Physical Disabilities

In honor of the upcoming one-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, Family Caregiver Alliance releases this guide which highlights some of the most important developments in 2010 affecting family caregivers, including legislative and policy changes; research focused on caregivers; and media coverage of family caregiving. A great resource for families, researchers, policymakers, and others.

This guide, developed by the Florida MIG program, provides an outline of the most important areas to remember when delivering an effective two-day training seminar. Sections include introduction to Supported Employment, laws and regulations, marketing and teaching adults. Also included are examples and handouts on resumes and job seekers profiles.

This testimony discusses possible strategies for improving the rate of federal employment of individuals with disabilities. The testimony is based on our October 2010 report discussing barriers to the employment of people with disabilities in the federal workforce and leading practices that could be used to overcome these barriers.

The Medicaid program is a source for many innovative practices in making long-term services and supports (LTSS) available to consumers. Case management services have been integral to Medicaid community-based LTSS programs since their inception, but as the programs have grown and evolved the functions performed by case managers have changed. This brief describes current case management efforts in states and activities and policies that can enhance states’ efforts to help consumers.

When Congress created SSDI in 1956, disability and employability were viewed as mutually exclusive states. As a result, the 1956 law defines disability as the “inability to engage in a substantial gainful activity in the U.S. economy”—in other words, the inability to work. This proposal would assist workers with work-limiting disabilities to remain in their current jobs or to transition to more suitable jobs and would assist employers to accommodate workers to perform their jobs.

How is California educating relevant parties on this important new health care reform law? Please see two examples of state-wide outreach, a presentation on the changes that the Act will result in as well as a six month summary on the changes that have occurred thus far.

The Medicaid program is a major payer for long-term services and supports (LTSS) in the United States, accounting for 40 percent of total spending for long-term services and supports. This brief highlights two important aspects of operations in states that affect access to LTSS in the community: efforts to provide accurate and timely information to consumers, and procedures to make Medicaid eligibility determinations quickly and efficiently.

Explore this brief for information on the main trends to emerge from the latest Medicaid expenditures and participant data for the three main Medicaid HCBS programs: (1) optional 1915(c) HCBS waivers, (2) the mandatory home health benefit, and (3) the optional state plan personal care services benefit. It also presents 2009 findings on the policies used in these three programs, including eligibility criteria, provider, service and waiting list data.

How is California helping youths with disabilities to connect with needed supports and services as they transition to work or postsecondary education? Explore several presentations and toolkits put out by the California Health Incentives Improvement Project (CHIIP) that aim to facilitate the transition process for these youth. May be replicable by other states seeking to assist similar populations.

How does the state of California help their youth with disabilities to reach their future education and career goals? The Youth Leadership Forum is a five day program that provides information on everything from technology to resource agencies, and helps participants to create a "Personal Leadership Plan" and interact with leaders in the State and Nation. To learn more, explore their website and workbooks for facilitators and students.