Psychiatric Disabilities/Mental Illness

The Veterans Health Administration plans to partner with the Aging Network in order to be serving over 109,000 veterans using HCBS by 2011. February 25 and 26, 2009, these organizations met in Boston to develop the partnership, work out next steps, and identify challenges. Presentations provide details on existing infrastructure, Nursing Home Diversion, financial management services, and existing research on HCBS and self-direction.

The experience of the Cobb and Douglas Counties Community Services Boards in Georgia in shifting from a segregated traditional service system to an innovative system focusing on economic development for persons with disabilities illustrates some common aspects of system change. The 7-year organizational evolution is analyzed here. The main points that emerged are: staff development; partnerships and funding; sustainability; management and HR practices; and expanding coverage to new populations.

This cross-disability synthesis white paper presents an overview of direct service workforce (DSW) challenges and practices across sectors and provides a call to action regarding these issues. Little has been written about how DSW jobs vary by population served. Beyond demographics and challenges, the authors also examine the development of different service models, promising practices and areas for planning and action. The appendix catalogs core competencies for each group.

Mathematica created these compendia of abstracts, summaries, and references in an effort to provide to the public current and easily accessible research on the methodological issues of surveying persons with disabilities. Sources include online journals and websites, conference materials, citations from articles and books, and working papers and dissertations. Version 1, released June 2006, lists 150 resources. Version 2, released October 2008, adds 75.

The National Center for Telehealth and Technology (T2) researches, develops, evaluates, and deploys new and existing technologies for Psychological Health (PH) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) across the Department of Defense. T2 manages several programs to treat PH and TBI in service members and their families, including an extensive Telehealth program which provides PH services to patients in remote areas, who would otherwise not have access to care, as well as programs for deployed members.

The Service Access for Elders in Public Housing project address issues that affect the quality of life of elderly residents of an urban public housing complex. A survey of the elderly residents was conducted under this project, seeking to better coordinate information and services provided by public and private agencies that serve the residents to assist them to better age in place in their apartments. This report outlines those results.

This issue of the "Policy Research Brief" series summarizes the results of a national study on the status, implementation, and degree of consumer control across states. Strategies, challenges, and best practices of consumer-directed services and supports are explored. Information was gathered through interviews with administrators of developmental disabilities services in 42 states.

Medicaid expenditures are often presented as a percentage of state or Federal spending. Here, they are illustrated in terms of market shares for 30 markets defined by provider category of service. In 21 markets, Medicaid plays a small role, but in the other 9, such as long-term care and mental health, Medicaid is the dominant payer. Some of the other markets researched include adult day, waiver, case management and home health services.

This report presents the Medicaid Commission's recommendations for the long-term sustainability of the Medicaid program. Review the recommendations about Long-Term Care, Benefits Design, Eligibility, Health Information Technology, Quality and Care Coordination. The Commission strongly recommends increased state flexibility in many areas to tackle more locally influenced issues.

The Maryland General Assembly passed the Long-Term Care Planning Act of 2006, which requires the Maryland Health Care Commission to conduct a study of Maryland’s long-term care delivery system. The purpose of the study is to determine the types of services and programs that individuals aged 65 and older and individuals with disabilities will need in 2010, 2020, and 2030, as well to identify how the State should begin planning for future needs. This report presents the results of the study.