Rhode Island

The Rhode Island MIG project produced an issue brief, which outlined the State’s utilization of 1619(a) and 1619(b) waivers, their effect on disabled workers, the barriers these waivers present, and recommendations for eliminating barriers and other best practices.

This trainings series was developed in the Fall of 2006 by DATA of Rhode Island. The goals are to provide a foundation of behavioral health care knowledge and skills for human service workers who work with adults with a range of disabilities, with an ultimate goal of human service workers helping to affect better outcomes for the persons they serve. Each of the 14 training seminar ranges in duration from 3-6 hours. Review each training curriculum module which contains the outline and slides.

In response to the CFSR, states must prepare a Program Improvement Plan (PIP) that addresses deficiencies and builds upon strengths. The reviews examine several aspects of child welfare agency performance including outcomes for children as well as systemic factors supporting agency services. This brief summarizes specific effort in Rhode Island to address deficiencies in the Quality Assurance (QA) Systemic factor documented in PIPs completed in response to CFSR reviews between 2001 and 2003.

This report summarizes performance of CIS during its first year of operation. The program is an acute hospital diversion program that provides community-based services for youth (age 0 to 21) at risk for hospitalization or out-of home placement. During the first 12-months of program operations, nine community-based mental health agencies were certified to provide CIS services. The evaluation examines service utilization patterns and major findings while updates are provided in the issue briefs.

This report describes grant activities (accomplishments and progress) in three major LTC systems areas: Access to LTC Services and Supports, Services, Supports, and Housing, Administrative and Monitoring Infrastructure. The report also provides illustrative examples of the challenges Grantees have faced as they implement grant activities, and consumers’ roles in the implementation and evaluation of these activities.

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 report provides an overview of 35 states’ initiatives to improve their LTC systems and includes lessons learned and recommendations that can guide states undertaking similar initiatives. Despite accomplishments and improvements, Grantees described continuing barriers including insufficient funding for home and community services; workforce shortages; lack of affordable and accessible housing and transportation; and outdated or inflexible administrative, statutory, and regulatory provisions.

In light of this major change and assuming that states may want to learn more about Cash & Counseling, this publication offers an in-depth description of the option, a discussion of key findings from the three-state demonstration, and preliminary information about the program’s expansion into 12 more states. At the end is a list of resources—both Web sites and published materials—for further information. Stories about consumers who have first-hand experience appear throughout this publication.

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.