Systems Change Grants for Community Living Compendium Third Edition Georgia RC 2002

2002 Real Choice for Systems Change Grants

GEORGIA

Grant Information

Name of Grantee: Georgia Department of Human Resources
Title of Grant: Real Choice Systems Change Grant
Type of Grant: Real Choice Systems Change
Amount of Grant: $1,385,000
Year Original Funding Received: 2002

Contact Information

Betti Knott, Project Director
2 Peachtree Street, NW
Suite 23–232
Atlanta, GA 30303
404–657–2111
bhknott@dhr.ga.gov

Subcontractor(s)

Valdosta State University
Georgia State University
Janet Rechtman and Associates
Brown Consulting
Georgia Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities
Alice P. Lin, Ph.D.
The Technical Assistance Collaborative
Georgia Consumer Network

Target Population(s)

Individuals of all ages who have a disability or long-term illness.

Goals

Address system barriers to community integrated living.
Develop an ongoing mechanism for consumer involvement in all aspects of the integrated community service delivery system for elderly people and people with disabilities.
Develop a process for effective communication and collaboration to enhance planning and implementation of integrated community service system change.
Sustain an accessible integrated community service system for elderly people and people with disabilities.

Activities

Develop a medication administration certification program for adoption by the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Addictive Diseases.
Develop strategies that will enhance the ability to recruit, retain, and improve the direct care workforce that supports elderly people and people with disabilities in community-integrated settings.
Evaluate the effectiveness of supported housing for adults with serious mental illness.
Develop training programs for peer supporters to enhance transition of individuals from institutions to community-integrated settings.
Develop and implement actions for improved communication with elderly people, people with disabilities, and family members and advocates and to improve communication and coordination among state agencies.
Support the development of a single point of access for people with mental illness and developmental disabilities as specified in HB 498.

Abstract

The Real Choice Systems Change Grant represents Georgia's commitment to design and implement effective and enduring improvements in community long-term support systems. These improvements will enable individuals of all ages who have a disability or long-term illness to live and participate in their communities.

The project will address system barriers to community-integrated living, develop an ongoing mechanism for consumer involvement in all aspects of the integrated community service delivery system for people of all ages and disabilities, develop a process for effective communication and collaboration to enhance planning and implementation of integrated community services system changes, and sustain an accessible integrated community service system.

This project represents Georgia's commitment to enact real systems change by effectively changing the provision of services to people of all disabilities and ages. The project's products will be accomplished by building on current initiatives, such as the work on direct care staff improvements. The Supported Housing Demonstration Project training and evaluation will be supplementary to the current housing initiative funded by a Center for Mental Health Services grant. This grant will build synergies with current Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services initiatives, such as the Nursing Home Transition grants previously awarded.