Links / Websites

Florida created tools to gather information essential to measuring quality from consumers in programs serving people with developmental disabilities and their families. The “Road Map” summarizes the quality assurance process and informs people of their rights. “My Personal Compass” assists in evaluating services received. The last link connects to other resources from the Florida Statewide Quality Assurance Program.

Help family caregivers better manage transitions in care with these guides. Available in English and Spanish, they help determine what issues to consider, how to seek assistance, how to manage medications, and how to better communicate with physicians and other health care professionals. The site, developed by United Hospital Fund, has resources for professionals as well.

Since 1963, the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act has steered federal funds to support research, advocacy, best practices, and demonstration projects. It set the ground for other groundbreaking legislation. Here you will find the text of the 2000 renewal of the Act and a free online repository housing a legislative history and older analyses and relevant technical assistance documents.

The National Center for Telehealth and Technology (T2) researches, develops, evaluates, and deploys new and existing technologies for Psychological Health (PH) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) across the Department of Defense. T2 manages several programs to treat PH and TBI in service members and their families, including an extensive Telehealth program which provides PH services to patients in remote areas, who would otherwise not have access to care, as well as programs for deployed members.

An interactive map displays how many 1915(c) waivers each state has. Clicking on a state’s name displays number of participant and expenditures by waiver type as compared to nationwide numbers. Participant and expenditure data are also available for personal care, home health, and individualized budget services. Clicking “Compare” in any data area displays a table illustrating selected data for all states. Information is taken from CMS form 372 and is downloadable.

The goal of Rewarding Work is to give people who need support with daily activities choice and control in finding personal assistants. So far, the site has partnered with five states in the Northeast. The searchable database can be used by both people looking to hire help and job seekers. The attached news release describes a special connection these services made possible - the example, a 14-year-old with severe disabilities, and a nursing student looking for a work as PCA.

Check to ensure that your providers are eligible to receive Medicaid funds. Bases for exclusion include convictions for program-related fraud and patient abuse, licensing board actions and default on Health Education Assistance Loans. States cannot be reimbursed with Federal Medicaid dollars for any item or service furnished, ordered, or prescribed by individuals or entities on this list. Further, no payment will be made for services or products from providers that employ someone on this list.

This website is an on-line query system based on AoA-related data files and surveys, and includes population characteristics from the Census Bureau. The system allows users to produce descriptive information in graphical or tabular form, at the level of detail most suited for their needs. The four options through AGID provide different levels of focus and aggregation of the data from individual data elements within Data-at-a-Glance to full database access within Data Files.

AARP offers a list of resources to help plan for long-term care. Especially helpful is the “Staying in Your Home” section. Here you can find tools on preparing homes for aging in place, locating quality home and community-based services, and hiring home care workers.

Here is an example of alternative funding of assistive technology to support employment. The fund is available through United Cerebral Palsy of Michigan and provides low interest loans for people with disabilities to purchase equipment that enables them to work from home. Examples of items and services that qualify for financing include computers and hardware, office furniture and equipment, home modifications, telecommunications systems, user training and maintenance.