States Get Federal Grants To Help People With Disabilities Live In The Community

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States Get Federal Grants To Help People With Disabilities Live In

The Community, USA

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=52045

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt today awarded nearly $20 million in grants

to states to develop programs for people with disabilities or long

term illnesses. The " Real Choice Systems Change Grants for Community

Living " will help states and territories " rebalance " their long-term

support programs to help people with chronic illness or disabilities

to reside in their homes and participate fully in community life.

" These grants will help states take full advantage of the

opportunities to reform their Medicaid long-term care systems offered

by the recently passed Deficit Reduction Act of 2006 and remove

barriers to equality for the 54 million Americans living with

disabilities, " Secretary Leavitt said. " They will help persons with

disabilities exercise meaningful choices about how and where to live

their lives. "

The Bush Administration has promoted the goal of community living for

people with disabilities through the New Freedom Initiative. Under

this initiative 10 federal agencies have collaborated to remove

barriers to community living. The additional funding for " Real Choice

Systems Change Grants for Community Living " approved by Congress for

2006 will augment efforts begun in FY 2001 to help states improve

their community-based services.

" The grants awarded today will help states make lasting improvements

to their home and community based services programs, " said Mark B.

McClellan, M.D., Ph.D., administrator of the Centers for Medicare &

Medicaid Services (CMS). " This program is vital in helping Medicaid

move from its institutional bias to a program that truly meets the

needs of people who depend upon it. " The eight states receiving 2006

awards are; California, Virginia, Michigan, North Carolina, New York,

New Jersey, Rhode Island and Kansas.

Since 2001, CMS has awarded 306 Real Choices grants, totaling

approximately $237 million to 50 states, Guam, the Northern na

Islands and the District of Columbia.

For this round of grant awards, CMS will require states receiving

grant money to address at least three of the six goals necessary to

transform Medicaid program incentives away from institutional care

with options for care at home and in the community. The goals include:

-- Improving access to information regarding the full range of

community-based services available;

-- Promulgation of more self-directed service delivery systems;

-- Implementation of comprehensive quality management system;

-- Development of information technology to support community living;

-- Flexible financing arrangements that promote community living

options; and -- Long-term supports coordinated with affordable and

accessible housing.

By providing important support for rebalancing long-term care

services, the Real Choice Systems Change program has paved the way

for the much more extensive options now available to states since the

passage of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2006 to help states create

greater opportunities for community living. The centerpiece of these

efforts is a major new funding opportunity for states through the

Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration.

This demonstration provides up to $1.75 billion to eligible states to

transition individuals from institutions who want to live in the

community and rebalance their entire long-term care system to ensure

individuals have a choice of where they want to live and receive

services. While applications for this demonstration are not due until

Nov. 1, 35 states have expressed interest in applying.

For more information on the New Freedom Initiative, visit the CMS Web

site at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/newfreedom.