Integrating Long-Term Supports with Affordable Housing

OREGON

Grant Information


Name of Grantee

State of Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS)

Title of Grant

Expanding Housing and Supports for Oregonians

Type of Grant

Integrating Long-Term Supports with Affordable Housing

Amount of Grant

$828,232

Year Original Funding Received

2004

Contact Information


Mr. Gerald Stolp, Project Co-Director
DHS, Seniors and People with Disabilities
500 Summer Street, NE, E-10
503-945-9785
gerald.stolp@state.or.us

Ms. Vicki Skryha, Project Co-Director
DHS, Office of Mental Health and Addiction Services
500 Summer Street, NE, E-86
503-945-9722
vicki.skryha@state.or.us

Ms. Joyce Phelps
Assistive Technology Specialist
DHS, Seniors and People with Disabilities
500 Summer Street, NE, E-12
503-945-6742
joyce.l.phelps@state.or.us

Ms. Terry N. Mastin
Housing Supp. Ref. Specialist
DHS, Office of Mental Health and Addiction Services
500 Summer Street, NE, E-86
Salem, OR 97301-1118
503-945-6722
terry.n.mastin@state.or.us

Subcontractor(s)

Tom Keating, Institute Director
Eugene Research Institute (ERI)
99 West 10th, Suite 395
Eugene, OR 97401
541-342-3763

Target Population(s)


Medicaid-eligible individuals of all ages with physical, developmental, and psychiatric disabilities.

Goals


  • Integrate the use of assistive technology in affordable housing to enable people with physical and developmental disabilities to live more safely and achieve greater independence.
  • Reform outdated service financing infrastructure to enable individuals with psychiatric disabilities to obtain the supports they need to live more safely and successfully.
  • Research and address assistive technology barriers concerning Oregon Administrative Rules and Statutes for affordable housing programs.

Activities


  • Produce a report on available assistive technology, systemic barriers, and a blueprint for system change.
  • Establish a resource clearinghouse on assistive technology.
  • Produce a resource manual to be distributed to at least 200 service and housing providers statewide on integrating long-term supports with affordable housing for people with psychiatric disabilities.
  • Create a new Medicaid funding mechanism for "supportive housing services" for people with psychiatric disabilities within existing State Plan services.
  • Develop at least five test sites implemented for persons with psychiatric disabilities to demonstrate strategies outlined in the new resource manual and reforms, and at least three demonstration sites using assistive technology.
  • Provide training at regional sites to 500 participants.
  • Initiate at least 12 affordable housing projects by the end of the grant term that use developed strategies to integrate supports with housing.

Abstract


Over the years, Oregon has exhibited leadership in providing community-based services to Medicaid-eligible people with disabilities. Oregon's achievements in implementing assisted living for seniors are well recognized. Similar shifts to community-based care for people with developmental and psychiatric disabilities have occurred, and impressive partnerships among service and housing providers are well established. However, there is a need for infrastructure mechanisms that incorporate both (1) systematic consideration of consumers' assistive technology needs in individual planning related to housing and long-term supports, and (2) avenues to effectively connect consumers, technical assistance providers, and property managers who implement long-term supports in housing.

Expanding Housing and Supports for Oregonians will implement infrastructure improvements to remove barriers that prevent people with physical, developmental, and psychiatric disabilities from residing in the community housing of their choice. The lead agency for the project is the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS). DHS is the single State Medicaid Agency and manages the State Section 1915(c) Home and Community Based Waiver and the Section 1115 Managed Care Waiver. The project is a collaborative effort of two offices within DHS—the Office of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OMHAS) and Seniors and People with Disabilities (SPD)—which will bring people together on a cross-disability basis to formulate ways to integrate supports with housing. The Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) Department will actively participate in the grant, and meaningful involvement by consumers and other key stakeholders will be ensured through the Stakeholders Coordinating Council.

Grant activities include completing analyses of existing and proposed resources and strategies, planning and implementing identified infrastructure changes, developing resource materials to support changes, providing training and technical assistance, and transitioning the grant accomplishments to insure sustainability. The successful systems reforms will be accompanied by modifications of service financing systems that reimburse desired services. Evaluation will include both ongoing formative evaluation throughout the project to ensure timely completion of project activities and summative evaluation of project impact and effectiveness.