Real Choice Systems Change

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Grant Information

Name of Grantee

Department of Health and Human Services

Title of Grant

Facilitating Lifespan Excellence (FLEX)

Type of Grant

Real Choice Systems Change

Amount of Grant

$2,300,000

Year Original Funding Received

2001

Contact Information

Susan Fox
Project Director
Institute on Disability
10 Ferry Street, Unit 14
Concord, NH 03301
603–228–2084
swfox@cisunix.unh.edu

Subcontractor(s)

University of New Hampshire
Institute on Disability
Mary Schuh
603–228–2084

Institute on Health Law and Ethics
Franklin Pierce Law Center
Michelle Winchester
603–228–1963

Town of Littleton
Jason Hoch
603–444–3996

Mentorship, Inc.
Robin Daning
603–226–4470

Granite State Monarchs
Wayne Husted
603–352–5093

Target Population(s)

Older adults and persons with disabilities.

Goals

  • Fill identified gaps and address identified weaknesses in the current long-term support system.
  • Identify barriers to real choice and consumer-directed services and recommend reforms.
  • Develop educational and technical assistance activities and strategies for implementing consumer-directed services.
  • Develop a comprehensive evaluation strategy that uses both empowerment evaluation methods and summative evaluation methods within and across all project components.
  • Develop creative dissemination strategies designed to support change and empower consumers.

Activities

  • Develop and support management and advisory structures that support completion of project objectives and partnerships with other State initiatives for permanent systems change.
  • Implement, using an RFP process, specific model projects that will develop solutions to barriers to consumer choice and integrated community living.
  • Implement a mentorship pilot project for persons with developmental disabilities.
  • Implement a mobile unit to bring assistive technology and durable medical equipment to citizens in their homes and communities.
  • Develop a Policy Resource Center to identify and analyze barriers to consumer-directed services and to make recommendations for actions to reduce or eliminate these barriers.
  • Establish a community laboratory to implement projects to improve community long-term care systems.
  • Provide peer supports to persons with mental illness.

Abstract

Governor Jeanne Shaheen, with support and leadership from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Granite State Independent Living, the University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability, Franklin Pierce Law Center, numerous consumer groups, and other stakeholders proposes to "improve health and long-term care service systems and supports for people with disabilities and long-term illness to live in the community."

This proposal, developed collaboratively by the disability and aging communities, is designed to create and implement improvements in community long-term care systems. Several specific projects are proposed, each of which is designed to fill an identified gap or weakness in the current infrastructure of long-term supports. These projects will then be implemented in one model community or region that will serve as a laboratory for change.

In addition we will develop a policy center to review all laws and regulations that create barriers to full community integration and to make recommendations for change. The Policy Center will also provide education and training to the public, legislators, providers, and advocates. The project will be led by a consumer advisory council that has broad cross-disability representation across all age spans.