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The Red Book 2008 serves as a general reference source about the employment-related provisions of the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). In addition to the PDF versions posted here in English and Spanish, the Red Book website has a page highlighting recent changes to the programs and html versions of the resource in both languages.

This website contains the presentation materials, workshop summaries, and other tools that were produced for this conference held in March 2008. SSA convened the summit as part of the unrolling of the new Ticket to Work program. Over 450 public and private service providers, advocates, SSA staff, and other federal agencies were present at the four-day meeting.

CMS has proposed rule changes to implement Section 1915(i) of the Social Security Act. 1915(i) enables states to provide a prescribed set of HCBS to individuals that earn less than 150% of the Federal Poverty Level and require less than institutional levels of care. It does so without requiring waivers (as in 1915(c)), consumer eligibility for institutional care, or a cost savings demonstration. Further background information and instructions for comment submission are included.

The prevalence of the practice of transferring patients to sub-acute levels of care has created concerns with hospital discharge planners. Their apprehension arises from the possibility that if they do not quickly transfer patients from an acute care setting to a post-acute level of care, their hospital may be at an economic disadvantage to others with shorter lengths of stay due to differing transfer practices. This paper looks at four factors that mitigate the incentives to transfer patients.

This assessment is designed to assist organizations in evaluating their readiness to perform key functions of ADRCs. The online version provides users with immediate feedback and links to resources to help build needed capacity. Functional areas measured include: organization and governance; personnel and training; service delivery and operations; outreach and marketing; IT; partnerships; and evaluation and monitoring.

This report and sample survey were used to evaluate information and assistance services provided by GA Area Agencies on Aging (AAA). The report summarizes the responses and lists recommendations for measuring and improving consumer satisfaction with this aspect of AAA services. The Quality Assurance Team of the Division of Aging Services mailed the survey to users such as consumers and their caregivers, case managers, friends and family members. They received 840 responses.

This is a compendium of three discussion papers on the topics of direct service workers in long-term care and strategies for improving the quality of their jobs and services. The authors, each with a background that includes consultation and technical assistance on the topics, share the premises that these workers are fundamental to the future and quality of long-term care and that current and projected workforce shortages need to be addressed.

Help-Link is the ADRC of Jackson County, WI. Find here their logo in three forms: simple logo, logo with the full name of the ADRC, and a photo of the logo used on the agency’s roadside sign.

This web-based resource helps Medicaid stakeholders allocate resources and demonstrate the business case for improving quality in health care. It is designed for programs that aim to more effectively manage the care of adults with disabilities and chronic conditions. Because the care of this population consumes nearly 70% of Medicaid expenditures, it represents a good opportunity to improve health outcomes, reduce unnecessary utilization, and control costs. Requires free registration.

This policy paper proposes that the unionization of direct care workers can improve recruitment, retention, and service quality without limiting consumers’ rights and choices. The author explores the historical roots of efforts to address direct support workforce issues, reviews the role of unions in the field in the past, examines emerging support models, and comments on current union efforts.