Reports

This report outlines the efforts of the State’s Department of Disabilities, Aging & Independent Living to create a balanced system of care for elders and adults with disabilities. It discusses the Department’s successes and obstacles in increasing home and community-based services, including respite care and consumer-directed services for care recipients and caregivers, and shifting away from institutionalized care. It also outlines the services of the five Area Agencies on Aging offices.

During the Pathways to Employment Conference in December 2006, the Ohio MIG program administered surveys and conducted three focus groups in order to assess the struggles and successes of consumers with disabilities in finding work, being in the workforce, and experiences with health coverage. A final report and executive summary were produced which recap and analyze the results of the surveys and focus groups.

This Executive Summary and accompanying Abbreviated State Reports encapsulates the comprehensive case studies that Congress directed CMS to perform as a first year task in a 3-year study of state management practices in balancing long-term care systems. The studies were undertaken in 8 states (AR, FL, MN, NM, PA, TX, VT, WA) and examine “rebalancing” from a qualitative and quantitative perspective.

This is the Quality Management Strategy for its 1115 Waiver covering managed care for non-elderly, non-dual MassHealth members. MassHealth, the state Medicaid Program, provides managed care services to eligible enrollees through its Managed Care Organization (MCO) Program, Primary Care Clinician (PCC) Plan, and the PCC Plan’s associated contracted behavioral health plan, and Senior Care Options (SCO). The Strategy incorporates the efforts and activities of several entities that serve enrollees.

One challenge many ADRCs face is how to provide services over large geographic areas with small numbers of staff. Several states have chosen to use kiosks as part of their outreach and marketing or information and referral components. This issue brief explores kiosks in use by ADRC grantees and other organizations and discusses considerations in designing accessible kiosks.

This publication, a series of 5 guides, provides technical assistance to HOME participating jurisdictions (PJ) and their housing partners on the fair housing laws and regulations that apply to HOME Program participants. The series reviews the applicable Federal fair housing requirements, illustrates best practices in promoting fair housing, and highlights PJ responsibilities for ensuring compliance with fair housing requirements.

This report describes the implementation of Personal Preference by synthesizing information from in-person discussions with program staff, a mail survey of program consultants, telephone interviews with consumers in the treatment group, and program records. It discusses the program’s goals and features, the ways consumers managed their program responsibilities and took advantage of increased flexibility, and the degree to which consumers were satisfied with the programs.

To improve long-term care quality, state and federal policymakers are experimenting with positive incentives to reward providers who can demonstrate better quality. Incentive payment systems are part of a broader trend in the health care field, referred to as “pay-for-performance” and may consist of either financial payments or non-financial recognition. This paper describes the challenges involved in designing effective quality incentive payment systems in the long-term care sector.

This article draws on the best practices of consumer-driven health programs for people with disabilities, and offers a Disability-Competent Health System model. The model integrates health and social services to maximize opportunities for independent living and person-centered care. This interdisciplinary approach is a promising framework and an opportunity for the independent living movement to address health-related issues without subscribing to the medical model.

In 2004, Congress requested that HHS conduct a study on the shortage of direct support professionals (DSPs) supporting persons with intellectual disabilities and other developmental disabilities (ID/DD). The study includes an examination of the causes associated with high vacancy and turnover rates, and an examination of the impact this shortage may be having on services for people with ID/DD. The report offers figures on projected needs and future demands of worker recruitment and retention.