Reports

Minnesota, like many states, faces the challenge of limited resources in the face of increasing consumer demand for more consumer control of services. This report includes recommendations for providing choice of case manager, streamlining administration, funding options, standardizing caseload size, regionalizing some county functions, standardizing performance measures across disability groups, and maximizing individualization. Innovations in case management in other states are also presented.

This report, the latest in a series on participation in the Medicaid Buy-In program, presents a snapshot of the program in 2005 that captures the interplay of policy features, enrollment trends, and participant characteristics that have made the program what it is today. Moving away from the aggregated data used in previous studies, the analysis for this report is based on individual-level data provided by states to CMS through “finder files.”

The CPASS Hawaii project identified stakeholders, particularly people with developmental disabilities and their families, willing to participate in collaborative efforts towards systems change. This report will elaborate on the accomplishments of the project related to their 5 goals including barriers and areas of success, as well as further recommendations. Also included are two matrixes summarizing accomplishments and training efforts, a demonstration report and an evaluation summary.

The federal government will match expenditures that it deems necessary to support the “efficient and effective” administration of the Medicaid program. This administrative federal financial participation (FFP) is typically 50% of the costs, but in certain cases, enhanced match of up to 90% is available. Medicaid administrative activities can include many of the ADRC functions.

Otro Puente was a demonstration project conducted as part of the Massachusetts C-PASS grant. The purpose was to prepare, support and empower individuals with developmental disabilities to increase access to and control of Personal Assistance Services and Supports (PASS), and to identify barriers to consumer self-direction. Otro Puente examined the successes and challenges of participants from Latino cultural backgrounds, most were persons with cognitive challenges.

One of two mini-projects aimed at engaging Medicaid-eligible consumers in an experiment with options of self-direction, the purpose of Community Access was to test creative methods that increase the opportunity of children and adults with disabilities to exercise self-determination. The project met the three objectives of supporting at least 12 individuals, develop a community advisor model to identify core competencies, and to identify barriers to full responses for requested services.

This policy development paper was written as part of the C-PASS demonstration project. The paper offers an overview and definition of self-determination plus three overall recommendations that are critical to making self-direction a reality. The challenge of moving self-direction from a relatively small scale to the foundation upon which all services to people with disabilities and older persons are built remains but the MASS-CPASS initiative, along with others, will help create that path.

These position papers completed by a work group result from the Real Choice Consumer Work Group's determination to improve the lives of people with disabilities in West Virginia and to contribute to their own recommendations and strategies on major issues. This compilation of papers address: Waiting Lists; Strengthening Personal Assistance Programs in West Virginia; and Expanding the Horizons of Employement Options for West Virginians with Disabilities.

This statewide community-based participatory action research study was conducted to identify opportunities and barriers for persons with disabilities in obtaining accessible, affordable housing in West Virginia. Using surveys and a facilitated group technique, persons with disabilities identified existing barriers and developed a set of questions for housing industry professionals. This article was published in \"Housing and Society\" the journal of the Housing Education and Research Association.

This plan describes fundamental changes that states have implemented and found effective in controlling the public costs of long-term care while insuring that people receive quality services of the type, and in the settings, that they choose.