Reports

The US Government Accountability Office examined the challenges faced by entities impacted by the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act of 1996 including the experience of providers & health plans in implementation, the experience of public health entities, researchers, & representatives of patients in obtaining access to health information, & the extent to which patients appear to be aware of their rights. The report reviews why the GAO started the study, findings & recommendations.

Minnesota provides their short and long term strategies for maintaining data for their HousingLink Program - an online resource database of affordable housing.

This report describes the FY ‘01 & FY ‘02 Grantees’ accomplishments & progress, using information from 10/1/02 to 9/30/03 (Year Two of grant period for FY ‘01 Grantees & Year One of grant period for FY ‘02 Grantees). The report describes grant activities in six major areas: Consumer Direction & Control, Access to LTC Services & Supports, State Budgeting & Reimbursement Rates & Methodologies, Service Creation/Modification, LTC Service & Support Workforce, Quality Management Mechanism.

Across the nation, people with disabilities, of all ages, are currently facing an affordable housing crisis. This guide provide information and guidance for states as they work collaboratively to develop realistic systems-level strategies to expand housing opportunities for people with disabilities. This guide was developed based on information and approaches detailed at a Regional Housing Forum in Washington, D.C. in Nov. 2002. A link to that meeting notes & presentation is below.

Antidepressant Medication Use in Youth and Suicide Risk Controversy Recent Food and Drug Administration Hearings and Interim Recommendations: On Sept. 14, 04, mental health professionals, researchers, mental health advocates, and concerned parents and youth presented additional information to the Psychopharmacologic Drugs and Pediatric Advisory Committee (PDPAC) to the FDA. Meeting minutes included background information, researcher testimony, DCF PMAC Consensus Statements & recommendations.

The purpose of this report is to share identified best practices for recruitment & retention of nursing & nursing assistive personnel as identified by local experts. From Oct ‘02-July ‘04, the Center for Health Workforce Planning in the Bureau of Health Care Access, Iowa Department of Public Health, funded 7 demonstration projects with the intent of identifying successful strategies. This report provides a summary of the goals, strategies, challenges & contact information for each project.

The following posting contains many documents from the South Carolina Lower Savannah Council on Governments. Attachments include a description of planned grant activities and functional relationship graphics. There are three fact sheets which respond to questions presented at the 2004 National Association for Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) Conference: streamlining access, marketing and outreach, and information and assistance.

Three grahpics explain the way the MA ADRC project is coordinated between an Area Agency on Aging & an Independent Living Center. The Team Report details the essential role of the intake team in creating a “one-stop” ADRC by bridging the philosophies of two separate long term care services one serving older adults & one serving adults with disabilities. A flyer soliciting consumers, a flyer offering a program overview & an application for the ADRC Consumer Involvement Board is also provided.

This Data Digest from the AARP Public Policy Institute, Disability: Federal Survey Definitions, Measurements, and Estimates, examines different ways disability has been defined and measured in national surveys sponsored by the federal government. The brief discusses the sources of some of the variation in disability rates and illustrates how broader definitions of disability yield higher prevalence rates.

In 2003, the Minnesota Board on Aging was awarded a 3 year Aging and Disability Resource Center Grant. The Resource Center will serve individuals and their family caregivers who need long-term care support and those planning for future long-term care support needs. They will also serve as a resource for health and long-term care professionals. This document summarizes Minnesota's timeline and activities under the grant.