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Quality: Direct Support Competence and Continuity: A Must
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The Ask Me! Project is a Quality of Life Survey Project administered by The Arc
of Maryland. This presentation covered the history of the project,
information on the survey tool, a personal view from two interviewers,
a participating agency's viewpoint and responsibilities, data results,
how agencies are using the results and related statewide public policy
implications and how individuals with developmental disabilities are
involved in every step of the process. |
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Without question on key to quality is the competence and continuity of the direct
support staff who provide support services. This session brought together
multiple perspectives and potential solutions to direct support workforce
problems such as increased vacancies, high turnover, and poor training.
The College of Direct Support, an on-line multimedia training and
education program for direct support professionals was demonstrated. |
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This session focused on the evolution of the Core Indicators Project, a national
performance assessment activity currently taking place in 21 states.
The presenters explained the rationale for the project, the scope
of data collection activities, and data on domains as consumer choice,
family satisfaction, staff turnover, and health and safety. The session
also provided a framework for using such data as part of ongoing state
QA and QI processes. |
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Staff from the Connecticut Department of Mental Retardation provided two consecutive
presentations that address the evolution of the department's quality
assurance and improvement systems. The first presentation focused
on an overview of the more traditional QI systems that are in place
in Connecticut, including critical incident reporting, mortality review,
licensing, and contract monitoring procedures. The second part of
the presentation focused on the development of a new quality review
and improvement system that is based on personal outcomes and emphasizes
provider improvement. |
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Community Psychology & Education Services (CPES) is one of
a number of service providers in Arizona that has taken a leadership role in encouraging consumer-directed services. In
the process, CPES has faced numerous internal and external
obstacles, including those of their own design, to making
supports person-centered. This presentation briefly reviewed
some of these obstacles and how the CPES staff has attempted to
refocus quality assurance on the consumer and family
perspective. |
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Stakeholders from southeast Minnesota, in a truly grassroots
effort, have independently initiated and developed a creative
method of quality assurance and quality improvement that has
received state legislative and financial support. It is a novel
approach to ensuring and improving quality as well as
licensing. Presenters discussed the history and ongoing
involvement of system stakeholders in implementing this process
and the inclusion of this method within the state.
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Personal Outcomes are for more than just measurement. The Personal Outcome
Measures are a powerful learning tool that can be used to transform
the way people and organizations do business. The Council's Personal
Outcome Measures have provided the foundation for a variety of projects
including enhancement of individual planning processes, development
of staff training programs, and the creation of statewide quality
enhancement processes. This session provided an overview of the principles
and implementation strategies that guide the use of the outcomes as
a versatile tool for enhancing quality of life for people with disabilities.
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A review and discussion of Nebraskaôs collaborative efforts in
the area of quality assurance. These efforts involve the use of
Quality Review Teams and an annual profile of each service
provider. Provider profiles incorporate information on the
quality of life of all persons receiving services.
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This session focused on a variety of quality assurance and
improvement activities in New Hampshire. It included
activities at the individual and community level, regional area
agency level and the state level. Specific attention was be paid to
the New Hampshire Quality Outcomes Partnership.
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This session focused on the New Hampshire Quality Outcomes Partnership (NHQOP)
and the Who Decides Survey. The NHQOP is a collaboration between the
New Hampshire Division of Developmental Services, the network of community
agencies, families, and individuals to collect, report, and disseminate
information on a number of quality indicators. The Who Decides Survey
was developed and implemented by self advocates to assess the level
of decision making authority people have over several aspects of their
lives. |
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This session outlined how Ohio's developmental disabilities service system prepared
for a HCBS waiver review by a federal review team from CMS using a
person-centered approach and the principles of self-determination
intertwined with those of Medicaid. Presenters shared Ohio's strategy,
a strategy that has targeted both system level and person level issues.
With the involvement of major leaders at the state and local levels
and with advocates, self-advocates, and direct support staff, persons
with disabilities are being supported by Ohio's infrastructure to
pursue the lives they envision, while concurrently having their health
and safety assured. |
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The Pennsylvania Office of Mental Retardation has developed a two-pronged approach
to building capacity in the community to support people with challenging
behaviors including those with a dual diagnosis of mental illness
and intellectual disabilities. This presentation shared the strategic
planning model being promulgated by the Office of Mental Retardation
and the Office of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services, as well
as the work of the training and technical assistance initiative to
help support implementation of the model. |
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The goal behind Pennsylvania's health and safety initiatives is to build the
competency and capacity of community MR providers and the medical
community. The Health Care Quality Units promote quality improvement
through training and technical support to the community. These units,
in tandem with a collaboration between the Office of Mental Retardation
and other offices within the State Department of Public Welfare, are
creating a statewide network to address health care issues from multiple
angles. |
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This session was an open forum discussion with session attendees, led by brief
comments from the perspectives of a consumer, a parent, a funding
agency, and an accrediting body. Teresa Moore discussed important
points in shopping for services and what she would look for in a provider.
Yo Bestgen addressed the CMS waiver review protocol, and the DDQC
suggestions regarding the components of a state quality management
system, and Dale Dutton covered what CARF looks for during an accreditation
review, as well as offering a parent's view of equality expectations.
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This presentation focused on ways in which the Massachusetts Department of
Mental Retardation works to protect people who, because of their personal
lifestyle choices, are at risk of significant harm to themselves or
present significant risk to other people. We hope to present the realities
of managing risk for people who receive support from a publicly funded
system and how, within that process, we sustain our commitment to
the people who are protective to achieve their lifestyles and choices,
even though they may not share our concern regarding their health
and safety. |
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This session offered a brief overview of how the South Carolina disabilities
system has developed and implemented a continuous quality enhancement
system using personal outcome measures as the basis. The presentation
included both the state's and a provider's perspectives. |
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No other issue in the developmental disabilities field today can influence
the outcome of person-centered support more than the issue of the
'Right to Risk Who determines the ability of an individual to accept
the responsibility of choice? This session will explore the concept
of risk and how it is managed within person-centered settings. |
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