A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A

Access to Recreation provides an online catalog with a comprehensive selection of adaptive equipment and assistive devices designed to increase access to a variety of outdoor recreational experiences for people with disabilities.

Accessible Air Travel: A Guide for People with Disabilities - Information from the United Spinal Association about accessible air travel for people who use wheelchairs and other mobility aids.  Includes information about the Air Carrier Access Act, tips for transferring and lifting a passenger, security screening and procedures for filing complaints.

ADA Questions and Answers. A 31-page booklet giving an overview of the ADA's requirements for ensuring equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in employment, State and local government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities, and transportation, and requiring the establishment of TDD/telephone relay services. (Spanish, Cambodian, Chinese, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Tagalog and Vietnamese editions available from the ADA Information Line.)

ADA: Know Your Rights Returning Service Members - This publication is designed to inform US military personnel who became disabled while on active duty of their rights under the ADA and provide information on where to go to get assistance.

Additional Monitoring of Polling Places Could Further Improve Accessibility (GAO-09-9410), Sepember 2009 - This General Accountability Office (GAO) report is based on a national survey of polling places during the 2008 election assessing both physical and technological access. The report found that compared to 2000, the proportion of polling places without potential impediments increased and almost all polling places had an accessible voting system. However, 46 percent of polling places had an accessible voting system that could pose a challenge to certain voters with disabilities, such as voting stations that were not arranged to accommodate voters using wheelchairs. (Read highlights of the report)

Annual Disability Status Reports, from Cornell University, provide policy makers, disability advocates, reporters, and the public with a summary of the most recent demographic and economic statistics on the non-institutionalized population with disabilities. They contain information on the population size and disability prevalence for various demographic subpopulations, as well as statistics related to employment, earnings, and household income. Comparisons are made to people without disabilities and across disability types. Disability Status Reports and other statistics are available for each state, DC, and Puerto Rico at www.DisabilityStatistics.org.

B

A Balancing Act: State Long-Term Care Reform Research Report, July 2008 - This AARP Public Policy Institute research paper examines the extent to which states have balanced the delivery of Medicaid-funded long-term care (LTC) services and supports to people in their homes (or in more home-like settings in their communities) and in institutions. What is unique about this report is its primary focus on older people and adults with physical disabilities separate from other LTC populations, such as people with developmental disabilities. The paper explores what states have been able to accomplish under current Medicaid law and addresses the impact that federal policies have on the states’ ability to balance service delivery.

NICHCY's Building the Legacy: A Training Curriculum on IDEA 2004 provides authoritative information about, and training materials on, IDEA and its final Part B regulations to help you become a better special education advocate.

C

The Community Choice Act: A Vision for Attendant Services and Supports for the New Millennium is a brochure designed to assist advocates in promoting the Community Choice Act (S 683/HR 1670). The Community Choice Act (CCA) would give individuals who receive Medicaid and who are eligible for nursing facility services or other institutional care equal access to community-based services and supports. It includes background information, a summary of the legislation, answers to frequently asked questions and talking points on CCA.

D

Diabetes and SCI is the first in a series of educational brochures by the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Spinal Cord Injury (RRTC on SCI)focused on specific health concerns and issues of long-term spinal cord injury survivors. This brochure is intended for spinal cord injury survivors living in the community to help maintain their health.

Disaboom Adaptive Summer Sports Guide, Paddle, handcycle, flip and spin your way into a world of sunny adventure with the all-new Disaboom Adaptive Summer Sports Guide! Whether you're interested in a lazy raft trip on calm water or the whitewater thrill of a lifetime, no matter if you're a wheelchair user or simply have chronic pain, we've got resources for your adaptive sports experience. Horseback riding, surfing, tandem cycling ... on land or by water, you'll find it here.

Do Noninstitutional Long-Term Care Services Reduce Medicaid Spending?, Kaye, H.S., LaPlante, M.P., & Harrington, C. (2009) - Medicaid spending on home and community-based services (HCBS) has grown dramatically in recent years, but little is known about what effect these alternatives to institutional services have on overall long-term care costs. This analysis of state spending data from 1995 to 2005 shows that for two distinct population groups receiving long-term care services, spending growth was greater for states offering limited noninstitutional services than for states with large, well-established noninstitutional programs. Expansion of HCBS appears to entail a short-term increase in spending, followed by a reduction in institutional spending and long-term cost savings.

The Disability Law Handbook from the DBTAC Southwest ADA Center provides information on rights and obligations under several federal disability laws, including an overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

E

Employers’ Practical Guide to Reasonable Accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act. This publication from the U.S. Department of Labor's Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a summary of some of the most frequent issues that employers have regarding accommodations and ADA compliance and JAN’s practical ideas for resolving them.

Estimating the Expense of a Mandatory Home and Community-Based Personal Assistance Services Benefit Under Medicaid; Mitchell P. LaPlante, PhD, H. Stephen Kaye, PhD, Charlene Harrington, PhD, University of California San Francisco - Personal assistance services (PAS) are essential for many people of all ages with significant disabilities, but these services are not always available to individuals at home or in the community, in large part due to a significant bias toward institutions in the Medicaid program. This study aims to provide an estimate of the expense of a mandatory personal assistance services (PAS) benefit under Medicaid for persons with low incomes, low assets, and significant disability.

F

G

Genworth Financial Long-Term Care National Survey: Key findings from a national survey of 800 likely voters, conducted August 14-16, 2007. - The survey found that nearly seven in ten Americans have not made any plans for their own, a spouse's or another relative's long term care needs. Yet, over half those surveyed have had a loved one who needed some form of long term care. The poll also found that close to 80 percent of the respondents want to see long term care included in the healthcare proposals offered by the presidential candidates. More than 80 percent of those surveyed also said that positions on long term care funding will be an important factor in deciding who to vote for in the 2008 election.

A Guide for People with Disabilities Seeking Employment. A 2-page pamphlet for people with disabilities providing a general explanation of the employment provisions of the ADA and how to file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (Spanish edition available from the ADA Information Line). Employment (HTML) | Employment (PDF)

A Guide to Disability Rights Laws. A 21-page booklet that provides a brief overview of ten Federal laws that protect the rights of people with disabilities and provides information about the federal agencies to contact for more information. (Spanish, Cambodian, Chinese, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Tagalog and Vietnamese editions available from the ADA Information Line.)
Disability Rights Laws (HTML)
Disability Rights Laws (PDF)
Disability Rights Laws (En Español)

H

Helping People with Long-Term Health Care Needs: An Insurance Program to Help People Afford Long-Term Services and Supports -April 2010, A FamiliesUSA fact sheet on the CLASS Act.

 

Testimony of Mitch LaPlante, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of California,
San Francisco before the Senate Finance Committee Hearing on "Home and Community Based Care: Expanding Options for Long Term Care" Tuesday Sept 25th, 2007 at 10am, Dirksen Office Building G-50

The Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Physically Disabled Waiver (HCBS/PD) Policy and Procedure manual contains the official policies and procedures to be used when providing services under the HCBS waiver for persons

Home and Community-Based Services: Public Policies to Improve Access, Costs, and Quality, University of California, San Francisco, Harrington, C., Ng, T., Kaye, S. & Newcomer, R. (January 2009). - The focus of this report is to examine issues of access, cost, and quality for Medicaid HCBS programs. The trends in state Medicaid HCBS programs, target groups, participants, and expenditures are summarized. The paper shows the progress in providing Medicaid HCBS but also identifies many current problems and policies. Inequities in access to services and limited funds result in unmet needs for HCBS. HCBS cost issues have been a primary focus of policy makers and quality problems are largely not addressed. Policy recommendations are made to improve access, costs and quality at the federal and state levels in the future. (report - pdf/html) (summary - pdf/html)

I

ILRU Publications - ILRU has developed a variety of publications on independent living subjects, including a technical report series; monographs outlining the implications of health care reform for independent living; ADA resource materials available in both English and Spanish; directories of independent living centers and of independent living support materials; and handbooks providing background information on the independent living movement and on establishing and operating an independent living center.

Impairing Education: Corporal Punishment of Students with Disabilities in US Public Schools is a August 2009 report by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Human Rights Watch which finds that students with disabilities are subject to corporal punishment at a disproportionately higher rate that other students in our public school system.

INCITEMENT is the quarterly newsletter of the grassroots disability rights organization ADAPT. ADAPT's main issue is ending the institutional bias in feredral long-term healthcare policy so that people with disabilities can live in the community with real supports instead of being locked away in nursing homes and other institutions. Toward that end they are vigorously advocating for the passage of the Community Choice Act.

Increasing Home Access: Designing for Visitability, Research Report, Jordana L. Maisel, IDEA Center; Eleanor Smith, Concrete Change; Edward Steinfeld, IDEA Center ; August 2008 - (report)(in brief) Visitability initiatives that support aging independently in one's home and community are the subject of this AARP Public Policy Institute Research Report. The authors discuss the barriers to visitability implementation and opportunities for further acceptance of these design parameters in the construction of new homes. Visitability is a movement that seeks to increase the supply of accessible housing through the inclusion of three basic structural features at the time of home construction: a zero-step entrance, wide doorways, and at least a half bath on the main floor of the home. (109 pages), Pub ID: 2008-14

The Intersection between Budget Cuts to Services and Civil Rights of People with Disabilities under the “Olmstead” Decision, Presented to: The House Committee on Long Term Care and Aging, Provided by:  Mike Oxford, Executive Director, Topeka Independent Living Resource Center, January 26, 2010 - This testimony presents a cogent argument regarding the necessity for systematic, comprehensive, long range planning to address the future long term care needs of our state that culminates in the development of an Olmstead Plan for the state of Kansas.

J

JAN ADA Hot Links and Document Center links you to nearly every free publication on the ADA that is published by the federal government.

K

Kansas Accessibility Modification Program (KAMP) Factsheet (KAMP assists eligible persons with disabilities in making accessiblility modifications to their residence.)

L

Legislative Procedure in Kansas, Kansas Legislative Research Department, November 2006

M

More Nonelderly Americans Face Problems Affording Prescription Drugs, Tracking Report No. 22, Laurie E. Felland, James D. Reschovsky - More children and working-age Americans are going without prescription drugs because of cost concerns, according to a new national study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC). In 2007, one in seven Americans under age 65 reported not filling a prescription in the previous year because they couldn’t afford the medication, up from one in 10 in 2003. Rising prescription drug costs and less generous drug coverage likely contributed to the growth in nonelderly Americans—from 10.3 percent in 2003 to 13.9 percent in 2007—who went without a prescribed medication.

Moving Forward Together: A Workbook for Initiating and Increasing Accessible Taxi Services is designed for use by community leaders representing the taxi industry, disability community, transit industry, and local government, and is intended to facilitate discussion and encourage input from multiple perspectives as communities move forward to improve and increase the availability of accessible taxis. The workbook includes nine sections on important issues related to accessible taxi services, including public policy, vehicle design and costs, and contracts and operating agreements.  Each section includes a series of  discussion points that can be considered by a community and relevant examples of current efforts from communities across the country that have already put much work into improving accessible taxi services, along with contact information so workbook users can learn more about their experiences. Download as a PDF file  |  text file

N

The New Horizons Booklet is a guide designed to offer travelers with disabilities a brief but authoritative source of information about the Air Carrier Access rules: the accommodations, facilities, and services that are now required to be available. It also describes features required by other regulations designed to make air travel more accessible.

O

P

A Parent's Guide to Response to Intervention (RTI) from Wrightslaw.com - created by Susan Bruce, Regional Education Coordinator for PRO*Parents of South Carolina, Inc., the Guide explains the RTI process and what IDEA requires, parent concerns and important questions about RTI, and what RTI means for our kids.

A Practical Guide to Universal Home Design, This booklet by the Iowa Program for Assistive Technology, a program of the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Center for Disabilities and Development, Iowa’s University Center for Excellence on Disabilities is a room by room checklist you can use to help you consider your
options when incorporating the principles of universal design to increase the ease and flexibility of your home.

The Prepared Lifestyle is a free 12-page booklet that provides easy-to-use checklists to guide you in preparing for seasonal and pandemic flu, severe storms, and other emergencies. This publication is produced by the Research and Training Center on Independent Living at the University of Kansas and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Bureau of Health Preparedness, with funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Priced Out is a series of housing publications created as a joint effort by the Technical Assistance Collaborative, Inc. (TAC) and the Washington DC-based Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Housing Task Force. Priced Out is published every two years to bring attention to our nation's most compelling, and least understood, housing affordability crisis. Each edition of Priced Out helps measure the gap between HUD's Fair Market Rents and the incomes of individuals and families who rely on monthly SSI benefits. The goal of these biennial reports is to shed light on the housing crisis being faced by people with significant and long-term disabilities.

Q

R

The Red Book serves as a general reference source about the employment-related provisions of Social Security Disability Insurance and the Supplemental Security Income Programs.

Reasonable Modifications Under the Fair Housing Act, Joint Statement of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Justice, March 05, 2008 - detailed information, in a question-and-answer format, on the rights and obligations of persons with disabilities and housing providers under the Fair Housing Act relating to reasonable modifications.

S

School is Not Supposed to Hurt: Investigative Report on Abusive Restraint and Seclusion in Schools by the National Disability Rights Network, January 2009 - identifies the abusive use of restraint or seclusion in our nation's schools, which has resulted in injury, trauma and death to children with disabilities. The report is divided into two sections. The first identifies the problems attributed to restraint or seclusion. It outlines the problems and details the proven risks to children associated with the use of these aversive techniques. The second section proposes solutions to the use of restraint or seclusion by highlighting the best practices in education and the use of positive behavioral supports.

Seclusion and Restraint: Selected Cases of Death and Abuse at Public and Private Schools and Treatment Centers, Statement of Gregory D. Kutz, Managing Director Forensic Audits and Special Investigations, May 19, 2009. United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) testimony before the House Committee on Education and Labor regarding the the use of restraints and seclusions on children and teens in public and private schools and selected treatment centers.

The Special Ed Advocate Newsletter is a free online newsletter about special education legal and advocacy topics. Subscribers learn about new cases, articles, seminars and training, special offers on books, and other useful information about special education law and advocacy.

The State of Housing in America in the 21st Century: A Disability Perspective, National Council on Disability (NCD), January 19, 2010 - This report provides a comprehensive overview of the state of housing for people with disabilities in the United States. It answers important questions about the current housing needs and options for people with disabilities and offers recommendations to improve housing opportunities.

Stranded at the Station: The Impact of the Financial Crisis in Public Transportation is an August 2009 report by Transportation For America which offers a systematic analysis of the conundrum faced by communities and their transit systems: Historic ridership and levels of demand for service, coupled with the worst funding crisis in decades. The report documents the devastation of transit cuts and fare increases on America’s communities.

T

Taking the Long View: Investing in Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Is Cost-Effective  / Research Report March 2009— This AARP Public Policy Institute Insight on the Issues highlights research showing, over time, states that invest in home and community-based services (HCBS) experience slower Medicaid expenditure growth than states with low HCBS spending.

U

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an international human rights instrument of the United Nations intended to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities. Parties to the Convention are required to promote, protect, and ensure the full enjoyment of human rights by persons with disabilities and ensure that they enjoy full equality under the law.

The United We Ride National Dialogue Final Report, February 2010 (pdf / doc)-The Dialogue brought together key stakeholders using collaborative web-based technologies to discuss the following broad question: “What ideas can improve access to affordable and reliable transportation for people with disabilities, older adults, and people with limited incomes?”  The Dialogue participants highlighted important and challenging policy concerns for moving forward.  The themes, ideas, and Panel recommendations in this report identify significant opportunities to break down the Federal barriers to local coordination of Federal transportation resources and streamline access to transportation services for people with disabilities, older adults, and individuals with limited incomes. 

Unsafe In The Schoolhouse: Abuse Of Children With Disabilities, The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Inc.(COPAA), May 27, 2009 - This report details 180 incidents of the use of abusive interventions against children with disabilities in school. The report also includes suggested legislative remedies.

V

Voters with Disabilities: More Polling Places Had No Potential Impediments Than in 2000, but Challenges Remain, GAO-09-685, June 2009 - This report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) finds that access for voters with disabilities has improved since the 2000 election, but many problems remain.

W

X

Y

Z

Publications by Topic

Benefits

The Cost and Benefits of the Community Choice Act (CCA) for Middle Class Taxpayers (text) is a factsheet on an April 2010 Harris poll that shows the affordablity of the Community Choice Act and taxpayers' willingness to fund home and community based options in long-term services and supports.

Helping People with Long-Term Health Care Needs: An Insurance Program to Help People Afford Long-Term Services and Supports -April 2010, A FamiliesUSA fact sheet on the CLASS Act.

Helping People with Long-Term Health Care Needs: Improving Access to Home- and Community-Based Services in Medicaid - April 2010, A FamiliesUSA fact sheet on the Community First Choice State Plan Option.

Civil Rights/Legal Assistance

ADA Questions and Answers. A 31-page booklet giving an overview of the ADA's requirements for ensuring equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in employment, State and local government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities, and transportation, and requiring the establishment of TDD/telephone relay services. (Spanish, Cambodian, Chinese, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Tagalog and Vietnamese editions available from the ADA Information Line.)

INCITEMENT is the quarterly newsletter of the grassroots disability rights organization ADAPT. ADAPT's main issue is ending the institutional bias in feredral long-term healthcare policy so that people with disabilities can live in the community with real supports instead of being locked away in nursing homes and other institutions. Toward that end they are vigorously advocating for the passage of the Community Choice Act.

Education

Employment

JAN ADA Hot Links and Document Center links you to nearly every free publication on the ADA that is published by the federal government.

The Red Book serves as a general reference source about the employment-related provisions of Social Security Disability Insurance and the Supplemental Security Income Programs.

Emergency Preparedness

The Prepared Lifestyle is a free 12-page booklet that provides easy-to-use checklists to guide you in preparing for seasonal and pandemic flu, severe storms, and other emergencies. This publication is produced by the Research and Training Center on Independent Living at the University of Kansas and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Bureau of Health Preparedness, with funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Federal Issues

ADA Questions and Answers. A 31-page booklet giving an overview of the ADA's requirements for ensuring equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in employment, State and local government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities, and transportation, and requiring the establishment of TDD/telephone relay services. (Spanish, Cambodian, Chinese, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Tagalog and Vietnamese editions available from the ADA Information Line.)

The Cost and Benefits of the Community Choice Act (CCA) for Middle Class Taxpayers (text) is a factsheet on an April 2010 Harris poll that shows the affordablity of the Community Choice Act and taxpayers' willingness to fund home and community based options in long-term services and supports.

The Disability Law Handbook from the DBTAC Southwest ADA Center provides information on rights and obligations under several federal disability laws, including an overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

A Guide to Disability Rights Laws. A 21-page booklet that provides a brief overview of ten Federal laws that protect the rights of people with disabilities and provides information about the federal agencies to contact for more information. (Spanish, Cambodian, Chinese, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Tagalog and Vietnamese editions available from the ADA Information Line.)
Disability Rights Laws (HTML)
Disability Rights Laws (PDF)
Disability Rights Laws (En Español)

Helping People with Long-Term Health Care Needs: An Insurance Program to Help People Afford Long-Term Services and Supports -April 2010, A FamiliesUSA fact sheet on the CLASS Act.

Helping People with Long-Term Health Care Needs: Improving Access to Home- and Community-Based Services in Medicaid - April 2010, A FamiliesUSA fact sheet on the Community First Choice State Plan Option.

Health/ Long-term Services

The Intersection between Budget Cuts to Services and Civil Rights of People with Disabilities under the “Olmstead” Decision, Presented to: The House Committee on Long Term Care and Aging, Provided by:  Mike Oxford, Executive Director, Topeka Independent Living Resource Center, January 26, 2010 - This testimony presents a cogent argument regarding the necessity for systematic, comprehensive, long range planning to address the future long term care needs of our state that culminates in the development of an Olmstead Plan for the state of Kansas.

Health Care Fraud

Health Insurance/Healthcare Reform

Helping People with Long-Term Health Care Needs: An Insurance Program to Help People Afford Long-Term Services and Supports -April 2010, A FamiliesUSA fact sheet on the CLASS Act.

Helping People with Long-Term Health Care Needs: Improving Access to Home- and Community-Based Services in Medicaid - April 2010, A FamiliesUSA fact sheet on the Community First Choice State Plan Option.

Genworth Financial Long-Term Care National Survey: Key findings from a national survey of 800 likely voters, conducted August 14-16, 2007. - The survey found that nearly seven in ten Americans have not made any plans for their own, a spouse's or another relative's long term care needs. Yet, over half those surveyed have had a loved one who needed some form of long term care. The poll also found that close to 80 percent of the respondents want to see long term care included in the healthcare proposals offered by the presidential candidates. More than 80 percent of those surveyed also said that positions on long term care funding will be an important factor in deciding who to vote for in the 2008 election.

Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Programs

The Cost and Benefits of the Community Choice Act (CCA) for Middle Class Taxpayers (text) is a factsheet on an April 2010 Harris poll that shows the affordablity of the Community Choice Act and taxpayers' willingness to fund home and community based options in long-term services and supports.

Do Noninstitutional Long-Term Care Services Reduce Medicaid Spending?, Kaye, H.S., LaPlante, M.P., & Harrington, C. (2009) - Medicaid spending on home and community-based services (HCBS) has grown dramatically in recent years, but little is known about what effect these alternatives to institutional services have on overall long-term care costs. This analysis of state spending data from 1995 to 2005 shows that for two distinct population groups receiving long-term care services, spending growth was greater for states offering limited noninstitutional services than for states with large, well-established noninstitutional programs. Expansion of HCBS appears to entail a short-term increase in spending, followed by a reduction in institutional spending and long-term cost savings.

Estimating the Expense of a Mandatory Home and Community-Based Personal Assistance Services Benefit Under Medicaid; Mitchell P. LaPlante, PhD, H. Stephen Kaye, PhD, Charlene Harrington, PhD, University of California San Francisco - Personal assistance services (PAS) are essential for many people of all ages with significant disabilities, but these services are not always available to individuals at home or in the community, in large part due to a significant bias toward institutions in the Medicaid program. This study aims to provide an estimate of the expense of a mandatory personal assistance services (PAS) benefit under Medicaid for persons with low incomes, low assets, and significant disability.

Going Home - Is a booklet about home and community based options to institutional care. It explains how TILRC can help you get the healthcare services and supports you need in your own home and community. (printable version in rtf format)

Helping People with Long-Term Health Care Needs: Improving Access to Home- and Community-Based Services in Medicaid - April 2010, A FamiliesUSA fact sheet on the Community First Choice State Plan Option.

Testimony of Mitch LaPlante, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of California,
San Francisco before the Senate Finance Committee Hearing on "Home and Community Based Care: Expanding Options for Long Term Care" Tuesday Sept 25th, 2007 at 10am, Dirksen Office Building G-50

The Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Physically Disabled Waiver (HCBS/PD) Policy and Procedure manual contains the official policies and procedures to be used when providing services under the HCBS waiver for persons

Home and Community-Based Services: Public Policies to Improve Access, Costs, and Quality, University of California, San Francisco, Harrington, C., Ng, T., Kaye, S. & Newcomer, R. (January 2009). - The focus of this report is to examine issues of access, cost, and quality for Medicaid HCBS programs. The trends in state Medicaid HCBS programs, target groups, participants, and expenditures are summarized. The paper shows the progress in providing Medicaid HCBS but also identifies many current problems and policies. Inequities in access to services and limited funds result in unmet needs for HCBS. HCBS cost issues have been a primary focus of policy makers and quality problems are largely not addressed. Policy recommendations are made to improve access, costs and quality at the federal and state levels in the future. (report - pdf/html) (summary - pdf/html)

Medicaid Home and Community-Based Service Programs: Data Update, Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, December 19, 2008, Publication Number: 7720-02 - Developing home and community-based service (HCBS) alternatives to institutional care has been a priority for many state Medicaid programs over the last two decades. In 2005, overall spending on Medicaid HCBS increased 10 percent, with 2.8 million individuals being served through these programs. This report presents a summary of the main trends to emerge for the three Medicaid HCBS programs and the results of a survey of policies such as eligibility criteria and waiting lists.

Taking the Long View: Investing in Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Is Cost-Effective  / Research Report March 2009— This AARP Public Policy Institute Insight on the Issues highlights research showing, over time, states that invest in home and community-based services (HCBS) experience slower Medicaid expenditure growth than states with low HCBS spending.

Housing

Institutions

Internet

Kansas Government

Legislative Procedure in Kansas, Kansas Legislative Research Department, November 2006

Kansas Accessibility Modification Program (KAMP) Factsheet (KAMP assists eligible persons with disabilities in making accessiblility modifications to their residence.)

Medicaid

The Cost and Benefits of the Community Choice Act (CCA) for Middle Class Taxpayers (text) is a factsheet on an April 2010 Harris poll that shows the affordablity of the Community Choice Act and taxpayers' willingness to fund home and community based options in long-term services and supports.

Do Noninstitutional Long-Term Care Services Reduce Medicaid Spending?, Kaye, H.S., LaPlante, M.P., & Harrington, C. (2009) - Medicaid spending on home and community-based services (HCBS) has grown dramatically in recent years, but little is known about what effect these alternatives to institutional services have on overall long-term care costs. This analysis of state spending data from 1995 to 2005 shows that for two distinct population groups receiving long-term care services, spending growth was greater for states offering limited noninstitutional services than for states with large, well-established noninstitutional programs. Expansion of HCBS appears to entail a short-term increase in spending, followed by a reduction in institutional spending and long-term cost savings.

Estimating the Expense of a Mandatory Home and Community-Based Personal Assistance Services Benefit Under Medicaid; Mitchell P. LaPlante, PhD, H. Stephen Kaye, PhD, Charlene Harrington, PhD, University of California San Francisco - Personal assistance services (PAS) are essential for many people of all ages with significant disabilities, but these services are not always available to individuals at home or in the community, in large part due to a significant bias toward institutions in the Medicaid program. This study aims to provide an estimate of the expense of a mandatory personal assistance services (PAS) benefit under Medicaid for persons with low incomes, low assets, and significant disability.

Going Home - Is a booklet about home and community based options to institutional care. It explains how TILRC can help you get the healthcare services and supports you need in your own home and community. (printable version in rtf format)

Helping People with Long-Term Health Care Needs: Improving Access to Home- and Community-Based Services in Medicaid - April 2010, A FamiliesUSA fact sheet on the Community First Choice State Plan Option.

Testimony of Mitch LaPlante, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of California,
San Francisco before the Senate Finance Committee Hearing on "Home and Community Based Care: Expanding Options for Long Term Care" Tuesday Sept 25th, 2007 at 10am, Dirksen Office Building G-50

The Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Physically Disabled Waiver (HCBS/PD) Policy and Procedure manual contains the official policies and procedures to be used when providing services under the HCBS waiver for persons

Home and Community-Based Services: Public Policies to Improve Access, Costs, and Quality, University of California, San Francisco, Harrington, C., Ng, T., Kaye, S. & Newcomer, R. (January 2009). - The focus of this report is to examine issues of access, cost, and quality for Medicaid HCBS programs. The trends in state Medicaid HCBS programs, target groups, participants, and expenditures are summarized. The paper shows the progress in providing Medicaid HCBS but also identifies many current problems and policies. Inequities in access to services and limited funds result in unmet needs for HCBS. HCBS cost issues have been a primary focus of policy makers and quality problems are largely not addressed. Policy recommendations are made to improve access, costs and quality at the federal and state levels in the future. (report - pdf/html) (summary - pdf/html)

Medicaid Home and Community-Based Service Programs: Data Update, Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, December 19, 2008, Publication Number: 7720-02 - Developing home and community-based service (HCBS) alternatives to institutional care has been a priority for many state Medicaid programs over the last two decades. In 2005, overall spending on Medicaid HCBS increased 10 percent, with 2.8 million individuals being served through these programs. This report presents a summary of the main trends to emerge for the three Medicaid HCBS programs and the results of a survey of policies such as eligibility criteria and waiting lists.

The Role of Medicaid in State Economies: A Look at the Research, Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, January 09, 2009, Publication Number: 7075-02 - This policy brief synthesizes the results of 29 studies in 23 states that examine the role Medicaid plays in state and local economies. These studies estimate the economic stimulus derived from Medicaid spending, and also analyze the adverse effects on the state economy from reducing Medicaid spending. This policy brief provides an overview of Medicaid financing, explains the methods used to assess economic impact and summarizes the main findings from the research. (Policy Brief, Summary)

Taking the Long View: Investing in Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Is Cost-Effective  / Research Report March 2009— This AARP Public Policy Institute Insight on the Issues highlights research showing, over time, states that invest in home and community-based services (HCBS) experience slower Medicaid expenditure growth than states with low HCBS spending.

Medicare

Medicare & You 2010 contains important information about what’s new, health plans, prescription drug plans, Medicare benefits, rights and protections, and answers to the most frequently asked questions about Medicare.

Mental Health Parity

Olmstead

The Cost and Benefits of the Community Choice Act (CCA) for Middle Class Taxpayers (text) is a factsheet on an April 2010 Harris poll that shows the affordablity of the Community Choice Act and taxpayers' willingness to fund home and community based options in long-term services and supports.

Helping People with Long-Term Health Care Needs: Improving Access to Home- and Community-Based Services in Medicaid - April 2010, A FamiliesUSA fact sheet on the Community First Choice State Plan Option.

The Intersection between Budget Cuts to Services and Civil Rights of People with Disabilities under the “Olmstead” Decision, Presented to: The House Committee on Long Term Care and Aging, Provided by:  Mike Oxford, Executive Director, Topeka Independent Living Resource Center, January 26, 2010 - This testimony presents a cogent argument regarding the necessity for systematic, comprehensive, long range planning to address the future long term care needs of our state that culminates in the development of an Olmstead Plan for the state of Kansas.

Prescription Drugs

Outdoor Recreation/Travel

State/Local Issues

Technology

Transportation

Veterans

ADA: Know Your Rights Returning Service Members - This publication is designed to inform US military personnel who became disabled while on active duty of their rights under the ADA and provide information on where to go to get assistance.

Visitability

Increasing Home Access: Designing for Visitability, Research Report, Jordana L. Maisel, IDEA Center; Eleanor Smith, Concrete Change; Edward Steinfeld, IDEA Center ; August 2008 - (report)(in brief) Visitability initiatives that support aging independently in one's home and community are the subject of this AARP Public Policy Institute Research Report. The authors discuss the barriers to visitability implementation and opportunities for further acceptance of these design parameters in the construction of new homes. Visitability is a movement that seeks to increase the supply of accessible housing through the inclusion of three basic structural features at the time of home construction: a zero-step entrance, wide doorways, and at least a half bath on the main floor of the home. (109 pages), Pub ID: 2008-14

A Practical Guide to Universal Home Design, This booklet by the Iowa Program for Assistive Technology, a program of the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Center for Disabilities and Development, Iowa’s University Center for Excellence on Disabilities is a room by room checklist you can use to help you consider your
options when incorporating the principles of universal design to increase the ease and flexibility of your home.

Voting Rights

Additional Monitoring of Polling Places Could Further Improve Accessibility (GAO-09-9410), Sepember 2009 - This General Accountability Office (GAO) report is based on a national survey of polling places during the 2008 election assessing both physical and technological access. The report found that compared to 2000, the proportion of polling places without potential impediments increased and almost all polling places had an accessible voting system. However, 46 percent of polling places had an accessible voting system that could pose a challenge to certain voters with disabilities, such as voting stations that were not arranged to accommodate voters using wheelchairs. (Read highlights of the report)

Help America Vote Act of 2002, Public Law  107-252 - HAVA requires state and local governments to make polling places accessible to voters with disabilities, including providing at least one voting system accessible to individuals with disabilities at each polling location, in a manner that provides the same opportunity for access and participation (including privacy and independence) as for other voters.

Voters with Disabilities: More Polling Places Had No Potential Impediments Than in 2000, but Challenges Remain, GAO-09-685, June 2009 - This report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) finds that access for voters with disabilities has improved since the 2000 election, but many problems remain.