Announcement/Press release

The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) recently released Out of Reach 2004: America’s Housing Wage Climbs, their annual study of wages and rents in the United States. The study shows as housing costs increase faster than wages, decent, modest housing is increasingly out of reach for millions of Americans. Out of Reach is a side-by-side of wages and rents in every county, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), combined non-metropolitan area, and state in the United States.

Identifying available affordable and accessible housing is a difficult task for many consumers wishing to relocate to community based living settings. In the past few years, many states have instituted accessible housing registries in an effort to provide a one-stop location for consumers to search for housing in their communities. In January 2005, the State of Virginia launched its newly developed online accessible housing registry.

The Wyoming Department of Health/Aging Division staff who oversee the Nursing Facility Transitions Grant, Dorothy Thomas & Marcia Harvey, who oversees the Ombudsman Program worked in partnership with Jan Stiles, Adult Protective Services/Department of Family Services to develop & implement a standardized Vulnerable Adult Abuse Awareness Kit. They contain a variety of materials to address Adult Abuse & were presented to agencies by trained individual & local Adult Protective Service workers.

In an effort to equalize salaries for direct support professionals, a bill was introduced into the House that would improve the salaries & benefits. The Direct Support Professional Fairness and Security Act would increase federal Medicaid reimbursement rates & would amend Title XIX of the Social Security Act allowing states to raise salaries for privately employed staff who provide community-based support services.

On 10/7/2004 eleven new states were awarded three-year Cash & Counseling grants, allowing them to replicate and expand on the Cash & Counseling model. Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Assistant Secretary of Planning and Evaluation and the Administration on Aging, the following states will receive approximately $250,000 to implement Cash & Counseling programs: AL, IA, KY, MI, PA, RI, VT, WA, and WV. MN and NM will receive an additional $100,000 to enhance their programs.

On October 5, 2004, HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson announced $31 million in grants to 31 states to help people with disabilities or long-term illnesses live in their homes and participate fully in community life. The grants were awarded under the New freedom Initiative and are known as Real Choice Systems Change Grants. A total of 52 grants were awarded in nine categories. The press release, which describes the grant categories, and list of grantees are available.

The grant summaries for the states awarded the ADRC Grant are contained here. There is also a matrix of baseline plans from the grantees and a cooperative agreement. In addition, the HHS press release for the first 12 grants for developing ADRCs is also included.

Grant summaries on the 2004 ADRC Grant Program grantees is provided here. Also, the HHS press release for this second round of 12 grants for developing ADRCs and a cooperative agreement are provided.

Included here are several documents pertaining to New Hampshire's ADRC Advisory Board. These documents include: A participant evaluation form, a member invitation letter, kickoff meeting materials, and a cover letter to consumers.

This letter was written by the director of Home and Community Services in Louisiana to local organizations asking them to nominate a staff person to the ADRC advisory board.