Wisconsin

One objective of the Texas’s QA/QI grant was to develop a uniform and automated critical incident reporting process. Information was collected on critical incidents reported most often by other states to be used with the Quality Assurance and Improvement (QAI) Data Mart. The QA/QI task force reviewed and used this information to develop a list of critical incident definitions and recommendations.

A publication that may be useful for legal guardians as they consider or prepare for a a transition planning process for the person they represent. This book guides the process in determining if a person can live in the community, and what that community living environment would need to look like. The purpose of this guidebook is to provide information about the variety of community residential options available to adults with developmental disabilities who relocate from State Centers.

Subtitled \"An Information Booklet for Guardians of Individuals who are Protectively Placed and Living at a State Center\", this booklet provides guardians with an updated view of changes currently taking place within the state of Wisconsin. It also encourage guardians to take a more active role in the planning and review processes that determine the appropriate residential setting for the persons they represent and encourages guardians to contact the Guardian Mentor program with questions.

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.

This is a planning document developed by the Ozaukee County Aging Services Department that helps individuals gather thoughts and discuss them with their family by asking, What Do You Want? This document, subtitled “Your Personal Guide for Planning a Happy Healthy & Independent Long Life” helps individuals take an inventory of the values and preferences. The guide recommends recording what you want and reviewing the list periodically with those closest so they can carry out the plans.

Special Needs Plans (SNPs), authorized by the Medicare Modernization Act, offer state Medicaid programs a new potential vehicle for coordinating Medicare and Medicaid benefits for dual eligibles. This report investigates the degree to which states (and plans) are using this option to develop more fully integrated Medicare-Medicaid models for dual eligibles needing long-term care services.

Certainly, stigma is one of the more formidable obstacles to a transformed mental health system. This resource kit is intended to raise awareness of mental health and help counter the stigma and discrimination faced by people with mental illnesses. Users are invited to use the kit with event planning, partnership development, outreach to schools and businesses, mental health resources, marketing to the general public, and grassroots outreach.

This report describes examples of more narrowly focused state legislation that is setting the policy and infrastructure for consumer direction, expanding the direct care workforce, and supporting persons who return to the community after living in institutions. The Appendix includes the specific legislative language of selected bills covered in the report.

HCBS.org News CLIPS highlights the important work of Real Choice Systems Change Grantees. In each issue, we examine a topic related to home and community-based care by providing an overview of recent papers and publications. The Fall issues provides an overview of the reports available on Money Follows the Person, a program that allows states to rebalance their long-term care support systems to support people in community-based alternatives rather than institutional settings.

A public voice for caregivers, the Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) offers information education, services, research and advocacy programs to support and sustain the vital work of families caring for loved ones. The website offers fact sheets, audio archives, referrals, newsletters, issue briefs and reports. A newly updated resource map called Caregiving Across the States allows state administrators, policy makers, and caregivers to access state-by-state data from an interactive database.