Newsletter, periodic publication

Providing regular and current information about the various programs funded by the MIG program is essential to keeping this community informed, up to date and active. Connecticut’s "connect-ability" newsletter spotlights new programs, events and legislation in a bright and engaging way. A sample of their Fall 2009 issue, covering employment for youth with disabilities workshops, transportation funding and more, is available for download here and a good example for other states.

How can constantly evolving MIG information be disseminated effectively? One way Alabama is doing this, is through their Medicaid Infrastructure Grant Newsletter. This archive of their 2009 newsletters outlines what's new, outreach and education inroads, current research studies and any changes in legislature. These newsletters provide helpful policy information which could prove useful to other states with MIG grants.

How is Nebraska using its MIG funding to assist individuals with disabilities manage the chronic pain that prevents them from acquiring or maintaining employment? The Nebraska Ticket to Work Palliative Care Program combines palliative care with employment services in an effort to address chronic pain as a barrier to employment. The program takes a cutting-edge approach, which could be employed in any state. A more detailed summary of the program is provided in the newsletter available here.

With funding from The SCAN Foundation, this issue of PPAR features articles that recount the laborious process that led to realization of the long-term care provisions found in ACA, analyze the key provisions of the legislation, and explore hurdles that are certain to be encountered during program implementation. Authors include national experts from The SCAN Foundation, RTI International, Oxford University, AAHSA, Avalere Health, AARP and Ecumen.

The Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities in Vermont is working towards "Promoting the employment of Vermont citizens of all abilities". Here you will find an archive of the committees' newsletter "Abilities," which focuses on programs and resources on a number of topics having to do with the employment of people with disabilities.

The results of a survey on the interest of managed care organizations in developing a Cash & Counseling option for delivering long-term personal assistance services.

The Project SEARCH High School Transition Program is a school-to-work program that takes place entirely at the workplace. The goal for each student is competitive employment. The program provides real-life work experience combined with training in employability and independent living skills to help youths with significant disabilities make successful transitions from school to productive adult life. Review an article from the DCS newsletter and accompanying pamphlets that outline this program.

The New Freedom Commission on Mental Health identified self-directed care as one service innovation that could create a more consumer- and family oriented mental health system. Four years later, there are still fewer than 400 consumers in five states accessing self-directed care in the public mental health system. This Open Forum identifies three main barriers to explain this lack of progress. The abstract and article are available for download here.

This article by the Assistant Secretary for Aging, Josefina G. Carbonell, describes how the US Department of Health and Human Services' Administration on Aging leveraged the investments of a number of private foundations and entered into a partnership with them to develop, test, and support the initiatives that were eventually included in the Bush administration's Choices for Independence Reauthorization Proposal.

This article describes the importance of examining views from multiple key stakeholders involved in implementing CD programs. The report focuses on the three background studies that informed the Cash & Counseling Demonstration and Evaluation, as well as results from the first year of implementation.