Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG)

How can states create employment choices for individuals with disabilities? Arkansas Career Training Institute is a Vocational Rehabilitation Center whose mission is to provide vocational training and employment opportunities to adult clients with disabilities. This presentation on work incentives was given to staff at the ACTI. It gives an overview of the state programs available and explains how they work. This could be a useful resource to other states with MIG programs.

Can physicians help prevent needless work disability? Evidence-based clinical decision-making that helps patients start, stay at, or return to work, is the topic of this presentation. Given to the medical community, it outlines work related issues that may not seen to be a medical issue, but should be, and how to assess this. This presentation is focused on preventing needless work disability, providing resources and takeaway tools, and includes a survey.

Looking for a clear and concise summary of an existing MIG grant program? Attached is the Arizona Employment and Disability Partnership MIG Grant Fact Sheet which outlines, among other things, the programs’ goal, its approach, 2010 planned initiatives, and its AHCCCS Freedom to Work evaluation and member survey. This document could serve as a helpful guide to other states contemplating a MIG program or accessing an existing program.

How can states better access the needs of their clients as well as their MIG programs? One approach Alaska has taken is instituting the AST test, which is designed to screen for substance abuse, mental illness, and traumatic brain injury. The AST can produce multiple recommendations for more efficient care, state the population needs of each agency, and assist the state in federal reporting requirements. Review a sample screening form which could serve as a template for other states.

When people with low income accumulate assets rather than simply increasing their income, they are more likely to escape the cycle of poverty permanently. Explore Alaska's Asset Building website. It is funded by a MIG grant, and provides links to information and resources devoted to activities related to the nature and amount of assets an individual with a disability can accumulate in their quest for financial independence and stability.

How is Alaska getting its’ younger population informed about the work incentives available to them? This brochure is directed at those 22 years of age and under who are working and going to school. These incentives were developed to help Social Security Administration Benefits enrollees manage their benefits while at the same time promoting employment and earned income opportunities. The approach this brochure takes could be useful to other states seeking to address this demographic.

What is the Alaska IDA Program? It’s a statewide program, funded by the MIG grant that enables low-income Alaskans to accumulate assets and escape the cycle of poverty permanently. It targets people who have the most barriers to savings, through a matched savings account program and a pooled account program which matches up to $1 million. The details of this program are available for download and could be a useful resource for other states looking to develop similar MIG programs.

People with disabilities having to choose between meaningful work and income, and access to health insurance and needed services, is a problem being addressed by an increasing number of states through the Medicaid Buy-In program. The state of Alabama created the policy paper attached below, outlining the policy objectives and proposed design of their program. It could be a useful resource for other states proposing a MIG program of their own.

Getting the word out to eligible enrollees as well as service providers is key to any MIG programs’ success. This can be complicated by the fact that there are often many programs working together. One way Alabama is keeping everyone informed is by distributing brochures about their MIG program that specifically highlight the partnerships between programs and address fears about benefits and health care. Attached are two such brochures. These could serve as samples for other states.

How is Hawaii providing its disabled population with benefits information? In the attached slide presentations, Hilo Benefits Information Outreach covers disability programs, work incentives and self employment work incentives for self-employed clients and case managers. These presentations for Hawaii’ s MIG program could be useful to other states implementing similar programs.