Community Inclusion

In many ways, consumers are the best experts on their disabling conditions, including their own needs for support and the effectiveness and quality of programs. As a result, obtaining consumer participation and input at all stages of program design, implementation, evaluation and quality assurance is important. Effectively and efficiently involving consumers and obtaining their input, however, requires creative and innovative methods. This checklist will help to enhance full participation.

The manual is a nursing home to community discharge planning manual designed primarily for use in nursing homes and may be of help to others to use in developing manuals for their communities. It is designed to orient the long-term care providers to the nursing home discharge process by defining the roles of the key partners who are involved in returning residents to community living and to document a standard protocol for accessing and maximizing partner resources.

United Cerebral Palsy conducted a holistic analysis to chart each state’s ranking and progress in creating a quality, meaningful and community-inclusive life for those Americans with mental retardation and developmental disabilities served by that state’s Medicaid program. This is part of a three-phase process that also will study top-performing states and then create state-specific action plans on how their state can improve.

The report describes programs in various states whose primary purpose is nursing facility diversion or transition and identifies promising practices that have helped states divert or transition individuals from nursing facilities. Drawing upon those experiences, the report provides a variety of recommendations for states to consider in addressing the barriers and strengthening efforts to divert and transition individuals from nursing facilities.

The Real Choice Systems Change grant was awarded in 2002 to the Connecticut Department of Social Services. The project has two primary goals: 1) To build the capacity within the state of Connecticut to support informed decision making, independent living, and a meaningful quality of life for persons with disabilities across the life span. 2) To assist three communities in Connecticut to become models of support for opportunities and choices for persons with disabilities across the lifespan. 

On 9/29/04, the Dept of Justice announced the settlement of a lawsuit alleging a pattern of discrimination by the Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC) against low-income people with disabilities. The agreement, the first of its kind, enforces Dept of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations against a public housing authority. Under the agreement, HABC will change its housing facilities, programs, policies & practices; commit several million dollars to new housing; and pay damages.

This brief information update highlights the United States Department of Justice settlement of a housing discrimination suit that alleged disability discrimination by the Triumvera Tower Condominium Association in Glenview, IL. The complaint alleged the condominium association discriminated on the basis of disability by establishing a written policy prohibiting persons in wheelchairs from using the front door.

The Real Choice Systems Change grant was awarded in 2002 to the Connecticut Department of Social Services. The project has two primary goals: 1) To build the capacity within the state of Connecticut to support informed decision making, independent living, and a meaningful quality of life for persons with disabilities across the life span. 2) To assist three communities in Connecticut to become models of support for opportunities and choices for persons with disabilities across the lifespan.

On May 25, 2004 representatives from seven Connecticut towns gathered at the University of Connecticut A.J. Pappanikou Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities in Farmington to share ideas and experiences related to the inclusion of people with disabilities in the life of their communities. In attendance were representatives from the Model Communities of Bridgeport, Groton and New Haven, as well as four other community representatives from municipalities not selected for funding.

This paper explores the role of older participants in planning, developing and overseeing home and community based service (HCBS) programs. It seeks to help State Units on Aging and others in the aging network identify concrete steps they can take to support the role of these older individuals as public policy advocates. The report addresses the extent of older HCBS participants' current involvement, the barriers to success, and the strategies being used to attain participation.