Independence Plus Initiative
GEORGIA
Grant
Information
Name of Grantee
Georgia Department of Human Resources
Title of Grant
The Georgia Independence
Plus Initiative
Type of Grant
Independence Plus Initiative
Amount of Grant
$432,108
Year Original Funding
Received
2003
Contact
Information
Darlene Meador, Project Director
Georgia Department of Human Resources
Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Addictive Disease
Office of Developmental Disabilities
2 Peachtree Street, NW, Suite 22.102
Atlanta, GA 30303
404–657–1138
dmeador@dhr.state.ga.us
Subcontractor(s)
APS Healthcare Bethesda, Inc.
8403 Colesville
Road, Suite 1600
Silver Spring, MD
20910
Target
Population(s)
Individuals with disabilities (including
those with physical disabilities, serious mental illness, developmental
disabilities, and traumatic brain injury) and older adults.
Goals
- Develop a uniform
methodology for calculating all individual budgets in the State.
- Adapt the HCBS waiver
program quality assurance/quality improvement (QA/QI) system to assure
necessary safeguards for the health and welfare of participants in the
self-directed service delivery system.
- Design key operational
functions of the self-directed service delivery system.
- Develop a
self-determination master plan that incorporates components of the
self-directed service delivery system.
- Design a
self-determination pilot for adults with serious mental illness utilizing
peer supports.
Activities
- Develop uniform
operational policies and procedures for individual budgets.
- Revise the current
incident management system to serve a self-directed service delivery
system.
- Develop individual and
statewide emergency backup systems.
- Design a process for
accessing the self-directed service delivery system.
- Develop a system for
recruiting and training support brokers.
- Evaluate financial
management services.
- Devise a
self-determination pilot project for community mental health service
delivery for adults with serious mental illness, which utilizes peer
supports.
Abstract
Since the 1980's, Georgia has employed waivers to
offer HCBS services. Current HCBS services, such as personal supports, day
support, and natural support enhancements, lay a foundation for
self-determination. Existing personal supports systems include a variety of
services ranging from traditional services to individualized services designed
to support people with disabilities in their growth, development, and inclusion
in all aspects of community life. Day support services assist people with
developmental disabilities through a combination of supports to address the
multiple needs of an individual on any given day. Natural support enhancement
services maintain and strengthen the natural support provided in individuals'
homes. Georgia's
system requires significant redesign to move the State toward self-directed
services and supports.
To fulfill the State's commitment to self-direction,
policies and regulations must change because the current regulatory system is
designed to support traditional residential and personal care home services.
Under this grant, self-advocates, family members, advocates, providers, and
State agency representatives will work together with technical advisors to
design a comprehensive, self-directed service delivery system. The system will
provide needed supports, including budgeting support, financial management
services, support brokerage services, and protections such as incident
management and emergency backup systems.
The master plan for self-determination developed through
this collaborative process will enable Georgia to address the increasing
demand for community services through improved access to and enhanced
flexibility of services tailored to individual and family needs. As a part of
this project, Georgia
will review its current regulatory system and determine actions needed to
transform this system to be consistent with self-determination, including
modifying existing and developing new State policies.