Real Choice Systems Change

ARKANSAS

Grant Information


Name of Grantee

Department of Human Services
Division of Aging and Adult Services

Title of Grant

Real Choice for Enduring Change in Arkansas

Type of Grant

Real Choice Systems Change

Amount of Grant

$1,025,000

Year Original Funding Received

2001

Amount of Supplemental Grant

$360,000

Supplemental Award Received

2002

Contact Information


Debbie Hopkins, Program Administrator
501–682–8152
debbie.hopkins@arkansas.gov

Cindy Young, Project Coordinator
PO Box 1437, Slot S530
Little Rock, AR 72203–1437
501–682–8231
cindy.young@arkansas.gov

Subcontractor(s)

Partners for Inclusive Communities/University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Area Agency on Aging of South West Arkansas
RTZ Associates, Inc.
National Academy of State Health Policy
University of Minnesota

Target Population(s)


Adults age 19 and older.

Goals


  • Achieve a better balance of spending between institutions and home and community settings.
  • Increase the availability of in-home workers.
  • Improve or maintain the health of elderly persons who are dual-eligibles by exploring a model of voluntary Medicaid/Medicare integrated system.
  • Increase consumer self-determination including a statewide training program in advocacy.
  • Design and implement a single point of contact to provide consumers with comprehensive, up-to-date, unbiased information for optimal decision making and choice.

Activities


  • Identify successful strategies to recruit and retain in-home workers, including those that focus on wages, benefits, training, and the establishment of a career path.
  • Establish a worker registry.
  • Develop a replicable model for a voluntary Medicaid/Medicare integrated system that efficiently manages the costs of services, with focus on PACE.
  • Provide technical assistance and training regarding consumer self-determination practices to consumers and advocacy organizations.
  • Develop an assessment process based on consumer preferences.
  • Develop and implement a Web-based directory of services for use by consumers, family members, providers, and discharge planners.
  • Complete studies regarding ways to optimize funding flexibility, such as money follows the person, to help ensure least restrictive service settings, and allow consumers to transition from one system/setting to another.
  • Model methods to speed eligibility and entry for home and community based waiver services.

Abstract


The Real Choice project will address a number of problems Arkansas experiences in delivering long-term care services. Relevant agencies have come together with consumer groups and other public and private partners to plan for systems change that will promote informed consumer choice and higher quality services. The project will address issues related to access, availability, quality, value, and consumer participation.

The Real Choice grant for Arkansas will address the need for a single point of contact for home and community-based care, timely and flexible eligibility determination, ease of access to services, and appropriate determination of services people want and need. Strategies we intend to employ are the use of federal options over more restrictive State options, a feasibility study to integrate Medicare and Medicaid services for seniors, training staff across divisions of the Department of Human Services (DHS) to promote understanding of alternatives available, an education outreach program to community resource staff, development of new assessment tools to determine optional settings for people entering the system and those already institutionalized, a study to explore the options for providing insurance to front line workers, a public awareness campaign to elevate the status of such occupations with the general public, development of a State worker registry, and strengthening of individual consumers and consumer advocacy groups in effective action at the law and policy-making levels.

Significant and sustainable outcomes will include a system that encourages greater consumer control and choice and services that will enable people to enjoy improved overall health and long-term care in their communities for a longer period.