HSRI

This monograph discusses program design considerations to assist as states move toward greater individuality and flexibility in the provision of services and supports. The paper outlines topics to consider when expanding opportunities for participants to choose and direct individual who provide assistance, including the risks/benefits arrangements, provider qualifications, training, person-centered planning, the case manager role, and safeguards to prevent abuse, neglect and exploitation.

Gathering information from waiver participants can be costly and time intensive, and is not always necessary. Depending upon the size and scope of the state’s waiver program, it is often sufficient and more cost effective to draw representative samples. This guide is designed to provide states with practical information about sampling techniques, what to consider when deciding whether to sample and the strategies to employ in quality management work.

Quality Councils: A Crucible for Change: Issue 1, Volume 2 takes a look at quality teams at work in four NCI States (Rhode Island, West Virginia, Massachusetts, Alabama). Councils are charged with various tasks: sharing views on data; identifying trends; suggesting additional outcomes and indicators; recommending targets for service improvements; and monitoring progress on targets over time. Please read on for a glimpse into their workings, achievements, and plans for the future.

What is the vision of “quality” in community support for people with developmental disabilities? Quality is a concept of many dimensions. This website is your invitation to join the quality community in its journey to fulfill the vision of a positive future for all people with developmental disabilities. The site offers webinars, resources, publications, tools and links.

This is the first newsletter of the National Core Indicators (NCI) program. The publication is designed to keep you abreast of developments and best practices in performance and outcome measurement as exemplified in initiatives among NCI participants. Issue 1, Volume 1 explores Self-Advocates in Vermont, Surveys used in California and Pennsylvania, and a new video from Kentucky called \"Team Up for Success\".

Medicaid is the major public payer of community services and supports for working age adults with serious mental illnesses. This handbook explains how existing Medicaid options and waivers are used by states to finance a broad range of community services and supports for adults with serious mental illnesses, and demonstrates what aspects of state-of-the art community services and supports for this population are funded by Medicaid.

The National Core Indicators website is a collaboration among participating NASDDDS member state agencies and HSRI, with the goal of developing a systematic approach to performance and outcome measurement. The website offers information on the phases of the project, progress, summary and final reports, presentations and other tools. The site also extends the invitation to other states to join in the multi-state collaborative effort to improve performance.

This document describes Social Welfare Programs for the territories of: the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. It includes coverage and participation in selected programs, expenditures, special rules, health programs, certain grants and certain tax provisions that affect low-income families with children.

This introduction to root cause analysis, and its adaptation to developmental disabilities systems, has been commissioned by the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) in an effort to assist state DD program administrators enhance their risk management and quality improvement activities. It is designed to provide guidance on the use of root cause analysis to individuals charged with managing programs and larger systems that serve and support persons with developmental disabilities.

HSRI conducted a study of five states that made significant changes in their licensing requirements to be more person-centered and outcome-based. The study addressed these questions: What outcomes and requirements were commonly incorporated in most states’ licensing regulations and outcomes? What types of services did the states license/certify under these regulations and outcomes? What survey methodologies did the states use? What conclusions and recommendations can be drawn from the study?