Evidence-Based Practice

A conference was held to inform potential solutions to improve the cost and quality of care across the health care continuum for older Americans. Synthesizing the conference, this report addresses many of the challenges facing individuals with chronic conditions and functional impairments, and identifies new opportunities for the integration of medical services and social supports tailored to older Americans and supported by new payment designs.

Can physicians help prevent needless work disability? Evidence-based clinical decision-making that helps patients start, stay at, or return to work, is the topic of this presentation. Given to the medical community, it outlines work related issues that may not seen to be a medical issue, but should be, and how to assess this. This presentation is focused on preventing needless work disability, providing resources and takeaway tools, and includes a survey.

In September 2004 CMS provided $3.6 million to fund MHST grants to encourage states to develop mental health systems infrastructure to implement and sustain evidence-based and recovery-oriented practices. Grants were awarded to 12 states under the Systems Change grants program. This report describes the initiatives with a focus on implementation issues and challenges and how they addressed them. Four Grantees focused solely on evidence-based practices, six on recovery practices, and two on both.

This is an online training module on evidence-based health promotion for older adults, which is designed primarily for aging services providers. This training module will define health promotion concepts, frameworks and terms, and will provide interactive exercises, downloadable tools and resources that can help the user plan for, implement, and reinforce the quality of health promotion programs.

AoA announced the availability of $10,900,000 for two ADDGS Program Announcements: "Innovation Grants to Better Serve People with ADRD" and "Evidence-Based Intervention Translation Grants to Serve People with People with ADRD and their Caregivers." The goal is demonstrate how the Aging Services Network can effectively implement evidence-based service interventions that help people with ADRD to remain at home and in the community. Closing dates for applications are August 11th, 2008.

The author reviews international scholarly literature and case studies to identify four frameworks of integrated care for the elderly. The frameworks are summarized and compared based on underlying philosophy and policy, administrative and clinical best practices, and how they propose integration of different services. The review also highlights four key elements that are present in each framework and must be structured to support one another.

Also known as IMR, this program's goals are to develop and review personal goals and strategies to deal with Mental Illness. It introduces the concept of "recovery" and encourages people to develop their own definitions of personal strategies. The brochure and presentation offer a program overview.

NREPP (www.nrepp.samhsa.gov) is a searchable online registry of mental health and substance abuse interventions that have been reviewed and rated by independent experts. The registry assists local organizations in identifying interventions that have been scientifically tested and can be readily disseminated to the field. Organizations can search for interventions that fit the needs of their communities.

Putting innovative research to work in the policymaking process takes tenacity and understanding on the part of researchers and lawmakers. This report offers a four-stage framework to support effective use of research in health policymaking and improve communications between researchers, state policymakers and program administrators. Review a case study from Massachusetts plus communication strategies and key practical lessons on understanding, developing, implementing, and evaluating policy.

A growing number of states are turning to managed long-term care in their Medicaid programs for younger adults and elderly people with disabilities, including those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. This issue brief describes how two states, Massachusetts and Wisconsin, have addressed the special needs of beneficiaries with dementia in the design of their programs and makes policy recommendations for states that are considering implementing or modifying programs.