Reports

Gathering information from waiver participants can be costly and time intensive, and is not always necessary. Depending upon the size and scope of the state’s waiver program, it is often sufficient and more cost effective to draw representative samples. This guide is designed to provide states with practical information about sampling techniques, what to consider when deciding whether to sample and the strategies to employ in quality management work.

A number of autonomy-compatible vehicles exist for people with disabilities and their families to exercise choice and control over resources; however, many programs are complex to navigate and vary from state to state. In shaping a savings program, benefits planning seems to be a likely ingredient. This report illustrates why LIFE Accounts holds great promise as an adjunct to other permissible approaches for the accumulation of assets that lead to increased independence and social participation.

Essentials of Housing Teleconference was held with Guest Person, Stephen Gold, regarding a systems change strategy to provide training with regards to the largest housing programs in the nation with a focus on recipients of SSI. These included: 1) low-income housing tax credit program, with nearly $600 billion available annually for units, and 2) the HOME Partnership program, with $1.4 billion available annually. Jay Klein facilitated this call.

This is the final report and recommendations from the Colorado Quality for Equality (Q4E) Committee, a collaborative process involving Medicaid consumers, Department staff, providers, regulators, advocates and other interested stakeholders. The Q4E Committee's work found three recommended activities including Complaints Program Website Improvements, Case Management Client Satisfaction Survey and Secret Shopper Pilot Project.

The Dept. of Health Care Policy & Financing awarded four grants totaling $125,000 to improve services to rural residents with disabilities in the areas of non-emergent medical and specialty transportation, adult day and mental health services. The programs are designed to remove transportation barriers, to increase the availability of psychiatry and to provide adult day services. This report summarizes program outcomes, analyzes the opportunities and challenges and outlines the lessons learned.

Research findings show that older workers are interested in direct care jobs and that long-term care employers view older workers as being able to provide better quality care - presenting one potential solution to a workforce shortage. This study was the first to explore the feasibility of engaging older workers. Telephone interviews were conducted with almost 700 lower-income job seekers in the seven states. These findings show a real potential for hiring older persons as frontline workers.

This State Policy in Practice brief describes the process of sustaining Connecticut's nursing home transition program. Connecticut focused on bringing key stakeholders (including consumers) together and building evaluation into their efforts to make the case for obtaining state funding for the transition program. This brief is intended to help state policy and program leaders, advocates, and providers learn from their peers and colleagues across the states.

This State Policy in Practice brief describes Michigan's nursing home transition program and summarizes evaluation findings. The program has been sustained statewide through the addition of transition services to Michigan's 1915c waiver for the aged and disabled. This brief is intended to help state policy and program leaders, advocates, and providers learn from their peers and colleagues across the states.

This AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper examines the efforts of South Carolina, Washington and Wisconsin to improve home care quality by using a more person-centered approach. The initiatives described in this report point to the significant ongoing efforts that states are using to ensure quality care and support in the home. The challenge for state officials continues to be the creation of quality assurance systems that place consumer needs and goals for quality of life first.

Advances in medicine and technology plus changes in social attitudes have improved employment opportunities for working-age adults with disabilities. Despite progress there are still barriers to employment. The Medicaid Buy-In program is an important component of the federal effort to make it easier for people with disabilities to work without losing health benefits. This report, the third in a series offers a profile of the 28 states with both Buy-In programs and Medicaid Infrastructure Grants.