Community Living

In response to the National Institutes of Health recently designating people with disabilities as a population experiencing health disparities, as well as the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) proposed rule that would update the requirements for nondiscrimination on the basis of disability, KFF has released a data analysis titled “Working-Age Adults with Disabilities Living in the Community.”...

This report examines weaknesses in the home and community-based services ecosystem and outlines a roadmap to expand community living options that meet the needs of people with disabilities. The report builds upon findings in NCD’s 2021 Progress Report: The Impacts of COVID-19 on People with Disabilities (2021) and Deinstitutionalization: Unfinished Business (2012) and illustrates how each piece of the HCBS ecosystem must operate at full capacity to ensure that appropriate community living options and support systems remain available to the disabilities community.

This paper from AARP describes promising practices on how aging and disability network agencies, Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs), and Veteran Benefits Offices in seven states have forged partnerships to better support Veterans in community living. The paper includes a checklist for these local organizations to enhance collaboration and truly create a “no wrong door” for Veterans and their family caregivers to receive services in the community.

The brief includes information on disparities in health and disability; innovative approaches that Native communities have used to address identified disparities; how Native communities have used the Older Americans Act and other federal programs that aim to promote health and support community living for Elders; and aspects of successful programs for Native people.