2003 Research and Demonstration Grants — Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Initiative
WASHINGTON
Grant Information
- Name of Grantee
- Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS)
- Title of Grant
- Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Initiative
- Type of Grant
- Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Initiative
- Amount of Grant
- $608,008
- Year Original Funding Received
- 2003
Contact Information
Jana Sesonske, Project Director.
360–902–8485
sesonjl@dshs.wa.gov
Nicole Williams, Project Manager
360–725–2395
willinc@dshs.wa.gov
Janet Adams, Stakeholder Coordinator
PO Box 45010
Olympia, WA 95804
360–902–0262
adamsje@dshs.wa.gov
Subcontractor(s)
Three project consultants to be identified.
Target Population(s)
Adults and children with developmental disabilities.
Goals
- Develop accurate and valid assessment tools that will provide information on needs and natural and informal supports to help individuals make informed choices.
- Involve consumers, stakeholders, and public-private partnerships in planning activities.
- Improve collaboration with human services agencies and state agencies.
- Develop a quality improvement system that is consistent with consumer-based services.
- Rebalance the distribution of funding to give individuals choices about where they live.
Activities
- Involve stakeholders in the planning process for project initiation activities.
- Define assessment and service plan business requirements and program specifications for the new system.
- Design and code the assessment and related algorithms within the CARE framework.
- Develop the system and unit test for the assessment and service plan.
- Pilot the system and involve stakeholders in testing the system for usability.
- Provide training to end-users and implement the assessment and services plan system throughout the state.
Abstract
Through development of an automated comprehensive assessment and service planning tool, the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) will begin rebalancing its long-term support systems more evenly between institutional and community service options. This system will build on the Comprehensive Assessment Reporting Evaluation (CARE), recently completed by the Department's Aging and Disability Services Administration (ADSA).
For this project specific assessments will be developed within CARE.
- An Adult Assessment that will address the needs of adults with developmental disabilities to receive services and supports that will help individuals transition between institution and community settings.
- A Children's Assessment that will address the needs of children with developmental disabilities to receive ongoing services and supports to live successfully in the least restrictive setting.
- An Interactive Service Plan System to be used with each assessment, that will promote maximum client participation in the detailed plan of resources and services tailored to meet the individual's needs.
Without an effective assessment tool it is not possible, in a systemic way, to give an individual with developmental disabilities the freedom to choose where he or she wants to live and for the funding to follow that choice. This Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Initiative will set the stage for rebalancing the currently available funding and will be linked with other major initiatives aimed at increasing options for self-directed services. The assessment tool will also be tied to a quality assurance process with automatic feedback, which is currently under development.