Nursing Facility Transitions

LOUISIANA

Grant Information

Name of Grantee

Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals

Title of Grant

Louisiana Community Choice Access

Type of Grant

Nursing Facility Transitions, State Program

Amount of Grant

$600,000

Year Original Funding Received

2002

Expected Completion Date

September 2006

Contact Information

Marguerite D. Adams, R.N.
Department of Health and Hospitals
Division of Long Term Supports and Services
446 N. 12th Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
225-219-0230
madams@dhh.la.gov

Subcontractor(s)

None.

Target Population(s)

Adults in nursing facilities.

Goals

  • Enhance outreach to the general public concerning community alternatives through development of media materials and distribution networks.
  • Provide systems change training concerning community alternatives to medical providers and institutions.
  • Create infrastructure for identification, screening, addressing barriers, transitioning, and quality assurance/monitoring for nursing facility residents and transition at least 150 appropriate persons to community settings.

Activities

  • Develop educational materials such as brochures, videos, and compact discs, and update a Web site to inform interested parties of opportunities to transition to the community from nursing facilities.
  • Enhance helpline capabilities to cope with increased requests by adding additional hardware and staff.
  • Hire coordinators to ensure statewide dissemination of educational materials, broad public contact, training, and contact of individuals in nursing facilities who indicate an interest in returning to the community.
  • Contract for final phase of comprehensive assessment process based on the Residential Assessment Instrument—Home Care (RAI-HC).
  • Develop and apply quality assurance and citizens monitoring processes for grant activities and individuals transitioned under the grant.

Abstract

Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) has developed and will implement a statewide initiative to change perceptions among the general public and health care providers regarding appropriate care choices for the elderly and individuals living with disabilities. The initiative will establish processes for transition from institutional care to the community, and will identify and assist 150 appropriate Medicaid nursing facility residents to transition to the community. This initiative is designed to work with existing state and local agencies and germane grants in partnership to assure that individuals have meaningful choices in viable community support systems. The grant will fund a serious, concerted attempt to institute true systems change by addressing cultural expectations as well as identification and relocation of nursing facility residents.