All States/Territories

This resource for programs includes State Lifespan Respite Programs, that provide respite and are interested in developing & implementing participant-directed respite, especially through voucher programs. Included are: overview materials that provide content information regarding participant direction, examples from two states that currently implement participant-directed respite programs using a voucher system, important tax and financial information, & resources for additional materials.

This site highlights the employment successes of people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) who are working in paid jobs in their communities. Through the use of innovative, front-line employment support practices, these individuals are earning money, forming networks, and contributing to their communities. Learn more about these people and the promising practices that led to their success.

This updated resource provides a state-by-state look at trends in wages for PCAs, the fourth fastest growing occupation in the country, and a key job title within the direct-care workforce. Prepared as a resource guide on wages for advocates and policymakers concerned with the direct-care workforce, the data underscore the problem of low wages for PCAs, factors which contribute to workforce instability and near-poverty incomes for this high-demand workforce.

This policy brief from Georgetown University, produced with support from The SCAN Foundation, reviews Medicaid's importance and current funding limitations for long-term care and makes the case for strengthening Medicaid two possible ways - full federal responsibility for Medicare beneficiaries who also rely on Medicaid or an enhanced federal match for Medicaid long-term care services. Each approach carries with it a federal commitment to bear the brunt of a growing elderly population.

Residential care facilities, such as assisted living facilities and personal care homes provide housing & supportive services to persons who cannot live independently but do not require the level of care provided by nursing homes. RCFs are not federally regulated; state approaches to regulation vary. Using data from the first nationally representative survey of RCFs with four or more beds, this report presents national estimates of RCFs comparing characteristics and services by facility size.

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), the national nonprofit that expands possibilities for people with vision loss, has launched a redesign of its main website. The new site offers a more interactive, engaging experience, making it easier for visitors to locate information on the topics that interest them. Like the former AFB website, the new afb.org is fully accessible to people with vision loss. Visitors can change colors, font, and font size to increase content readability.

Medicaid program integrity is among the highest priorities of the nation’s Medicaid Directors and is a key component of every initiative and program states conduct. Program integrity is about creating a culture where there are consistent incentives to provide better health outcomes within a context that avoids over-or underutilization of services. Directors seek to promote economy, efficiency, accountability, and integrity in the management and delivery of services.

Person- and family-centered care (PFCC) has gained attention in recent years as a mechanism for transforming health care and long-term services & supports (LTSS). Research shows that PFCC improves quality of care & quality of life. The current shift in payment reform & service delivery away from disease or provider-focused models and toward incentives that reward better coordination, communication, and continuity of care, is likely to promote wider adoption and effective implementation of PFCC.

How can our mainstream aging organization provide inclusive and welcoming services to older lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender adults? Aging service providers should be aware that the effects of a lifetime of stigma, discrimination, rejection and ridicule puts LGBT older adults at greater risk for physical & mental illnesses, and other issues including: social isolation; depression & anxiety; poverty; chronic illnesses &; premature mortality.

MITA provides a common framework for all Medicaid stakeholders to focus on opportunities to build common and shared services by decoupling legacy systems and processes, and liberating data previously stored and contained in inaccessible silos. The newest version takes into account new legislative requirements outlined in the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act, and the Affordable Care Act.