Human Services

Is your area a livable community? You can use this survey and accompanying reports as a model for finding out. AARP defines a livable community as one that allows people to maintain their independence and quality of life as they age and retire. Aspects that make a community livable include mobility, community supports, and affordable housing. Residents age 45 years and older in two OH counties were surveyed to measure whether these things are truly available in their communities.

A recent trend in health care has been the increasing integration of behavioral health services into primary care settings. This paper discusses the benefits of such integration and the role of safety net primary care providers as behavioral health providers within the Medicaid program. The authors focus on organizational structure and reimbursement models in analyzing how four state programs achieve this integration.

These are the final rules on the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program published May, 2008 by the Social Security Administration. The changes were authorized by the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999. The rules affect the areas of eligibility, funding for employment networks, and reimbursement allocation and sharing between employment networks and state vocational rehabilitation agencies, among others.

This issue brief and background paper outline the ongoing history, services, and expenditures associated with the Older Americans Act (OAA). The report also summarizes services that are funded through the OAA and other federal and state funds and are provided by the state and local agencies that comprise the Aging Services Network. Finally, key challenges to meeting the needs of the changing population are identified, especially with regards to service improvement and funding.

Find here preliminary findings of two demonstration projects aimed at improving employment outcomes of people with developmental disabilities by facilitating multi-sector partnerships. Two projects, one urban and one rural, specifically focused on coordination between supplemental staffing agencies and community rehabilitation programs. The authors conclude that services could be greatly improved via public/private partnerships and list ongoing programs that build on the model.

Find thirteen examples of state level legislation that improve the wages, collective bargaining rights, or insurance of personal care workers and home health aides. The report also includes graphics illustrating workforce trends and a list of potential best practices that were not passed into law in their respective states.

This study examines dynamics affecting the direct-care workforce in Vermont. It found that only one third of those workers have employer-sponsored health insurance, one half of those surveyed expected to receive a raise, and 42% received formal job training. The report includes nine recommendations to strengthen the state’s direct-care workforce. In addition, the appendices include original surveys given to employers and direct-care workers.

This paper explores the various participant-direction models, existing quality management strategies, and the potential for change that allows participant-directed quality management systems to remain true to the core values they were founded upon. Participant-directed programs face unique challenges in meeting federal requirements while remaining faithful to the principles of participant-direction. Well-defined roles and responsibilities are essential and will directly influence the design.

A series of reports, commissioned by The Massachusetts Council of Human Service Providers, contain an analysis of the human services workforce in Massachusetts and its implications for the future. Identified in the first report, job recruitment and retention are a growing concern. This second report focuses on factors contributing to the human services workforce shortage and provides insight into challenges faced by providers across the Commonwealth. Key features and strategies are outlined.

Also known as IMR, this program's goals are to develop and review personal goals and strategies to deal with Mental Illness. It introduces the concept of "recovery" and encourages people to develop their own definitions of personal strategies. The brochure and presentation offer a program overview.