Employment Programs

During the Pathways to Employment Conference in December 2006, the Ohio MIG program administered surveys and conducted three focus groups in order to assess the struggles and successes of consumers with disabilities in finding work, being in the workforce, and experiences with health coverage. A final report and executive summary were produced which recap and analyze the results of the surveys and focus groups.

The CMS Systems Change conference, Transforming Systems: Keys to Success was held April 10-12 in Baltimore. Presentations from the 2006 sessions are available in both PDF and text formats. Topics range from ideas on system transformation, stakeholder involvement, coalition building, strategic planning, sustaining systems change, and the Deficit Reduction Act. Full titles are listed in the keywords section.

This guide was prepared by Maine’s Work Group for Community-Based Living in response to the 1999 Olmstead Supreme Court decision. The work group submits this Roadmap as an interdepartmental approach for improving home and community services for people with disabilities. Section topics include: advocacy, integrated services, using data, service coordination, direct-care workers, improving quality, housing, transportation, and employment.

This online publication was developed for people with disabilities or chronic illnesses who direct their personal assistance services. The resource provides information on how to recruit and interview, how to check a candidate's background and references, and how to train new attendants. It outlines the rights of both caregivers and care recipients and covers topics like problem solving, conflict resolution, setting boundaries, and working with a PCA who may also be a friend or a relative.

The Ticket to Work Program is a Social Security Administration employment and healthcare initiative for Social Security Beneficiaries who want to work. The goal is to increase opportunities and choices for disability beneficiaries to find employment, vocational rehabilitation, and other support services through a pool of providers known as Employment Networks (ENs). If your organization is interested you can download the Application and RFP. This is a non-competitive, open-ended award process.

CMS was soliciting proposals from states to develop the infrastructure to support competitive employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Funding for this program is intended to facilitate enhancements to state Medicaid programs and services, to promote linkages between Medicaid and other employment-related service agencies and to develop a comprehensive system of employment supports for people with disabilities. Applications due 07/07/05. Funding Opportunity: HHS-2005-CMS-MIG-0006

The Formative Evaluation of the Real Choice Systems Change Grants evaluates how the Systems Change grantees are progressing towards meeting their goals. The Formative Evaluation identifies problems faced by the grantees and ways that they deal with the problems. This document provides summary information about each of the FY2004 Grantees.

A two-year study in Los Angeles County showed that offering health care coverage improves retention rates. This study tracked workers in the city’s In-Home Support Services program, which offers home-based care and services to consumers who direct their own care. The report includes many findings, including an initial study done showing that workers who enrolled in the health benefits program were more likely to be in the workforce at month 12 than workers who did not enroll.

The Compendium contains basic information about each of the Real Choice Systems Change Grantees. The Compendium will help you learn more about how these 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. Real Choice Systems Change Grantees will also find the Compendium useful to identify other Grantees with similar goals and activities. The fourth edition of the Compendium replaces all previous editions.

To keep states abreast of Maine’s efforts to achieve comprehensive health policy reform, the Governor’s Office of Health Policy and Finance has partnered with NASHP to chart the progress and implementation of the Dirigo Health Reform Act. There were multiple goals for this study and NASHP and LSPA identified five groups of key stakeholders to interview. This report presents the research of six focus groups.