New Community Rules: Aguide for Advocates

Very complete and accessible. A pdf file....

http://goo.gl/ZQDlSN

In January 2014, the federal government announced a new rule explaining which kinds of services can be covered through Medicaid-funded home and community-based services (HCBS) programs.1 The new rule will help make sure that people who use HCBS are truly integrated into their communities. States will not be allowed to use federal Medicaid dollars to pay for HCBS in settings that isolate people from the community or that do not show respect for people’s right to privacy, dignity, and self-determination.

Because states may need some time to make sure that the services that they are providing are actually integrated, the government has told the states to create five-year transition plans explaining how they will follow the new rule. The states must give people with disabilities, their friends and families, and other advocates the opportunity to comment on the transition plans.

This guide is here to help you understand what the new rule means and what they can do to help keep their states on track. States need to hear from you in order to know which kinds of services and supports help people make the most of life in the community.