Olmstead Advisory Committee
The Olmstead Advisory Committee affirms California’s commitment to providing services to people with disabilities in the most integrated setting and supporting opportunities for persons with disabilities to remain in their communities and avoid unnecessary institutionalization. In 2009, the Committee:
- Supported implementation of California Community Transitions, our Money Follows the Person demonstration. Members were active in recruiting lead organizations to provide transition services for individuals who have resided in long term care institutional settings for six months or longer. Members worked with DHCS to promote partnerships between community-based providers and health facility administrators to conduct preference interviews and assessments for individuals desiring community transitions. This project will transition up to 2,000 people from institutional settings to community living.
- Members advised the Secretary on several legislative proposals, including AB1269 (Brownley) to change policies of the Medi-Cal Working Disabled program, allowing individuals to save earnings in separate accounts and to continue in the program while working beyond ‘retirement’ age if desired.
- The committee chair participated in discussions with Department of Rehabilitation and the State Independent Living Council to prioritize use of ARRA funding to develop diversion strategies, allowing seniors and people with disabilities to remain safely at home and in the community. Approximately $600,000 has been targeted for peer mentoring, technical assistance and training for community-service coordinators and to conduct outreach and education about Olmstead principles. DHCS was also awarded $1,300,000 over 3 years to enhance the Medical Case Management and ADRC programs supporting appropriate hospital-to-home transitions for individuals at risk of long-term institutional care placement.
Status of Olmstead-related bills tracked by the Committee
Stakeholder meetings on TBI Services
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
2009-10 Budget impacts to Health and Human Services, including provisions enacted in February and July, 2009
Department of Rehabilitation Announces Awards for Olmstead Initiatives
Department of Rehabilitaion Announces an intent to Award ARRA funding in support of Olmstead initiatives
Housing
New Section 8 voucher solicitation to target individuals leaving institutions: HUD Letter, NOFA.
Notice to counties on changes to Home Upkeep Allowance rules
California Working Disabled Program
Medi-Cal Managed Care plans now serve people enrolled in the California Working Disabled Program
An alternative to paying share of cost for individuals who are working and eligible for Medi-Cal benefits
Olmstead Advisory Committee
The Governor places a high priority on providing services for people with disabilities and seniors in the most integrated setting possible and adopting policies and practices that make it feasible to remain in the community. The Governor's recent Executive Order S-10-08 substantiates this Olmstead priority and authorizes the Secretary of the Health and Human Services Agency to form an advisory body, insuring the involvement of people with disabilities and other system stakeholders in making recommendations on actions to improve California's long term care system.
Agency Secretary Kim Belshé appointed Advisory Committee Members who represent consumers, family members, providers and advocates. Members of the committee serve on a volunteer basis without compensation. Brenda Premo, director of the Center for Disability Issues and the Health Professions at Western University of Health Sciences and a former director of the California Department of Rehabilitation, serves as chair of the committee. If you are interested in applying to serve on the committee, please complete and submit the California Olmstead Advisory Committee Application.
The committee is responsible for providing input to Agency on its efforts to implement the California Olmstead Plan, recommending actions to improve California's long-term care system and creating opportunities to fund expanded or new activities to support individuals with disabilities in their community. The committee meets as a full committee every three months. In the interim, the committee operates under three Work Groups charged with formulating policy recommendations in the areas of diversion, assessment/transition and data.