Nursing Facility Transitions

MARYLAND

Grant Information

Name of Grantee

Department of Human Resources (DHR)
Office of Personal Assistance Services

Title of Grant

Nursing Facility Transitions Grant

Type of Grant

Nursing Facility Transitions, State Program

Amount of Grant

$800,000

Year Original Funding Received

2001

Contact Information

Blessing Asher, Project Director
410–767–6232
basher@dhr.state.md.us

Rhonda Workman, Director
Office of Personal Assistance Services
311 W Saratoga Street
Baltimore, MD 21201–3521
410–767–7479
rworkman@dhr.state.md.us

Subcontractor(s)

Maryland Centers for Independent Living (6):

  1. Making Choices for Independent Living
  2. Center for L.I.F.E.
  3. Eastern Shore CIL
  4. Independence Now, Inc.
  5. Resource for Independence
  6. The Freedom Center

Target Population(s)

Individuals with physical disabilities, 65 years and younger, who are currently residing in nursing facilities and want to move into the community.

Goals

  • Meet a minimum of 150 individuals' preferences and housing needs in a manner that allows for flexibility, choice, and self-direction.
  • Provide better coordination of community housing and support services.
  • Improve quality of transition services.
  • Expand community housing alternatives.
  • Develop policy, program, and regulatory changes to sustain the positive system changes.
  • Develop measurable performance outcomes for monitoring, evaluation, and utilization review to promote effectiveness and efficiency.

Activities

  • Educate and assist individuals and their support systems to understand, identify, and procure local community resources.
  • Develop and sustain working relationships with public housing authorities and other housing resources in all Maryland jurisdictions.
  • Systemically address the expansion and development of new housing resources.
  • Compile and distribute listings of affordable, accessible housing resources and community support services.
  • Provide grant funds not otherwise available for transitional costs associated with moving to the community.
  • Develop, print, and distribute a transition guide
  • Conduct Consumer Satisfaction Survey on all individuals who transitioned to the community with assistance from this grant and analyze data to record outcome measures, lessons learned, and best practices.

Abstract

The Maryland Nursing Facility Transitions Grant is a statewide program designed to (1) identify and expand affordable, appropriate, and safe housing for persons desiring to move from nursing facilities to the community and (2) assist with transition-related activities and costs including security deposits, utility hook-ups, furnishings, environmental modifications, and procuring community-based support services. Federal funding will be used to develop a team, the Home Team, for coordination/collaboration with local housing authorities and housing providers, outreach workers, and case managers to assist in obtaining housing for a minimum of 150 Medicaid beneficiaries currently residing in 231 Maryland nursing facilities.

The following agencies will collaborate in this project: the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH), the Department of Human Resources (DHR), the six Maryland Centers for Independent Living (CILs), the Coordinating Center, the Public Housing Authorities, and other housing providers. This interagency collaborative program will be administered through the Department of Human Resources, Office of Personal Assistance Services, which will also provide program coordination. The CILs provide Housing Transition Services. The Nursing Facility Transitions State Program Grant will be closely linked with Maryland's Independent Living Partnership Grant through coordinated outreach and peer counselors to target individuals with physical disabilities, 65 years and younger, who are living in nursing facilities and want to move into the community. To maximize collaboration and resources, the two programs will have one advisory committee, comprising individuals with disabilities and agency representatives. Through implementation of these programs, Maryland expects to develop an extensive peer outreach program, reach well over 2,000 people, and build community-housing capacity. Major gaps related to affordable accessible housing, lack of education pertaining to community resources, and funding needed to assure successful transitioning will be addressed and resolved.