stringent federal rules limiting eligibility and types of community settings individuals can move into. Included are links to a related video and interactive map showing each state’s goals and transitions made to date.

Looking for an organization that provides training and resources for self-advocates? This network’s goal is to prepare self-advocates for leadership roles in guiding developmental disabilities systems change in ways that promote self-determination, community integration and participant-driven supports. The organization developed “My Voice, My Choice,” a curriculum described in detail on the website, which also includes toolkits, training opportunities and more.

As states assess the challenges and opportunities presented by federal health reform legislation, there is a natural tendency to focus on the most immediate issues, but it is equally important that states begin planning for the many aspects of implementation that occur in later years. This State Health Policy Briefing identifies and describes ten aspects of federal health reform that states must get right if they are to be successful in implementation.

What are the major components of the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) program? The program establishes a national, voluntary insurance program for purchasing community living services and supports that is designed to expand options for people who become functionally disabled and require long-term help. Find a description of the program, including its financing, eligibility criteria, benefit design and interaction with Medicaid.

Looking for a reference guide for recruiting, hiring, & retaining employees with disabilities? This is a quick reference guide geared towards employers outlining the advantages of hiring people with disabilities, along with four simple steps towards increasing their inclusiveness in the workforce. With numerous resources and Web links, this is a helpful tool for organizations looking to benefit from the talents of qualified individuals with disabilities.