Sustainability

This is the third in a series of newsletters produced at the Exchange to provide assistance to our CMS Real Systems Change grantees. This newsletter is produced biannually. Topics include: Physicians’ Role in Determining Level of Care, Nurse Practice Policies for Home and Community Living, ADRC Toolbox, Massachusetts Connecting the Dots, Making Medicaid Work in the 21st Century, Assessment Instruments, HCBS Quality Management Roles & Responsibilities, Family Caregiving, and Housing.

Case study reports on programs in 9 states that received federal Nursing Home Transition Grants from 1998 - 2000 are now available. New reports describe programs, implementation, and lessons learned from transition programs in Arkansas, Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, Michigan, Wisconsin and from a hospital to nursing home diversion program in Colorado.

The objective of this workshop was to create an ongoing mechanism within the state to continue communication, coordination, and improved collaboration among key public and private stakeholders involved in systems change activity.

The primary purpose of this technical assistance activity was to promote sustainability of CMS-funded infrastructure developments that demonstrate promise by explicitly linking them to the state’s strategic plan.

A Sharing of Ideas on Community Inclusion for People with Disabilities. Thie report caputures discussion from 9 participating towns who were represented by a range of elected and disability services officials. Several participants were individuals with disabilities or family members of people with disabilities. All present shared a desire to bring back their towns back ideas for enhancing local awareness of the barriers faced by people in becoming fully included and integrated into community.

Discussion at this meeting was lively and productive, and the opportunity to meet people from other parts of the state and other municipalities proved fruitful. Following the suggestion of participants in the October Forum, the agenda included presentations of what the three Model Communities have done and how it is working, and sharing of successes, ideas and resources among other participating towns.

Discussion at this meeting was lively and productive, and the opportunity to meet people from other parts of the state and other municipalities proved fruitful. The idea of adapting the “lessons learned” in the model communities and hosting regional meetings was introduced; a shared enthusiasm for the idea gave rise to a series of Regional Forums. This forum, held in Groton, CT was the second in the series, held on December 3, 2004.

Medstat identified common factors of system change in a six-page brief, based on a review of organization transformation literature and, more importantly, the experiences of eight state long-term support systems that were the subject of a series of case studies on comprehensive system reform.

The Community Development Society provides leadership to professionals and citizens across the spectrum of community development. Members have multiple opportunities to learn what's new in the profession, to exchange ideas, to obtain the most current research and reference information available and to share professional expertise. They offer a annual conference, publications, and listservs. The current issue of CD Practice focuses on Strategic Partnering: Partnering For Change.

Expanding upon the \"lessons learned\" from the first Model Communities forum held in Connecticut in May 2004, this Community Inclusion forum held in Ridgefield CT brought together a variety of communities interested in \"enhancing awareness among community members of the barriers faced by people with disabilities in becoming fully included & integrated into communities.\" Participants identified barriers to inclusion and suggested numerous strategies communities can use to address these issues.