Independence Plus Initiative
OHIO
Grant
Information
Name of Grantee
Ohio Department
of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (ODMRDD)
Title of Grant
Ohio's Self-Determination Project
Type of Grant
Independence Plus Initiative
Amount of Grant
$500,000
Year Original Funding
Received
2003
Contact
Information
Dana Charlton, Project Director
614–728–9510
dana.charlton@dmr.state.oh.us
Sharon Travis, Project Manager
35 East Chestnut Street, 5th Floor
Franklin County
Columbus, OH 43215
614–387–0376
sharon.travis@dmr.state.oh.us
Subcontractor(s)
Center on Self-Determination
Evaluation consultant to be decided.
Target
Population(s)
Individuals with Mental Retardation and
other Developmental Disabilities (MR/DD).
Goals
- Develop and submit an
Independence Plus Initiative waiver application.
- Assist individuals
with MR/DD, families, and all other stakeholders within the demonstration
counties to understand the alternatives available under the Self-Determination
waiver and its implementation processes.
- Conduct an ongoing
formative evaluation and an independent evaluation of the
Self-Determination waiver and of the quality of life of individuals with
MR/DD and their satisfaction and that of families.
Activities
- Identify barriers to
implementing an Independence Plus Initiative
waiver within the demonstration counties and develop methods to eliminate
the barriers.
- Develop and submit to
the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) the information
necessary for them to support submission of the waiver application to CMS.
- Draft language for the
Self-Determination waiver application and submit it to CMS for approval as
an Independence Plus Initiative waiver.
- Develop training and
technical assistance materials, informational brochures, and a
dissemination and implementation strategy.
- Establish a family
information network to provide individuals with MR/DD and their family's
current information to help them maintain current skills and gain new
skills needed for participation in the Self-Determination waiver.
- Produce routine reports
of formative learning and develop tools and a strategy for obtaining
baseline data of individuals prior to enrollment on the Self-Determination
waiver.
Abstract
The overall goal of the grant is to obtain approval of an
Independence Plus HCBS waiver, titled
"Self-Determination," and to demonstrate successful implementation in
at least five counties in Ohio.
Grant funds will be used to obtain training, facilitation, and technical
assistance related to achieving the expectations in the Independence Plus Initiative template for the Self-Determination waiver.
Grant funds will also provide reimbursement/stipends to individuals with MR/DD
and families to cover the cost of their involvement at three levels of policy
work: (1) the stakeholder work team in each of the demonstration counties,
(2) the collaborative group representing all demonstration counties, and
(3) the advisory committee, which includes persons with expertise or
position authority to eliminate barriers and establish the infrastructure
needed to support implementation of the waiver.
Each demonstration county will use their experience from
previous local and state self-determination efforts to identify, for each
individual receiving Self-Determination waiver services, (1) barriers that
must be reduced or eliminated and (2) the infrastructure that must exist
to achieve the major goals of person-centered planning, individual budgets,
financial management services, support brokerage, and participant protections.
Several months following implementation of the
Self-Determination waiver in the demonstration counties, an independent
evaluation will be conducted of (1) the use of services covered by the
waiver, (2) system capacities to successfully implement the waiver, and
(3) the outcomes and quality of life of individuals with disabilities,
their satisfaction, and the satisfaction of their families and other
stakeholders.