Employment Programs

In fiscal year (FY) 2004, Congress appropriated approximately $40 million in funding for a new round of Real Choice Systems Change Grants. With this solicitation, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) invites proposals for grants totaling approximately $31 million of these funds.

CMS has announced a modification to its solicitation of proposals from states to develop Medicaid infrastructure to support the competitive employment of people with disabilities by facilitating targeted improvements to the state’s Medicaid program and/or developing a comprehensive employment infrastructure that coordinates disparate state service delivery systems. The Announcement provides complete information about the grant, including the proposal due date, award date and agency contacts.

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. This edition of the Compendium replaces all previous editions.

The purpose of the AccessMaine site is to provide access to information about community-based services for persons with disabilities, their families, and providers in the State of Maine.

These documents describe the Littleton Model Community Project. Included is a description of the project, a list of expectations, a a questionnaire for Advisory Council Members and a definition of what a model community is.

This guide is a booklet for individuals who want to leave a nursing facility and move to the community. The guide provides information on:self assessment, personal finances and resources, funding and benefit programs, housing, daily supports, health services, social, faith and recreation needs, work, school and other pursuits.

Results of an Opinion Research Questionnaire in the Norther Mariana Islands. One hundred eighteen government and community organizations in Saipan, Tinian and Rota were surveyed to identify issues and solicit recommendations to remove policy barriers identified by the respondents.

A new website, the ADA Collection, offers visitors over 3,000 documents pertaining to the Americans with Disabilites Act. This new one-stop, one-shop ADA source is online at http://www.adaportal.org. The website offers in-depth information about a variety of topics, but also includes general and easy-to-understand information about the ADA. Document categories include employment, state & local government, private business, facility access, transporation, communication, and enforcement.

This website provides accessible and comprehensive tools and information to grantees who provide services that help individuals with disabilities find and keep good jobs. The resources help grantees widen the array and integration of services available at One-stop centers. This site is targeted toward state and local One-Stop service providers, but individuals with disabilities, advocates, parents, counselors and other professionals will find a rich source of information here.

In a letter to State Medicaid Directors, CMS announced a funding opportunity under the Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment. This third-round solicitaion relects substantially more flexibility than what appeared in earlier rounds. This demonstration grant allows states to provide benefits, equivalent to those provided by Medicaid to the categorically needy, to workers who have physical or mental impairments that, without medical assistance, will likely result in disability.