Psychiatric Disabilities/Mental Illness

This paper looks at the impact of various MLTSS policies on access to LTSS. It looks specifically at four states and the policies which these states identify as important to ensuring access. All four states identified network adequacy standards, transition of care, provider reimbursement, and level of care criteria as important factors. In addition, the paper examined participant-directed services policies and care coordination models.

This issue brief summarizes the current evidence surrounding the effects of Medicaid expansion on coverage, access, affordability, health outcomes, and economic indicators. The paper draws primarily from evidence examined in 202 studies reviewed in a previous KFF literature review on this subject.

This report is the first in a series of three total Year 1 reports from NAMRS. It provides a general overview of the operating procedures of state Adult Protective Services agencies. While this report focuses on the hard data provided by states, future reports will discuss the narrative data also submitted by states. NAMRS has also released a background report summarizing the purpose and process of their national data collection system, as well as reference appendices A-C.

In early 2018, NIDILRR issued a request for information about people with disabilities and opioid use disorder. NIDILRR received comments from 50 respondents, including consumers, community and national organizations, research teams, and federal partners. Overall, the responses to this RFI revealed a need to further explore the intersection of chronic pain, opioid misuse, and people with disabilities.

This recently released follow-up report was aimed at studying changes in the second year after individuals transitioned out of institutional care into community settings. Participants in the MFP program had higher costs during the first twelve months than non-MFP participants who also transitioned to community-based care. However, this study showed that these costs became comparable after the first year of transition.

As part of Mathematica’s ongoing evaluation project of section 1115 demonstrations, they have released their interim findings on MLTSS programs. This preliminary report looked closely MLTSS programs in New York and Tennessee and found mixed results regarding the goals of reducing hospitalizations and rebalancing care. Mathematica aims to release a final report on the effectiveness of MLTSS in 2019.

As part of Mathematica’s ongoing evaluation project of section 1115 demonstrations, they have released their interim findings on the DSRIP program. This report shows quantitative evidence of DSRIP motivating positive provider actions, but the program’s impact on outcomes is still unclear. Mathematica aims to release a final report on the effectiveness of DSRIP in 2019.

This report describes key considerations and policy decisions that states should consider as they work to implement EVV systems in accordance with the mandate included in the 21st Century Cures Act. The paper also examines different approaches that states may wish to use to establish EVV within their HCBS programs, and discusses some of the benefits and challenges associated with each approach. Lastly, it includes case studies of four states with existing EVV systems.

This report from AARP's Public Policy Institute is part of a series of papers focusing on innovative strategies. It explores the benefits of self-directed care and looks at best practices used in Texas, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Florida. The report also provides a toolkit for educational and training purposes to help states improve and expand upon their self-directed LTSS programs.

The National Beneficiary Survey (NBS) supplements the Social Security Administration's (SSA's) records by providing extensive additional data on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries’ and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients’ employment efforts. This publication released in March 2018 presents statistical information about beneficiaries and their employment experiences as gathered in the 2015 survey.