Public Health

The Oklahoma Department of Human Services Aging Service Division presents this documentation of the principles and processes used in supporting its consumer advisory committee for Real Choice System Change grant and CDPASS grant activities. Building and documenting a shared vision of effective public policy funded by public dollars is a fundamental responsibility of grant recipients. This paper helps explain the stakeholder experience and considers ways to create a quality process.

This plan describes fundamental changes that states have implemented and found effective in controlling the public costs of long-term care while insuring that people receive quality services of the type, and in the settings, that they choose.

The booklet is a publication of the Louisiana Nursing Facility Transition Grant. It is a Self Assessment Transition guide to assist individuals in nursing facilities on how to start planning for a move to the community and obtaining the supports and services they will need. It includes contact information for available state programs, along with contacts for housing options.

The DRA may have significant effects, given the high proportion of young children enrolled in Medicaid-28 percent of all children under age 6 in 2001-and the broad range of services covered. This report analyzes the provisions of the DRA and assesses their implications for the provision of early childhood preventive and developmental services. Changes include citizenship documentation, the use of a benchmark option, cost-sharing benefits and the financing of targeted case management.

This report provides a framework and some of the basic data necessary to understand why the future of the United States will not be determined solely by anticipated changes in the size and age distribution of the population. The paper also examines public policies that encourage and facilitate education, basic research, and the application of promising technologies to enhance the well-being of current and future generations of older people.

A brochure on the Arkansas Ombudsman program for home and community based services addresses participants rights and their choice in receiving services for long term care. Includes contact information on the Web and the toll free telephone number to contact the Arkansas Division of Aging and Adult Services.

The Talking Quality website was designed for people and organizations trying to educate consumers about health care quality. It is intended to provide consumers with information on the performance of health plans and providers. The site offers the latest research findings, real-world examples, and innovative ideas on ways to communicate complex information on health care quality to consumers.

HealthScope is a public information source provided by the Pacific Business Group on Health (PBGH) to help a person select quality healthcare in California. You can view quality healthcare ratings on health plans, hospitals, and medical groups.

States have used a variety of techniques to combat the rising costs of prescriptions, especially for psychotropic medications. This paper notes that it is important to consider alternatives that have the potential to both contain costs and improve the quality of care and outcomes. The paper provides some examples of promising practices from Pennsylvania, Missouri, Texas, and Massachusetts.

This website is the offical homepage of Arizona. The site offers information on programs and services for older adults and persons with disabilities. This site also offers information about government, travel, history and culture, permits and family, health and safety information.