Policy alerts, briefs, letters & papers

This is the first in a series of classic information documents.

HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson released two papers titled Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities. <i>Barriers at Every Step</i> coupled with its companion report, <i>Guidance for Practitioners</i>, advance the consumer’s ability to verify – and furthers chances of eradicating – inequity in housing opportunities for persons with disabilities. This newly released study employs a number of newly developed, field-tested tools for measuring housing discrimination.

This is the fourth in a series of <i>Data Profiles, Family Caregivers of Older Persons</i>. This Data Profile (Number 4, August 2005) examines primary family caregivers age 25 to 64 who are working and those who are not working. Review the statistics, demographics and other characteristic differences between working and non-working caregivers.

This report provides a framework and some of the basic data necessary to understand why the future of the United States will not be determined solely by anticipated changes in the size and age distribution of the population. The paper also examines public policies that encourage and facilitate education, basic research, and the application of promising technologies to enhance the well-being of current and future generations of older people.

This fact sheet issued by the AARP Public Policy Institute examines recently published data shedding light on the characteristics of direct care workers, their working conditions, future demand for their services, and efforts to improve recruitment and retention of these workers.

ADRC grants are infrastructure grants aimed at creating new or formalizing existing relationships among state and local agencies and public partners; collaboration among these entities is critical for ADRC development. This briefing paper will offer ideas and strategies for building a collaborative environment and building effective partnerships.

Over the last four years, the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured has been tracking the national development of the three main Medicaid HCBS programs that states can operate: (1) optional 1915(c) HCBS waivers, (2) the mandatory home health benefit, and (3) the optional state plan personal care services benefit. This brief presents expenditures and participant data on all three Medicaid HCBS programs and findings from the survey of policies on 1915(c) waivers.

Over the last decade states have made committed efforts to support individuals living at home with families. One example is the Illinois Home Based Support Services Program (HBSSP) which is a model consumer-directed program for adults with developmental disabilities and their families. This program families with an individualized budget of approximately $1,500 per month to design and direct supports. This paper evaluates the model and answers questions about service utilization.

The following summary and white paper outline the accomplishments of Oregon's FY 2001 Real Choice Systems Change Grant. Their white paper held nine recommendations for the transformation of mental health services here in Oregon. The RCSC Consumer/Survivor Task force and other consumers/survivors have also asked that legislation be drafted that directs the Department of Human Services to develop a policy that promotes self-determination. SB 771 and HB3108 are the results of our efforts.

Facts about fast track, presumptive and expedited eligibility. Includes information about how can states implement it, who pays when mistakes are made and which states expedite the financial eligibility decision. Fast track and presumptive eligibility are two ways to expedite a person’s financial application for Medicaid.