Accessibility

In an effort to assist state agencies in planning for the specific behavioral health needs of emerging populations in their state, this toolkit provides state and national estimates of behavioral health disorders and program utilization, as well as step-by-step instructions to generate projections of health benefits, services and providers that will need to be addressed in the future. This resource can be helpful for mental health and substance use agencies, health plans, and Medicaid agencies.

A survey of state aging, disability and Medicaid agencies was conducted in 2012, in order to better understand challenges and concerns for funding and providing quality LTSS. Five common themes were identified in this report, including staff turnover and reductions during a sluggish recovery of state budgets. Other findings include an overall expansion of home and community-based services, LTSS transformation and reduced funding and high demand for non-Medicaid aging and disability services.

Ethnic minorities and LGBT older adults will continue to become more represented among the older adult population. A lifetime of discrimination has often adversely affected LGBT elders of color in a myriad of ways, including greater likelihood of financial instability and heightened health disparities. This report offers policy solutions to support the wellbeing of this growing population. Policy solutions include strengthened outreach and community supports to LBGT elders of color.

The Affordable Care Act authorized the Medicaid Health Home State Plan Option, which allows states to design health homes to provide comprehensive care coordination for Medicaid beneficiaries with chronic conditions. States will receive enhanced federal funding to support the rollout of this new integrated model of care. This link directs to the Health Home Resource Center that provides technical assistance services for states as they submit their proposals for these health homes to CMS.

A representative sample of 1,019 adults ages 40 or older were interviewed regarding their experiences and beliefs about their need for long-term care services, what such care would cost, and how such issues fit into their concerns about growing older. This report outlines survey findings. Findings include, 58% of participants underestimate the cost of nursing homes, 41% have discussed long-term care preferences with family and 51% support a government sponsored long-term care insurance program.

This training manual guides Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) grantees in the implementation of local CDBG programs. This manual covers essential topics ranging from CDBG's national objectives to the details of administration. The manual includes 20 topical chapters that clearly delineate the application process, eligible grant activities, various CDBG programs and their standards, as well as performance measurement and reporting.

This report identifies ways to effectively address nutrition problems using innovative intergenerational strategies. It lays out a set of recommendations that invite policymakers, business and community leaders, and advocates to: 1) directly engage older and younger community members in tackling the hunger and nutrition challenges, 2) view people of different generations as problem-solves and sources of supports for each other, 3) cultivate the leadership qualities in people of all ages.

MFP demonstration supports states' efforts to help Medicaid beneficiaries living in long-term care institutions transition back to community-based residences and make LTSS more accessible. Using nursing home assessment data, this report compared needs of MFP participants with a cohort of Medicaid long-stay nursing home residents who transitioned to HCBS in grantee states but were not enrolled in MFP, and a cohort of long-stay residents in MFP states who did not transition.

This document describes the State of Colorado’s plan on aging in accordance to Older Americans Act requirements. The plan describes the mission and strategies of the Colorado Division of Aging and Adult Services and how it plans to coordinate supportive services given funding restrictions. Amongst some of the goals for FY12-15 is access to meaningful and rewarding work, disease prevention, access to transportation, and diversion from institutional settings.

This fact sheet describes “Community First Choice Option” – one of the rules that the CMS recently released to expand access to home and community based services (HCBS) for people with disabilities. States that elect the Community First Choice option are eligible for a 6 percentage point increase in their federal medical assistance percentage. Individuals who require an institutional level of care are eligible for the services, which will be offered in community-based settings.