Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement in Home and Community Based Services

VERMONT

Grant Information


Name of Grantee

Agency of Human Services, Department of Aging and Independent Living (DAIL)

Title of Grant

Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement in Home and Community Based Waiver Services

Type of Grant

Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement in Home and Community Based Services

Amount of Grant

$499,709

Year Original Funding Received

2004

Contact Information


Joseph Carlomagno, Project Director
Agency of Human Services, DAIL
Weeks Building
103 South Main Street
Waterbury, VT 05671
802–241–2721
joe.carlomagno@dail.state.vt.us

Subcontractor(s)

Susan Yuan
University of Vermont
Center
on Disability and Community Inclusion
The University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCEDD)
802–656–4031
susan.yuan@uvm.edu

Others to be determined.

Target Population(s)


Persons with disabilities who are eligible for the four HCBS waivers within the Department of Aging and Independent Living (DAIL).

Goals


  • Develop a Quality Management Plan (QMP) addressing all four HCBS waiver programs.
  • Include consumers, their families, and community members as active participants in Vermont's quality management activities.
  • Develop and implement quality management activities to improve supports and services to Vermont's elder citizens and those with disabilities.
  • Develop a technology-based system to manage and analyze critical incidents.
  • Develop an ongoing system of technical assistance to all providers of services across age and disability and provide training to service recipients and relevant staff.

Activities


  • Assess the current quality management systems within the four HCBS waivers; develop new service standards; and implement the strategies outlined in the Quality Management Plan (QMP) within the four HCBS waivers.
  • Develop quality indicators with consumers and families, and contract with consumer and family advocacy organizations to convene focus forums to seek feedback on the quality indicators.
  • Develop methods to directly engage consumers and their families in a discovery process that elicits their experiences with the services.
  • Include direct consumers on State quality review teams; recruit, hire, and train two 0.5 FTE consumers; and evaluate effectiveness of consumers in assessing the quality of services for other consumers.
  • Develop methods to include consumer and family involvement in the development of service provider remediation plans, and utilize consumers and families to provide training during implementation of the QMP.
  • Research promising quality assurance practices and methods of gathering data to determine viable methods, develop and implement multiple methods of discovery, develop technical assistance manuals for information gathering activities, and implement service provider agreements.
  • Develop and implement relevant and timely methods of remediation, design a system with participant safeguards, and develop formats for remediation plans that include consumer and family input.
  • Research, develop, and implement methods of public reporting on the quality of services and develop information that includes data from existing sources and methods developed as a result of grant activities.
  • Research Web-based methods of tracking and reporting critical incidents, train all relevant providers on the uses of the system, and develop reporting and follow-up formats and protocols for critical incidents across all waivers.
  • Assess the training needs of stakeholders involved in the implementation of the new QMP, develop an initial training plan to "roll out" the plan, and provide training to stakeholders on the plan.
  • Develop a system of technical assistance to service providers in the delivery of quality services and identify training needs and develop training plans with service providers.

Abstract


The grant project will develop a comprehensive quality management system across the four HCBS waivers within the Department of Aging and Independent Living. This system will be based on the expectations contained in the CMS Quality Framework. The four HCBS waivers include the Division of Developmental Services' waiver for individuals with developmental disabilities, the Division of Advocacy and Independent Living's Home-Based waiver and the Enhanced Residential Care waiver for elders and individuals with disabilities, and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation's Traumatic Brain Injury waiver for individuals with traumatic brain injuries. The goals of the proposal are to effect enduring systems change that fulfils Vermont's commitment to ensure the health and well-being of individuals receiving an HCBS waiver within Vermont's community-based, long-term care system.