California

This report details the state-by-state impacts of seven regulations issued by the CMS that would make major wide-ranging changes. Areas affected include cost limits for public providers, graduate medical education, outpatient hospital services, provider taxes, rehabilitative services, school administration and transportation services, and case management services. The website offers an interactive map showing how proposed regulations would impact each state.

Over the last eight years, federal, state, and local governments have re-envisioned how to deliver and pay for an ever-growing caseload of elderly individuals and persons with disabilities who need services at home, in the workplace, or in more costly nursing facilities. This discussion provides a vision and a context for HCBS reform consistent with CMS’ vision for reforming post-acute care that focuses on addressing system barriers and informing and empowering health care consumers.

The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured supported this focus group project of adults with disabilities in 4 states, who are enrolled in Medicaid Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Services programs. This research was undertaken to learn about Medicaid enrollees’ experiences in the program and their opinions about key features of the program including recruitment issues and degree of responsibility over services. Ways to improve upon the programs were also identified.

Consumer direction of personal assistance services (CD-PAS) is one model of service delivery that gives Medicaid beneficiaries varying degrees of control over hiring, scheduling, training, and paying personal care attendants. Program administrators, experienced with the programmatic features of CD-PAS in their state, were interviewed. Eligibility criteria, participant support services, and method of financial management used by Medicaid beneficiaries to pay direct care workers are discussed.

The Compendium contains basic information about each of the Real Choice Systems Change Grantees receiving awards in FY 2004. It includes information for the Family-to-Family and Systems Transformation Grantees who received awards in FY 2005 and FY 2006 plus the Person-Centered Planning Implementation awards in FY 2007. It is divided into sections corresponding to the different types of grants and year of award; the report helps Grantees identify others with similar goals and activities.

Which states received MIG grants in 2008? You can review this list of 40 states that were awarded basic, comprehensive and conditional grants. The list also contains the contact information for each state's project as well as links to their website.

This report provides an overview of 33 states’ initiatives (FY02 CPASS and Real Choice Grantees) to improve their LTC systems and the enduring improvements achieved. It includes lessons learned and recommendations that can guide states that are undertaking similar initiatives. Grantees made enduring systems improvements in five major areas—many states in more. Virtually all agreed that prior to introducing new policies and programs, it is essential to obtain stakeholder buy-in and commitment.

The NCHSD is a technical assistance partnership providing flexible, state-tailored technical assistance to states developing comprehensive health and employment service systems for people with disabilities who want to work. Serving people with disabilities, providers, state agencies, research institutes, advocates and businesses, NCHSD is a project of Health & Disability Advocates (HDA). Visit the Resource Exchange and Library for the latest information, events and reports.

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.

As part of the January 2008 Monthly ADRC TAE call, Dorie Seavey and Hollis Turnham presented the idea of worker registries. Supporting materials offer an overview of the concept and state examples. Also included is a two-page hand out that lists worker registry websites and offers and example of the database potential functionalities.