On February 15, 2012, NYAIL partnered with the Center for Disability Rights and the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Association of NYS to host a comprehensive training on the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program for over 50 participants representing 25 health plans statewide. The training was intended to serve as the first in as a series of conversations both to serve as technical assistance to the plans venturing into a new, nontraditional model of health care, as well as to open the dialogue for integrating the model into managed care directly between the experts and the plans. This presentation is also being used by ILCs in local communities to begin their relationship-building with local plans and to help local plans understand CDPAP.

Date: 02/15/12

Presentation slides: CDPAP Training (PDF)

Date: March 28, 2012
This webinar was presented by NYAIL and CIDNY as part of the Community Health Advocates program

BHOs are targeted to persons with serious mental illness and/or substance dependence who have a history of multiple psychiatric admissions/readmissions, emergency service use, dependence relapses and detoxifications, incarceration, and homelessness. During Phase One, now underway, BHOs are conducting concurrent review of behavioral health inpatient stays for individuals in fee-for-service Medicaid. Phase Two is scheduled to begin in 2013 and will involve some form of Medicaid managed care for adults and children with serious mental health issues or substance use disorders.

This webinar presents the latest information on BHOs and their expected impact on people with disabilities and the ILCs that serve them. It also highlight some of the recommendations developed by the Medicaid Redesign Team BHO workgroup, intended to assure that BHOs will best serve the interests of people with disabilities while also saving the state money, including recommendations to improve care coordination, provide peer services, and ensure appropriate housing resources are available.

Presentation Slides: BHOs and the Expected Impact on People with Disabilities (PDF)

Date: February 8, 2012
This webinar was presented by NYAIL and CIDNY as part of the Community Health Advocates program

Last year's New York State budget provided for a major overhaul of the state's Medicaid system through the creation of the Medicaid Redesign Team, which was charged with reducing Medicaid spending by about $2.8 billion. By March of 2011, the MRT had agreed on over 200 initiatives to restructure the Medicaid program, drastically changing the way health care is delivered to New Yorkers with disabilities. People with disabilities are already feeling the impact of these changes in the way they access health care services, community based supports, and prescription drugs. Additional changes are still to come as the State continues to implement the recommendations of the MRT and its many workgroups.

This webinar is intended to provide a broad overview of the changes to Medicaid implemented thus far and those to come, and their impact on people with disabilities. Topics will include Medicaid Managed Care, Managed Long Term Care, Behavioral Health Organizations, and Health Homes. Highlights of the 2012-13 Executive Budget were also included to the extent that the budget included implementation of the MRT workgroups' recommendations. NYAIL and CIDNY will present additional CHA webinars to provide more information on the issues highlighted in this session.

Presentation Slides: MRT Initiatives Overview and Impact on People with Disabilities (PDF)

Date: December 7, 2011
NYAIL hosted a webinar on Disability Statistics presented by Bill Erickson, MS, research specialist with the Employment and Disability Institute at Cornell University.

Disability statistics are a vital resource for community planning efforts, including demonstrating critical unmet needs for housing and services for people with disabilities and older adults in New York State. Where can you find disability statistics? What are the strengths and limitations of different data sources? What should be considered when presenting disability statistics? This presentation will help answer these questions and assist community stakeholders in using statistics to make the best case for the service and housing needs of people with disabilities in their communities. The presentation includes a tour of the web and will demonstrate how to access disability statistics from a variety of resources with a focus on New York data.

Presentation Slides: Statistics on Disability (PDF)

Date: August 18, 2011
Opportunities for ILCs in the NYS Health Home Initiative

NYAIL recently hosted a webinar presented by Kevin Cleary, with KCGR LLC.

The Health Homes program is on of NY's first steps in redesigning Medicaid for all beneficiaries, including people with disabilities served by Independent Living Centers. The target populations for the health home initiative are individuals with chronic conditions. Health homes will provide enrollees with comprehensive care management, which will include referrals to community and social services. We expect DOH to implement a similar model soon for the managed long term care population.

This presentation included:

• Brief description of the health home program and the potential role of ILCs as subcontractors with health homes
• How to identify and build relationships with likely health home applicants and other health home providers in your region
• What are Behavioral Health Organization and how will they work with health homes?
• How can you position your center for a role in the rapidly changing Medicaid managed care system?

Presentation Slides: Health Home Initiative (PDF)

Date: June 22, 2011
Using HOME Investment Funding to Increase Housing for People with Disabilities and Seniors Leaving Institutions

NYAIL hosted a webinar presented by Steve Gold, nationally recognized housing advocate and attorney.

During this webinar Steve discussed the potential use of New York's Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) funds to transition individuals from nursing homes and institutions into the community. Specifically this presentation emphasized:

• The potential for using the HOME program to assist with housing for people with disabilities returning to the community,
• The savings calculations for transitioning people with disabilities our of nursing homes and into community,
• How to understand New York State's allocation on HOME program funds,
• How to participate in Planning for HOME program funds.

Presentation Slides: HOME Investment Partnership Funding (PDF)