Colorado

With the passage of Chapter 570, H.P. 1351-L.D. 1910: “An Act to Create Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities” by the Maine State Legislature in 2006, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Labor presented a report that identified resources, successes, and challenges in building supports that aid to increase employment for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Need an overview of the basic components of the nation’s largest health coverage program? Medicaid covers 55 million low-income individuals and is the dominant source of long-term care financing. Examine the structure of the program, who it covers, what services it provides, and spending. Because Medicaid is jointly financed by the federal and state governments programs vary across states. Tables examining the state-to-state variation in eligibility, enrollment, and spending are included.

This project was funded to a) gather descriptive information on HCBS waivers, both comprehensive and supports, operated for people with I&DD in 17 states with the supports waivers b) determine how supports waivers have emerged as separate and distinct HCBS waivers c) better understand the range of participant characteristics and experiences that distinguish supports waivers from other HCBS waivers d) more fully appreciate how states view supports waivers as a way to address demand for HCBS.

States are increasingly interested in the individual budget model for older Medicaid beneficiaries as a mechanism to improve responsiveness of benefits to beneficiaries’ needs and preferences and to increase their ability to remain outside or leave nursing homes. This report describes 10 operating individual budget model programs that serve older persons and identifies four areas of program design that are of particular importance to the success of the individual budget model.

To help States build the infrastructure needed to remove barriers and create more consumer responsive LTC systems, CMS awarded $70 million in Real Choice Systems Change Grants. Fifty-two Grants were awarded in Sept. 2001 (25 Real Choice, 10 Community-Integrated Personal Assistance Services & Supports, 17 Nursing Facility Transition). This report describes the progress FY01 Grantees have made on their activities during the first year of the three-year Grant period (Oct 1, 2001-Sept 30, 2002.)

The Compendium contains basic information about each of the Real Choice Systems Change Grant awards in FY03–FY04 plus the Family to Family and Systems Transformation Grantees awarded in FY05 and FY06. The Compendium will help Grantees identify others with similar goals and activities. Learn more about how the grants will be used to allow more people of all ages with a disability or long term illness to live and participate in their communities. The sixth edition replaces all previous editions.

This group of presentations were offered around the state of Colorado in regional training sessions. The day focused on various aspects of consumer direction, including case managers, Medicaid options, and working with personal-care attendants. Other presentations include transitioning a child to consumer-directed health care and a presentation on the benefits, rights, and responsibilities of consumer direction.

A new database showcases the efforts of many of the TA providers serving CMS’ grantees. The database allows users to see the wide range of activities that support and enrich the grantees under the New Freedom Initiative. The database contains important information regarding existing and upcoming research products, conferences, and significant meetings as well as a wide variety of toolkits, surveys, and policy briefs, intended to be of interested to the disability and long-term care community.

Medicaid clients and advocates have stressed the importance of case management services to ensure that clients have access to supports, choice among providers and services to meet their needs. Quality became a primary topic of discussion for the Quality for Equality (Q4E) Committee. The Q4E identified concerns regarding the process by which the Department and case management agencies incorporate client input into quality improvement initiatives. Review the Q4E’s final report and recommendations.

An advisory committee of consumers, providers, practitioners, advocates and experts worked collaboratively to identify the major challenges preventing people with mental illness from discharging out of nursing facilities and into less restrictive communities. This report is a result of their work and aims to make available a framework for successful transition programs. The best practices described are offered as a guide for service providers, advocates, and mental health clients themselves.