Reports

This paper reviews literature and provides a summary of CMS initiatives in the area of quality measurement and improvement over five years up until 2002. This review applied a wide lens to identify quality strategies in settings of care and delivery systems both within and outside long term care. This paper will serve as background for a meeting with policymakers and experts to assess the relevance and limitations of identified methods to improve the services and outcomes in HCBC programs.

This report is designed to help Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and Title VI–Native American aging programs share their success stories about an innovative physician outreach program, Making the Link: Connecting Caregivers with Services through Physicians. The practices highlighted can have widespread application, the strategies can be adapted by other community-based organizations and AAAs, Title VI programs will find ideas that can be applied to workforce, PTAs, and other venues.

The purpose of The Protocol is to provide the CMS Regional Office staff responsible for reviewing 1915(c) waiver programs, i.e., the state Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waiver programs, with standardized and comprehensive procedures for assessing the quality of care and services provided through these programs. This Protocol was developed for reviews of all waivers and all waiver target groups.

The Muskie School of Public Service maintains this database as a public source of information on quality measures that have been developed for home and community based services. You may search this database in a number of ways to find indicators of interest. <br>*Search the quality indicator database by HCBS quality domains, age groups, populations, and data sources <br>*Browse the quality indicator database by quality indicator developer <br>*Browse quality-related surveys by developer

This paper subtitled: A Look at Federal, State and Public Systems as Sources of Cash-Outs and Other Fiscal Expansion Opportunities, examines promising interconnections between the concepts of recovery, self-determination, and self-directed care. It reviews the five principles of self-direction and explores the major systems that can serve as sources of cash-out funding. The paper concludes with a series of recommendations for next steps in adopting this mental health care financing mechanism.

The question—What can we count on to make and keep people safe?— frames an important perspective on the continuing work of building communities that offer people with developmental disabilities full and dignified lives. This report subtitled, Perspectives on Creating Effective Safeguards for People with Developmental Disabilities has recently been re-released. WRead on to see what strategies offer ways to constructively engage people.

This report summarizes information from the WI Department of Health and Family Services, Bureau of Aging and Long Term Care Resources (DHFS-BALTCR) Nursing Home Transition Real Choice Systems Change grant. A survey colleting information is an important initial step to assist county and state-level program and policy planners. This report provides an overview of the ways in which counties purchase direct care and support services for elderly people and people with disabilities.

An analysis of the status of older Americans gleaned from a variety of federal sources covers 37 key indicators divided into five subject areas: population, economics, health status, health risks and behaviors, and health care. The report includes data on population, economics, health status, health risks and behaviors, and health care. The data are arrayed in charts and tables with accompanying narrative.

To assist states in preparing for the challenges and opportunities they will face as baby-boomers age, the National Governors Association's Center for Best Practice's (NGA Center) published this report designed to identify current trends and future directions, and to assist state policymakers in creating programs and policies that respond to need. This data book provides information on demographic shifts, health care concerns, & long term care workforce shortages.

When Medicaid was first enacted, payment for long-term services was made solely to institutions such as nursing homes. Medicaid now pays for a comprehensive range of home & community services that provide alternatives to institutional care. Medicaid is a flexible program but it is also a complex program. It is no surprise that there are a host of questions about what is allowable under Medicaid law and regulation. This Primer on Medicaid Home and Community Services serves as a reference guide.