Fiscal Intermediary

This issue brief, developed by the National Resource Center for Participant-Directed Services, examines the impact of the purchase of goods and services on participants. The brief uses information collected from project staff and program participants from the Cash & Counseling demonstration.

A summary from the June 2001 symposium titled, “Independent Choices: A National Symposium on Consumer-Direction and Self-Determination for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities”. Major themes and outcomes are highlighted based on the dialogue from the various speakers including policymakers, program administrators, consumer advocates, service producers, and researchers.

Based primarily on interviews with demonstration staff and other stakeholders, this paper draws lessons from their learning process on the design of basic features, in the Cash and Counseling demonstration programs. The lessons pertain to cooperating with existing service providers; outreach and enrollment; counseling and fiscal services; consumer spending plans and allowances; controlling program costs; and preventing misuse of the allowance and exploitation of the consumer.

This article describes the importance of examining views from multiple key stakeholders involved in implementing CD programs. The report focuses on the three background studies that informed the Cash & Counseling Demonstration and Evaluation, as well as results from the first year of implementation.

Implementation issues discussed in this article are centered around how consumers, providers, payers, and policy makers are affected by consumer-directed programs. The information for the report was gathered through interviews with twenty policy experts from the aging and disabilities community.

This report assesses the effects of Cash & Counseling on Medicaid beneficiaries' primary informal caregivers and describes the experiences of their directly hired workers. The abstract (free) and full report (subscription required) are available.

This tool was developed to help participants in Cash & Counseling programs set personal goals. There are three major objectives sighted for the process: To develop a structured process to ensure that the participants’ goals are clearly articulated and that the spending plan represents the needs and wishes of the consumer, to assure and improve quality at the individual level, and to use data collected for quality improvement at the program level.

This document provides guidance and technical assistance for development of a Person-Centered Planning policy locally, and provides essential elements of a framework for successful implementation of the Person-Centered Planning Process with Medicaid beneficiaries participating in the MI Choice Medicaid Waiver program.

West Virgina uses this brochure with participants in their Personal Options program. The brochure covers financial management and resource consultant services.

This FAQ was developed for West Virginia's Personal Options program. It includes information on employer responsibilities and support services.