Newsletter, periodic publication

This Community Living Brief describes the direct and indirect costs of the mental health worker shoratge crisis as they pertain to employers, staff members and consumers. Developing and maintaining an effective workforce requires the same sort of highly planned and systematic approach as any other organizational function. The Brief outlines the five basic steps involved in workforce planning are.

This issue introduces long-term care providers to peer mentoring, an innovative strategy that has been shown to significantly improve retention among direct-care workers. Implementing peer mentor programs at home care agencies and in nursing facilities, we identify the benefits of mentoring programs, define the peer mentor’s role, discuss critical mentoring skills, & outline the key design elements that long-term care organizations need to consider when developing their own peer mentor programs.

As a result of the determination of one ordinary citizen, Karen Shidel, courts have issued a landmark ruling in support of growth management that has statewide ramifications. The Fourth District Court of Appeal has upheld the right of citizens to require local governments to follow their comprehensive plans. The newsletter explains the case in detail.

This Community Living Brief explores the history of Medicaid Waivers and the challenges that remain for ensuring equality and inclusion for all citizens.

This Community Living Brief explores the transition to an independent, integrated living situation. This article serves as a guide to assist the individual when considering moving back into the community. The article provides information on finding an advocate and also provides a transition checklist to help facilitate the moving process.

Quality Improvement Process (QIP) is a survey administered to program participants in Indiana’s HCBS waiver and state-funded programs who are elderly or have a physical disability. It provides information on service delivery from the participant’s perspective, including consumer choice, timeliness, respectfulness, consistency and task performance. Results are used on an individual basis to identify and follow-up on incidents, as well as for providing feedback to providers on their performance.

This Promising Practices Bulletin highlights South Carolina's automated Case Management System (CMS) for the day-to-day management of three Medicaid HCBS waivers (Elderly/Disabled, HIV/AIDS, Ventilator Dependent). In addition to supporting intake, assessment, care planning and service initiation functions, South Carolina’s CMS is also used to support quality management through its report-generation function.