CPASS

How can a community advisor help find choices and supports? The MA CPASS grantees developed two tools to support self-determination. The first is a checklist of suggested competencies, attributes and skills of necessary to be a Community Advisors. The second resource is a guide defining the role of an advisory, how to use and select the right person, plus checklist of other considerations.

Two different reports assessed the MA C-PASS activities. First, an independent evaluation of the goals and accomplishment, information gathered from structured interviews. The second report is a ‘self-evaluation’ from the Coordinating Council who evaluated their own performance. Review the findings on self-determination, the planning process, the barriers encountered and goals achieved.

A product of the MASS C-PASS mini-grant project operated by the Multicultural Services Center of the Pioneer Valley (Otro Puente) this bilingual guide was designed for newly arrived Latino individuals and families to the city of Holyoke, MA. Written in response to concerns that many families don’t know how to start looking for supports for a person living with a disability, the guide reviews how to prepare for an interview or home visit, ways to gather information and a list of local agencies.

This site was created to support self-advocates and their communities to participate in Statewide personal assistance service systems change, promoting consumer-directed service models through community councils and customized training and technical assistance. The list of tools includes CPASS Business such as the calendar and newsletter as well as Consumer Direction & CPASS Resources and Training materials (Self-Advocacy and Personal Assistance Handbooks, Service Models, Support Brokerage).

The MASS C-PASS Marketing & Outreach Subcommittee (M&O) created a Consumer Forum Series to gather information on barriers to self-direction and community integration from a community perspective. Aside from targeting elders, individuals with disabilities and their families, emphasis was placed on targeting traditionally underserved and un-served racial, ethnic, and linguistic minority groups and rural areas. This report is the narrative account and outcomes from nine consumer forums.

This photo essay captures the people behind the design of Oklahoma's Consumer Directed Personal Assistant Supports and Services (CDPASS) design. The Oklahoma Partnership, organized to support Oklahoma's Real Choice System Change and the CDPASS grants. It was also designed to engage Consumer stakeholders in an interactive environment.

The CPASS Hawaii project identified stakeholders, particularly people with developmental disabilities and their families, willing to participate in collaborative efforts towards systems change. This report will elaborate on the accomplishments of the project related to their 5 goals including barriers and areas of success, as well as further recommendations. Also included are two matrixes summarizing accomplishments and training efforts, a demonstration report and an evaluation summary.

These materials help case managers and stakeholders figure out where to get started. The Case Manager Handbook explains the roles and responsibilities, plus worksheets and evaluations. The Self-Advocate Handbook helps identify goals and create a person centered plan. The Community Support Guide and Orientation Presentation provide an overview of terms and ways to implement personal assistance programs. A one page handout on stakeholder values and vision plus the overview brochure are included.

Otro Puente was a demonstration project conducted as part of the Massachusetts C-PASS grant. The purpose was to prepare, support and empower individuals with developmental disabilities to increase access to and control of Personal Assistance Services and Supports (PASS), and to identify barriers to consumer self-direction. Otro Puente examined the successes and challenges of participants from Latino cultural backgrounds, most were persons with cognitive challenges.

One of two mini-projects aimed at engaging Medicaid-eligible consumers in an experiment with options of self-direction, the purpose of Community Access was to test creative methods that increase the opportunity of children and adults with disabilities to exercise self-determination. The project met the three objectives of supporting at least 12 individuals, develop a community advisor model to identify core competencies, and to identify barriers to full responses for requested services.