Public Health

Hispanic individuals with disabilities have unique needs that service systems often do not meet. Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital recently conducted a needs assessment with our Hispanic patients with disabilities, striving to understand the general disability-related needs of Hispanic patients and how medical systems can fit into meeting these needs. These PowerPoint presentations were presented at the Latino Social Workers Organization's conference in March 2009 (Chicago, IL).

FCA launched this online community promoting professional knowledge around families in their caregiving role. The site offers resources to help policymakers, professionals and family caregivers develop caregiver-friendly legislation or initiatives, implement caregiver support programs or services, and access information to enhance the delivery of quality care. Interactive site features include an online forum and user submissions.

Review this sample of an MOU between the Alaskan Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Alaskan Division of Behavioral Health. It addresses providing equal access to employment, not just as a fundamental right for those affected by behavioral disabilities, but as an essential step towards better behavioral health. Use this sample MOU as a template if your program were trying to craft a similar document.

This employee survey captures the consumer’s level of disability and if and how it is being addressed in the workplace. The survey is specific to those employed by the state. Use this tool as a template to designing a questionnaire in your program.

As it becomes increasingly clear that a vigorous effort toward reforming the nation’s health care system will be an important part of the policy landscape in the near future, the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS) seeks to ensure that health care reform efforts fully consider the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. This brief outlines NASDDDS position on this important issue.

Initiated following the Gulf Coast Hurricane disasters in 2005, the self assessment tool is designed to assist state developmental disabilities officials evaluate the extent to which their existing preparedness plans address the unique characteristics and needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities during periods of emergency or disaster.

This website offers information on the range of funding sources available to State Medicaid and other agencies and stakeholders to support the development of a high quality direct service labor force. It breaks the information down into 5 categories including current, federal, state, foundation and other types of funding and includes examples of sources and strategies for funding future DSW initiatives.

Trends of population, economics, health status, health risks and behaviors and health care are drawn from several governmental statistics sources. Over 38 indicators are complemented by a one-time special feature on health literacy. This is the fourth chart book prepared since 2000. Detailed tables are available as excel spreadsheets.

The growing elderly population is a persistent theme in policy deliberations. Gerontologists believe that policy discussions must go beyond population size and take into account socioeconomic characteristics such as living and employment situation, home life, culture, and education. Experts from the fields of economics, political science, and social policy do just that in this forum session, presenting in-depth demographics with a focus on economic security, electoral dynamics, and stereotypes.

The author focuses on Medicaid and Medicare in offering healthcare reform suggestions. Both legislative and administrative actions are proposed regarding eligibility and enrollment, access to services, program management and delivery systems issues, and financing. Several options relate to HCBS, such as protecting spouses of the medically needy, expanding eligibility for SSI-related groups, and issuing further guidance on waiver waiting lists.