Policy alerts, briefs, letters & papers

Financing long-term care (LTC) is a key policy and budget issue both in New Hampshire and nationally. Debates focus on who should bear the financial burden of LTC or how the burden should be distributed. This brief looks at what LTC is, its importance to people with disabilities, LTC financing mechanisms, the economy and LTC, and recommendations for change.

Direct care workers and long-term care employers are facing greater challenges than ever before in securing affordable health coverage. This "Better Jobs, Better Care" issue brief presents the case for improving health coverage to direct care workers and offers realistic strategies for making health coverage more available and more affordable to them and their families.

Results of an Opinion Research Questionnaire in the Norther Mariana Islands. One hundred eighteen government and community organizations in Saipan, Tinian and Rota were surveyed to identify issues and solicit recommendations to remove policy barriers identified by the respondents.

This policy brief provides information to highlight some of the unique barriers faced by those seeking to establish comprehensive family support systems in the U. S. Territories.

Transportation is an essential community element that is all too often overlooked. In New Hampshire, the failure to prioritize transportation issues at the state & community level is difficult to understand for two primary reasons. First, unmet need. Secondly, inefficiently spending on transportation with the result being duplicative efforts, lack of coordination among service providers, and a weak infrastructure. National studies show that fixing the second may, in fact, fix the first.

In a letter to State Medicaid Directors, CMS announced a funding opportunity under the Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment. This third-round solicitaion relects substantially more flexibility than what appeared in earlier rounds. This demonstration grant allows states to provide benefits, equivalent to those provided by Medicaid to the categorically needy, to workers who have physical or mental impairments that, without medical assistance, will likely result in disability.

Democracy is not a spectator sport. This guide was written to help you use the skills you already have to change government actions that affect your life. As an individual, you may wonder what you can do to change things. As a grassroots group, you may think that the deck is stacked against you. The Power Point slides provide strategies for grass roots advocacy. Materials are especially useful for advocates and consumers.

In his letter to State Medicaid Directors dated February 17, 2004, Glenn Stanton (Acting Director, DEHPG, CMS) introduces the Quality Inventory Report. The Report summarizes and discusses the results of this first-time nationwide systematic survey of state waiver QA/QI systems. The report also includes recommendations for CMS follow-up. This letter is also referred to as CMS Quality Communication #4.

In this letter to State Medicaid Directors, Glenn Stanton (Acting Director, DEHPG, CMS) describes the modifications made to the HCBS Quality Framework. The modifications emphasize the importance of building quality into the design of HCBS programs. Included here are Mr. Stanton's letter, the final Quality Framework, and a working draft of \"sub-domains\" which provide specificity within each focus area. This letter is also referred to as CMS Quality Communication #3.

Workforce Tools is a series of publications for people concerned with improving the quality and stability of the home- and community-based direct-care workforce. This brief outlines standard training practices for direct-care workers, identifies training gaps, and provides examples of outstanding programs. This is a tool to help agencies, consumers and workers find and develop appropraite educational resources.