All States/Territories

Supported by a CES - Medicaid Infrastructure Grant, Minnesota developed a strategic plan to increase competitive employment of people with disabilities, called Pathways to Employment. The strategic plan describes how Pathways to Employment, through its partners and stakeholders, will work together to build a more comprehensive, coordinated system of employment services and supports for Minnesotans with disabilities. Additionally, the brochure and work plans for 2006 and 2007 are included.

Developed by the Comprehensive Employment Opportunities – Medicaid Infrastructure grant, a strategic plan project was initiated to increase the competitive employment of people with disabilities in Minnesota. The report, based on data obtained through individual interviews and focus groups in 2005, is included. Additionally, the Continuation of Funding Application for 2006 is available.

As part of the Missouri Medicaid Infrastructure Grant, surveys and focus groups were conducted with a wide range of audiences from people with disabilities and their families to state agency staff and providers concerning employment issues. The surveys and focus groups yielded a great deal of information that is helpful in understanding the challenges people with disabilities face when trying to obtain and maintain employment. Included are three reports describing the information gathered.

The Missouri Business Leadership Network conducted a Disability Mentoring Day in St. Louis in Oct 2006 to give high school students the opportunity to engage in discussion with business leaders about concerns for furthering their education and/or entering the workforce. This program was further designed for students to network with business leaders and, for business leaders to match up with a student to mentor throughout the year. The report includes a summary of findings and recommendations.

The Institute for Human Development at the University of Missouri-Kansas City is administering the Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG) to enhance the use of Medicaid resources in Missouri. This report provides a review of research and the activities and findings related to a retreat to assess needs of Missouri employers and people with disabilities. It also provides analysis of a follow-up survey of 153 agency providers and people with disabilities. Suggestions are made for future research.

This report provides a state-by-state analysis of how Medicaid agencies are exercising their responsibilities for mental health services. The report is based on telephone interviews and explores how state Medicaid agencies are addressing the organization, funding, policy, management and data issues that arise from increased responsibility for mental health services. Review the findings which indicated how States have taken varying approaches to providing services.

The Ticket to Work Panel released its final report to the President and Congress. Included are five recommendations including the idea of extending the Medicaid Infrastructure Grant and Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment program through 2014, creating a panel and an advocate position within the Social Security Administration to enhance beneficiary perspective, publish the final rule, create a demonstration project and examine the impact of changing the disability definition.

This MIT Report offers a ten-point plan to start a statewide conversation on change, a research summary on the role that families play as a "shadow workforce" in geriatric healthcare system, and expert commentary on the issues surrounding family caregiver support programs. This new report points the way for state-level action to support family caregivers and for state-level public policy to improve quality of life.

An example of how ADRCs can stay connected, Washington uses a simple text-only format for their newsletter that is meant to bypass spam filters. The text also allows people to "rip-and-read" so they can easily take the information out to use in other settings. There are no attachments, as requested by the newsletter recipients. The newsletter is published monthly and features Local Happenings, National News, and Job Postings.

The Vermont ADRC publishes this bi-monthly newsletter to keep partners and staff connected to the activities of the grant within the two local pilot regions and nationally. They will use this newsletter to highlight key activities of the grant: progress in establishing partnerships across service networks, cross training, utilization of refer and other resource databases, the formative evaluation, and community events.