New Hampshire

The Formative Evaluation of the Real Choice Systems Change Grants evaluates how the Systems Change grantees are progressing towards meeting their goals. The Formative Evaluation identifies problems faced by the grantees and ways that they deal with the problems. This document provides summary information about each of the FY2004 Grantees.

The Independence Plus Initiative was established to give states expanded opportunities within Medicaid to allow for consumer direction of long-term services and supports. The consumer direction movement continues to evolve rapidly, and this calls for federal and state resources to evaluate new and changing programs. This issue paper explores the difference between IP and Cash and Counseling, the 1115 demonstration, IP and HCBS Waivers, and outlines policy implications.

This topic paper summarizes how states can use Medicaid to pay for most institutional transition program costs on a permanent basis as a result of policy change since 2000. It also describes how states are currently using Medicaid HCBS Waivers to pay for community transition services-temporary supports people need when trying to move such as housing deposits, utility set-up fees, and furniture.

The sixth biennial edition of the AARP Public Policy Institute's databook, presents an overview of long-term care in each state plus the District of Columbia by using numbers, graphs, charts, and maps. Data includes each state's demographics, need for LTC and HCBS services, the number of LTC workers per thousand people aged 65 and over, urban average for private-pay home health aide wages, and CNA hours per resident day. Each state is compared with others through rankings and national averages.

The survey results highlight inconsistencies and gaps in training, testing, and other pre-employment requirements for nursing assistants. The results from the nurse aide registries are presented in a series of charts. The survey notes who pays for pre-certification training in each state, whether candidates are allowed to become certified by passing the test without undergoing training, whether nurse aides pay a fee to be licensed or certified, who does criminal background checks, and more.

The Compendium contains basic information about each of the Real Choice Systems Change Grantees. The Compendium will help you learn more about how these 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. Real Choice Systems Change Grantees will also find the Compendium useful to identify other Grantees with similar goals and activities. The fourth edition of the Compendium replaces all previous editions.

States face significant obstacles in diverting individuals from institutional settings. Throughout the long-term care system, there exists an institutional bias for placing people in institutional settings over HCBS settings. Most states have some form of nursing home diversion program however, these programs face several challenges. This paper outlines many of the challenges, details strategies, and offers resources.

Gainful employment is entirely possible for people with disabilities and yet it remains outside the grasp for many who remain unemployed or grossly underemployed. Success in employment is caught in a vicious circle with the insufficiency of employment supports, health care coverage, education and training, and income potential. Further aggravating that cycle are barriers in transportation, child care, accessible and affordable housing.

This report compiles both written and verbal evaluations of twenty New Hampshire legislators who attended the Supporting Older Adults and Individuals with Disabilities in Your Community: An Educational Series for Legislators. The series was developed as part of the Real Choice Systems Change initiative in New Hampshire. The purpose of this evaluation was to review what aspects of the Educational Series were beneficial and to recommend improvements for future sessions.

New Hampshire received an ADRC Grant in 2003. The following materials provide information on grant activities in relation to Hospital Discharges. The SLRC Referral Check-off Form for Hospital Discharge Planners is a check-off form for the use of hospital discharge planners in determining whether an individual should be referred to the Resource Center. The other draft protocol documents provide procedures for receiving and sending referrals between hospital and Resource Center staff.