| NHIC, Corp.DME MAC A ListServe | For Immediate Release |
| June 23, 2009 HHS Announces Initiatives in Support of the "Year of Community Living" Goal is to create Aging and Disability Resource Centers in every State (CMS Message 2009-06-22)Statement by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius On the 10th Anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court Decision Olmstead v. L.C. (CMS Message 2009-06-22) HHS Announces Initiatives in Support of the "Year of Community Living" Goal is to create Aging and Disability Resource Centers in every State (CMS Message 2009-06-22)In support of President Obama's proclamation of the "Year of Community Living," HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced a funding opportunity that will make it easier for older people, younger adults, and their families to learn about and access health and long-term care options through Aging and Disability Resource Center Programs (ADRCs). ADRCs provide "one-stop shop" sources of information, one-on-one counseling, and streamlined access to programs and services that can enable people to remain in their own homes and communities.This funding opportunity will expand ADRCs across the country. ADRCs are a collaborative effort of the Administration on Aging (AoA) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Since 2003 AoA and CMS have jointly funded ADRC pilot programs in 45 states and territories. The new funding will build on and expand the existing pilots and ensure that every state can offer this program and its services to their citizens."Engaged and empowered consumers are an essential element of health and long-term care reform, and ADRCs are integral to making this happen," Secretary Sebelius said. "This program will help consumers and their families, and it can save taxpayer dollars. If people have options, they will be able to find the most appropriate and often lower-cost health-related and social services that support individuals to allow them to lead meaningful lives in their homes and communities."The Administration's "Year of Community Living" was launched today to mark the 10th year anniversary of the Supreme Court Olmstead v. L.C. decision. This landmark ruling supported community living options for people with disabilities to ensure there is no discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act.Secretary Sebelius also announced today the formation of a HHS Coordinating Council to coordinate the department's "Year of Community Living" Initiative. The Coordinating Council, led by the Office on Disability, will be a working partnership among AoA, CMS, the Office of Civil Rights, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration."The Year of Community Living gives all of us at HHS an opportunity to better serve those individuals who need ongoing services and support programs like those provided by AoA, CMS and other HHS agencies," said Henry Claypool, director of the HHS Office on Disability. "We look forward to working closely with everyone who will be helping us improve community living arrangements for Americans living with disabilities."ADRCs are designed to reduce the confusion and frustration consumers and their families often experience when trying to find needed information, services, and support. ADRCs serve as visible and trusted sources of information and assistance on the full range of public and private options that are available so people can make informed decisions about their long term support. ADRCs serve as convenient entry points for all publicly supported long term-care programs and support services.States applying for ADRC grants must involve a variety of agencies, organizations and consumers representing seniors and people with physical, developmental and mental health disabilities in the design and implementation of their ADRC programs. ADRCs also partner with State Health Insurance Counseling Programs to help people with their Medicare benefits."This opportunity promotes the shared vision of AoA and CMS on how ADRCs can help facilitate an integrated services delivery system to better support older adults, caregivers and those with disabilities who want to remain independent in their communities," said Acting Assistant Secretary for Aging Edwin L. Walker.The funding availability includes two opportunities:AoA-funding opportunity for ADRC development or expansion in up to 50 states over a three-year period. The maximum award for the ADRC opportunity will be $600,000; total funds available are $10 million. CMS-award opportunity to programs in California, Hawaii, Maryland and North Carolina to strengthen ADRC partnerships with hospitals so that more people who are being discharged and need post-acute care receive that care at home rather than in a nursing home facility. The award amount per state is $1,167,000."These funding opportunities promote effective long-term service systems that make the right services available in appropriate settings when the individual needs them," said Cindy Mann, director, Centers for Medicaid and State Operations. "CMS is also inviting comments on proposed changes to current regulations giving states greater flexibility to serve people based on their individual needs rather than on their diagnosis."As part of the "Year of Community Living," CMS today issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANRPM) to solicit input about possible ways to improve current regulations by removing Federal barriers that stand in the way of states' ability to design needs-based, person-centered home and community-based waiver programs. This notice also aims to solicit comments on providing additional clarity around the characteristics of home and community-based settings. The ANPRM can be found at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-14559.pdf.The closing date for the ADRC applications to AoA is Monday, Aug. 3, 2009. The deadline for submission of a letter of intent is Wednesday, July 1, 2009. Letters should be submitted to Joseph Lugo by e-mail: joseph.lugo@aoa.hhs.gov.For more information about AoA and CMS regarding these efforts, visit http://www.aoa.gov or http://www.cms.hhs.gov/RealChoice/01_Overview.asp#TopOfPageADRC information can also be found at http://www.adrc-tae.org. Statement by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius On the 10th Anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court Decision Olmstead v. L.C. (CMS Message 2009-06-22)HHS joins President Obama in commemorating a significant anniversary in the civil rights movement for persons with disabilities. Ten years ago today, the United States Supreme Court issued its landmark decision in Olmstead v. L.C. recognizing that "unjustified institutional isolation of persons with disabilities is a form of discrimination" under the Americans with Disabilities Act.To underscore the importance of the Olmstead decision and continue to affirm our commitment to addressing isolation and discrimination against people with disabilities that still exists today, President Obama has designated this as a "Year of Community Living." I recognize that to put an end to injustice and carry the directive of the Olmstead decision into all programs of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), we must create new partnerships. And so, today, we invite all of our public and private partners -- other federal agencies, states, consumers, advocates, providers and others to join us in embracing the Supreme Court's vision of equal opportunity and an end to unjustified institutionalization for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses and older Americans.To begin this "Year of Community Living," agencies within my department will undertake the task of aggressively addressing barriers that prevent some Americans with disabilities from enjoying a meaningful life as part of their community. I have asked the Administration on Aging (AoA), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Office for Civil Rights, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to form a HHS Coordinating Council, which will be led by the Office on Disability. These agencies, with the support of the department, will work together to put in place solutions that address barriers to community living for individuals with disabilities and to give people more control over their lives and the supports they need.As a first step, CMS will engage the public in making meaningful regulatory reforms to the home and community-based waiver program. An "Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking" was published in the Federal Register today inviting public input on proposed changes to current regulations giving states greater flexibility to serve people based on their individual needs rather than on diagnosis.In addition, CMS and AoA are making grant funds available to states to strengthen and expand HHS' Aging and Disability Resource Center Programs (ADRCs). Under this Initiative, I am encouraging collaboration by requiring that ADRCs partner with all state agencies involved in serving populations with disabilities, as well as the Centers for Independent Living. The Centers for Independent Living have an important role to play at the community level in promoting independent living skills throughout ADRCs.HHS' Community Living Initiative will include partnerships with other federal agencies and the public. As the President announced earlier today, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will make 1,000 housing vouchers available for individuals with disabilities transitioning from institutions to the community targeting States operating Money Follows the Person Demonstration programs. HUD will award an additional 3,000 housing vouchers to serve non-elderly people with disabilities and encourage Public Housing Authorities to form working relationships with state Medicaid agencies interested in addressing community living needs of beneficiaries. While this is a good start, this announcement is only the beginning of the collaboration between the HHS and HUD during the "Year of Community Living."The HHS Office for Civil Rights is enhancing its partnership with the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division to ensure vigorous enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Olmstead decision. This partnership will maximize the effectiveness of federal leadership in promoting the civil right of community living and setting forth the Administration's position in federal courts.To carry out the President's commitment to open government, we are committed to giving Americans opportunities to participate in policymaking to provide the benefit of collective expertise and information. In keeping with this mandate, we will reach out to the public as partners in our Community Living Initiative. Throughout this "Year of Community Living," HHS will hold listening sessions giving stakeholders an opportunity to come together for a common purpose: overcoming barriers to community-based living for people with disabilities and the elderly. These forums will help us craft the agenda to improve federal programs and better support the efforts of state and local government.We look forward to this new era of partnership, innovation and commitment to the Olmstead decision. We are deeply committed to taking bold new steps -- during this "Year of Community Living" and into the future. |
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