Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News
June 11, 2003, Vol. 03-48

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Disabled and Elderly Health Programs Group
Center for Medicaid and State Operations
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21244-1850

Dear Colleague:

I am writing to call your attention to several important funding opportunities we are announcing in the Federal Register and on the CMS Web site. The most significant of these is a set of grants collectively known as the Real Choice Systems Change Grants for Community Living.

States and others, in partnership with their disability and aging communities, may submit proposals aimed at building infrastructure that will result in effective and enduring improvements in community long-term support systems. These systemic changes are designed to enable children and adults of any age who have a disability or long-term illness to:

a) Live in the most integrated community setting appropriate to their individual support requirements and preferences;
b) Exercise meaningful choices about their living environment, the providers of services they receive, the types of supports they use and the manner by which services are provided; and
c) Obtain quality services in a manner as consistent as possible with their community living preferences and priorities.

Real Choice Systems Change Grants for Community Living

Several grant opportunities comprise this round of "Real Choice Systems Change Grants for Community Living." They are entitled:

• Respite for Adults
• Respite for Children
• Community-Based Treatment Alternatives for Children
• Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement in Home and Community-Based Services
• Independence Plus Initiative (Infrastructure to support self-directed services)
• Money Follows the Person - Rebalancing Initiative
• Community-Integrated Personal Assistance Services and Supports
• National State-to-State Technical Assistance Program for Community Living
• Technical Assistance for Consumer Task Forces
• Family-to-Family Health Care Information and Education Centers
• Aging and Disability Resource Centers

Application deadline date for the above grants is July 28, 2003 for the Aging and Disability Resource Centers, and July 29, 2003 for all others.

The Federal Register notice for the Aging and Disability Resource Centers was published on May 29, 2003. The Federal Register notice for all other grants was published on May 30, 2003.

You may access the full application kits and related materials on the CMS Web site in the next several days - please check back on the website later if the information is not immediately available. We will also post "question and answer" documents at periodic intervals on the website as we receive questions. It will therefore be worthwhile to check the website periodically. Finally, we will post on the website the details regarding a national conference call we will sponsor to address questions that states and others may have. The applicants' teleconference call is scheduled for June 12, 2003 from 3-5 pm Eastern time.

We are very pleased with the special collaboration between CMS and the Administration on Aging (AoA) that will enable us to work with states to develop Resource Centers. AoA contributed additional funds to expand the program's scope, enlarge the number of states that may be included, and promote collaboration between the aging and disability communities. Aging and Disability Resource Centers (Resource Centers) will provide community-based, citizen-centered "one-stop shopping" entry points into the long-term support system. Resource Centers will serve individuals who need long-term services and support, those planning for future long-term support needs, and their family caregivers. The Resource Centers will also serve as a source of information for health and long-term support professionals and others who provide services to the elderly and to people with disabilities.

We think such Resource Centers also have great potential to promote the themes of "money following the person" and "self-directed services." By ensuring that all individuals requiring long term support have accurate, full information on all their options, and by ensuring that entry into both community and institutional long term support programs occurs in a coherent manner where all options are presented, states will have added assurance that (a) self-directed service initiatives will be successful and (b) financing arrangements that enable "money to follow the person" will be cost-effective. Because the Resource Center solicitation is a special collaboration between CMS and AoA, it is listed under its own heading on our New Freedom website.

Demonstrations to Improve the Direct Service Community Workforce

A separate announcement invites states to submit demonstration proposals that would improve the recruitment, training, support, and retention of direct service workers. Direct service workers are individuals who are employed to provide personal care and/or other direct supports to individuals who need such assistance. Direct service workers are essential to supporting the elderly and people with disabilities to fully participate in the community. Unfortunately, employers of all sizes are facing challenges in meeting the growing demand for a stable, skilled pool of workers able to provide such support. This demonstration program will enable states and other entities to test strategies to recruit and retain direct service workers. The application kit for this initiative will be posted in the next several days on the CMS website, under its own heading. Application deadline date: July 29, 2003.

Medicaid Infrastructure Grants (Fourth Round-2004)

We previously issued a solicitation inviting states to develop or expand the infrastructure that supports competitive employment of people with disabilities. Such grants facilitate targeted improvements to state Medicaid programs by encouraging the development of strategies that will lead to comprehensive solutions to barriers to employment faced by people with disabilities. Check http://www.cms.hhs.gov/twwiia/default.asp and look for the notice, plus questions and answers, for the 2004 Medicaid Infrastructure Grants. Application deadline date: July 1, 2003.

We look forward to working with states and other entities to take advantage of these opportunities.

For additional information on these grant opportunities, please visit the CMS Web site at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/newfreedom/default.asp.

Sincerely,
Thomas E. Hamilton, Director
Disabled and Elderly Health Programs Group