2001 Real Choice for Systems Change Grants
Timothy Hawley, Ph.D.
Real Choices Project Manager
100 Fair Oaks Lane, 4E-B
Frankfort, KY 40621–0001
502–564–4527
timothy.hawley@mail.state.ky
Subcontractor(s)
Center for Accessible Living
Jan Day
502–589–6620
Council on Mental Retardation
April Duval
502–584–1239
ARC of Kentucky
Patty Dempsey
502–875–5225
University of Kentucky/IHDI
Kathy Sheperd-Jones
859–257–1714
Eastern Kentucky University/TRC
Elizabeth Wachtel
859–622–2262
Kentucky Housing Corporation
Natalie Hutcheson
502–564–7630
The general target population is individuals with disabilities. Each of the three major initiatives is targeting a specific population:
Citizen Monitoring Initiative. Individuals with mental retardation/developmental disabilities that are served by Supports for Community Living waiver providers throughout the state. The target population will expand to other individuals with disabilities in years two and three of the grant.
Housing/Nursing Home Transition Initiative. Individuals with disabilities residing in Louisville/Jefferson County (urban) and Murray/Calloway county (rural).
Workforce Initiative. Individuals with disabilities who receive services from providers trained under this initiative.
Workforce Initiative. Create a consortium to develop recommendations for the development of curricula. Develop and implement seven curricula to train community-based direct service, supervisory, and administrative staff. Place curricula in the Kentucky Virtual University system for use statewide.
Housing/Nursing Home Transition Initiative. Develop pilot projects in two regions of the state (urban and rural) to assess the availability and accessibility of housing and service options for individuals transitioning out of institutions into the community. Develop a marketing plan to inform discharge planners, community advocacy groups, and individuals about the pilot project.
Citizen Monitoring Initiative. Recruit and train consumers and family members to participate in a pilot project patterned on the existing state-funded Core Indicators Project. Recruit volunteer personal advocates for participants served by the Supports for Community Living waiver program.
The citizen monitoring initiative has three components: (1) developing a protocol and training volunteer advocates, (2) recruiting and training two-person interview teams to solicit consumer satisfaction, and (3) engaging consumers and family members of services and supports to enhance current standard survey instruments.
The workforce initiative will develop a comprehensive credentialing system based on a common set of standards and training methods. This will be accomplished by hiring a full-time project director and the establishment of a consortium of institutions of higher education, persons with disabilities, and community service providers.
The housing and nursing home transition initiative (conducted by the Center for Accessible Living, a Center for Independent Living) will establish two pilot projects in an urban and rural site to assist individuals with disabilities making the transition from a nursing home or other institutional setting to the community. The initiative will support the development of protocols and resources necessary to make this transition. Additionally, two specific projects at the state level involving the state housing finance agency (Kentucky Housing Corporation) will support this local effort. Grant funds will be used to develop a "standard plans" publication incorporating universal design principles, as well as to provide home modification funds to qualified individuals with disabilities through an existing program (the Kentucky Assistive Technology Loan Fund).