Consumer/Participant Direction

This paper explores the various participant-direction models, existing quality management strategies, and the potential for change that allows participant-directed quality management systems to remain true to the core values they were founded upon. Participant-directed programs face unique challenges in meeting federal requirements while remaining faithful to the principles of participant-direction. Well-defined roles and responsibilities are essential and will directly influence the design.

The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured supported this focus group project of adults with disabilities in 4 states, who are enrolled in Medicaid Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Services programs. This research was undertaken to learn about Medicaid enrollees’ experiences in the program and their opinions about key features of the program including recruitment issues and degree of responsibility over services. Ways to improve upon the programs were also identified.

Consumer direction of personal assistance services (CD-PAS) is one model of service delivery that gives Medicaid beneficiaries varying degrees of control over hiring, scheduling, training, and paying personal care attendants. Program administrators, experienced with the programmatic features of CD-PAS in their state, were interviewed. Eligibility criteria, participant support services, and method of financial management used by Medicaid beneficiaries to pay direct care workers are discussed.

The Compendium contains basic information about each of the Real Choice Systems Change Grantees receiving awards in FY 2004. It includes information for the Family-to-Family and Systems Transformation Grantees who received awards in FY 2005 and FY 2006 plus the Person-Centered Planning Implementation awards in FY 2007. It is divided into sections corresponding to the different types of grants and year of award; the report helps Grantees identify others with similar goals and activities.

This report provides an overview of 33 states’ initiatives (FY02 CPASS and Real Choice Grantees) to improve their LTC systems and the enduring improvements achieved. It includes lessons learned and recommendations that can guide states that are undertaking similar initiatives. Grantees made enduring systems improvements in five major areas—many states in more. Virtually all agreed that prior to introducing new policies and programs, it is essential to obtain stakeholder buy-in and commitment.

Are you a person with disability who is experiencing difficulties in finding work? Are you designing programs for individuals with disabilities looking for employment? DisabilityWORK.com job placement service helps take the frustration out of the job search process by pairing employers and organizations. Services include consultation, action plan agreement, background checks, pre-employment interviews, training modules and interviewing. Employers can post jobs and search resumes.

Partners for Change funded by the Health Care Financing Administration as a Systems Change for Community Living grant, was designed to test the concept and practice of Individualized Budgeting on Guam and the application for Community-Integrated Personal Assistance Service and Support for individuals with disabilities who require such supports to live in the most integrated community settings. This report offers recommendations, interview results, references and testimonial letters.

Presented by the Kolb Foundation for Disability Education, this series of forums was designed to serve as a resource for people with disabilities throughout Nebraska to learn about opportunities to work without jeopardizing their health care coverage and to promote self-sufficiency. Included are press releases, a flyer and an employer letter about the events.

This report focuses on adults with severe mental illness served by the public mental health system. It aims to identify and describe the range of self-directed care programs for this group being pursued by states and bring together existing evidence relating to the impact of these programs on individuals and on state resources. In doing so, it attempts to contribute to the ongoing debate about effective strategies for improving the quality and outcomes of the public mental health system.

This document provides background information on the AoA’s involvement in HCBS delivery and briefly describes three of the twelve Nursing Home Diversion demonstration projects it is funding. In 2007, the AoA invited states to submit proposals to modernize both the service and system elements of their diversion efforts. This program was created in response to an Older Americans Act mandate that AoA help expand access to HCBS long-term care options.