Independence Plus Initiative
MONTANA
Grant Information
Name of Grantee
Department
of Public Health and Human Services
Title of Grant
Big Sky
Bonanza-Montana's Independence
Plus Initiative
Type of Grant
Independence Plus Initiative
Amount of Grant
$499,963
Year Original Funding
Received
2003
Expected Completion Date
September
2007
Contact Information
Robin Homan, Program Officer
406-444-4131
rhoman@mt.gov
Abby Hulme, Grant Coordinator
PO Box 4210
Helena, MT 59604
406-444-4376
ahulme@mt.gov
Subcontractor(s)
Mountain Pacific Quality Health
Foundation
Summit Independent
Living Center
Carl Eby
Target Population(s)
Persons with disabilities and
persons with long-term care needs.
Goals
- Develop an
Independence Plus waiver.
- Implement and evaluate
an Independence Plus waiver pilot program.
Activities
- Research best
practices of cash and counseling models.
- Conduct forums and
focus groups, and administer consumer surveys to inform the research.
- Complete a 1915(c)
waiver to facilitate an Independence Plus program.
- Develop selection
criteria for Independence Plus participants.
- Determine and audit
process for individual cash allowance, and develop a method for compiling
information on cash allowances to be available for public review.
- Establish financial
management and support brokerage as Medicaid-reimbursable services, and
solicit, enroll, and train potential providers.
- Develop a
communication plan for consumers, bookkeepers, and brokers under the
support brokerage component of the cash and counseling program.
- Establish a
participant protection component to include an emergency backup system and
an incident management protocol.
- Enhance the Job
Service employer/employee job registry Web site. Develop a plan to
facilitate caregiver background checks.
- Conduct and evaluate a
pilot of the Independence
Plus program in three counties.
Abstract
The anticipated outcomes of Montana's Independence Plus project are
expanded options, increased consumer control, and effective consumer
protections. The first two outcomes will be accomplished by establishing an
Independence Plus Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver program for
elderly and disabled persons. The third will be achieved through implementation
of an emergency backup system, a disaster and emergency plan, caregiver
background checks, and an improved incident management plan.
During the general grant activities, focus groups
will be used to gather input regarding program design features. These group
meetings will take place on Indian Reservations, in major cities, and in
rural/frontier towns. Surveys will be mailed to collect data from those who do
not attend the group meetings.
Consumers, advocates, family members, providers of
services, and state agency partners will participate in the grant. Summit Independent
Living Center
will produce participant training materials and train participants, and Carl Eby, a Native American consultant, will spearhead outreach
to Indian Nations and ensure cultural sensitivity in all phases of program
development and implementation.
Montana's Quality Improvement Organization will collaborate in
developing and implementing the capacity assessment protocol. Montana's Department of Labor will partner
in developing a caregiver registry via the existing Job Service Web page. The
Disaster and Emergency Services Division will collaborate on establishing the
emergency backup system. The Montana Department of Justice will assist in
implementing caregiver background checks.