Reports

The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 adds a new section 1937 to the Social Security Act (the Act). Under section 1937 a state may amend its State plan to provide alternative benefit packages to some of its recipients without regard to comparability, statewideness, freedom of choice, or certain other traditional Medicaid requirements. This paper looks briefly at how Section 1937 might be used by a state to develop a LIFE Account model.

The New Jersey Department of Human Services’ Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) presents their action plan for systems change. This Plan outlines the process of transitioning individuals with developmental disabilities from developmental centers (DCs) to the community over the next 8 years (State FY 2008 through FY 2015). The Plan addresses the requirements of state legislation (S1090, PL 2006, Chapter 61) as well as the issues in the NJ P&A Olmstead lawsuit.

This study projects to 2040 the number of people ages 65 and older with disabilities and their use of long-term care services. Declining family sizes, increasing childlessness, and rising divorce rates will limit the number of family caregivers. Rising female employment rates may further reduce the availability of family care, increasing the need for paid home care. The simulations show that under the most optimistic scenario, LTC burdens on families and institutions will increase substantially.

This updated report provides the latest data on the 37 key indicators selected by the Forum for its 2004 report to portray aspects of the lives of older Americans and their families. It is divided into five subject areas: population, economics, health status, health risks and behaviors, and health care.

This policy outlines the role and function of the Delaware Health and Social Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities Services Performance Analysis Committee. This group plays a central part in the collection, analysis and reporting of data in relation to performance indicators identified by various stakeholders as important in a state MR/DD program. The policy offers definitions, standards, procedures, and a flow chart to illustrates their continuous quality improvement cycle.

This report provides an overview of 35 states’ initiatives to improve their LTC systems and includes lessons learned and recommendations that can guide states undertaking similar initiatives. Despite accomplishments and improvements, Grantees described continuing barriers including insufficient funding for home and community services; workforce shortages; lack of affordable and accessible housing and transportation; and outdated or inflexible administrative, statutory, and regulatory provisions.

These Person Centered Planning (PCP) presentations discuss how PCP allows consumers to plan for their preferences and do this throughout their lifespan. Presentations focus of the individual within his/her family and community and the relationships that affect PCP. The focus throughout is to identify personal preferences and to develop the plan for the future.

The goal of the 2004 Real Choice Systems Change grant is to address the issues and barriers preventing consumers of mental health services from receiving flexible supports in the community housing of their choice. This report identifies the grant outcomes, activities and evaluation including the degree to which supported housing is embraced and practiced by providers on a larger scale and how housing providers know how to work collaboratively.

A new Health Services Research Journal is a dedicated issue to Cash & Counseling. Review the summary of 15 articles; topics include public/private partnerships, research design and methodological issues, evaluation, consumer enrollment and experiences, costs, worker issues and case histories. Also find two commentaries on Cash & Counseling, one on the international context and the other about social experimentation.

This study examines how a new service delivery model of consumer direction affected Medicaid and Medicare service use and costs. Of particular interest were the program's effects on expenditures for the services that the program \"costed-out\" (that is, those services for which an allowance was provided instead) and on total expenditures for all Medicaid services.