Declaration for Independence

A Call to Transform Health and Long Term Services for Seniors and People with Disabilities



Benefits of Medicaid Expansion for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder

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On March 28, 2016 the Department of Health and Human Services published a brief on the benefits of Medicaid expansion for mental health and substance use disorder drafted by the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. An excerpt of that brief is published below and the full brief can be found here: https://aspe.hhs.gov/pdf-report/benefits-medicaid-expansion-behavioral-health By: Judith Dey, [...]

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The Most Innovative Initiatives Start with Relationships

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The most innovative projects in the country to support people with disabilities actually arise from common sense. All people need relationships with family, friends and extended community to be productive, engaged, and live safely in their homes and communities. How do we support this engagement in a service system that has incentivized payment for services and [...]

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Part II – Beyond NDEAM: Employment and People with Disabilities as a National Priority

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Lisa Mills is a 26-year disability advocate, employment subject matter expert, a former Public Policy Chair for TASH, a former Ruderman Fellow and Senior Technical Advisor for the Coalition to Promote Self-Determination. Dr. Mills’ focus on advancing integrated employment dates back to 1999 when she became involved with the Wisconsin self-advocacy movement and assisted a [...]

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Part I – Beyond NDEAM: Employment and People with Disabilities as a National Priority

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Lisa Mills is a 26-year disability advocate, employment subject matter expert, a former Public Policy Chair for TASH, a former Ruderman Fellow and Senior Technical Advisor for the Coalition to Promote Self-Determination (CPSD). Dr. Mills’ focus on advancing integrated employment dates back to 1999 when she became involved with the Wisconsin self-advocacy movement and assisted [...]

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The Grand Insight of We: Participation is Vital Because It Involves Others

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Participation is more than simply engaging in a life activity. It is an important aspect of social involvement that influences self-esteem, identity and well-being. Charles Christiansen; Sep. 29, 2015 Years ago, I was motivated by the desire to make the world a better place by helping others. As a young occupational therapist, I focused mostly [...]

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There Are Faces I Remember

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Lillie Brannon, an 80-year old former cotton picker in Arkansas, tells of how she escaped from a nursing home four times. In describing why she chose to manage her own personal care supports and services (also called self-direction, participant direction or consumer direction) she quickly answered: “I’m the boss. If I want to hang my [...]

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Wrap-up, Response to the 2015 White House Conference on Aging

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“We have to ensure that every older American has the resources and the support they need to strive.” President Barack Obama, July 13 Dr. Yanira Cruz; Aug. 13, 2015 The White House Conference on Aging, which took place July 13, was inspiring for us at the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA) and for all those working on [...]

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Happy Anniversary, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, ADA and the ACA!

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Americans love anniversaries, whether it is the birth of our nation on July 4, our parents’ 50th, Pearl Harbor or 9/11. The year 2015 has a number of significant anniversaries of laws that have changed our country. Leonard Kirschner; July 30, 2015 On Aug. 14, 1935, in the height of the Great Depression, President Franklin [...]

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