Housing

Having the resources to become knowledgeable on areas that you must be a strong advocate are key to change. We hope this information gives you the resources to improve housing access and options for people with disabilities and our community as a whole!

HCBS Resources

Please note that all previous HCBS Settings Rule Webinars can be viewed by clicking this link, which will take you to ACL.gov

Webinar recordings available currently include:

IL Net Rural Conversation Community Series: Transportation is a Barrier in Many Rural Communities (February 2023)
Peer to Peer Interactive Workshop for CILs and SILCs: How Does the HCBS Final Settings Rule Apply to Your State IL Network? (January 2023)
Strengthening Advocacy in the HCBS Settings Rule: Getting the Services You Need from the Waiver (December 2022)
The Voices of People with Disabilities and Older Adults: Strengthening the Advocacy in the HCBS Settings Rule (September 2022)
Key Updates on the HCBS Settings Rule (May 2022)
ACL/CMS Promising Practices Webinar: Rethinking Day Services: The Without Walls Approach (March 2022)
ACL/CMS Promising Practices Training: HCBS Settings Regulations: Where Are We Now and Where Are We Going (January 2022)

ACL Update Blog:

Input Needed: CMS Proposes Rule to Improve Access to and Quality of Medicaid Services

The proposed Access Rule is groundbreaking. It is both broad in scope and responsive to issues that are important to the aging and disability communities. The proposed rule strengthens many aspects of Medicaid HCBS, including the direct care workforce, health and safety protections, quality of services, and state accountability and transparency, by introducing new requirements in each of these areas. ACL worked closely with our CMS colleagues in developing this rule to ensure that the experiences and priorities of people receiving Medicaid HCBS and their families, along with ACL’s disability and aging networks, were considered.

Submit Comments and Feedback by clicking this link no later than July 3, 2023

Click Here to Read the Full Blog Entry

CMS Fact Sheet
Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services (CMS 2442-P) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

A substantive component of this proposed rule focuses on improving access to, and the quality of HCBS. Over the past several decades, HCBS have become a critical component of the Medicaid program and are part of a larger framework of progress toward community integration of older adults and people of all ages with disabilities that spans efforts across the Federal government. The proposed changes in this rule are intended to strengthen necessary safeguards to ensure health and welfare, promote health equity for people receiving Medicaid‑covered HCBS, and achieve a more consistent and coordinated approach to the administration of policies and procedures across Medicaid HCBS programs. Specifically, the proposed rule seeks to:

Establish a new strategy for oversight, monitoring, quality assurance, and quality improvement for HCBS programs;
Strengthen person‑centered service planning and incident management systems in HCBS;
Require states to establish grievance systems in FFS HCBS programs;
Require that at least 80% of Medicaid payments for personal care, homemaker, and home health aide services be spent on compensation for the direct care workforce (as opposed to administrative overhead or profit);
Require states to publish the average hourly rate paid to direct care workers delivering personal care, home health aide, and homemaker services;
Require states to establish an advisory group for interested parties to advise and consult on provider payment rates and direct compensation for direct care workers;
Require states to report on waiting lists in section 1915(c) waiver programs; service delivery timeliness for personal care, homemaker and home health aide services; and a standardized set of HCBS quality measures; and
Promote public transparency related to the administration of Medicaid‑covered HCBS through public reporting of quality, performance, and compliance measures.

Click Here to Read the Comprehensive Review

Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Settings Regulation: Fitting the Pieces Together (February 21, 2023)

Click Here for a PDF copy of the webinar

Peer to Peer Interactive Workshop for CILs and SILCs: How Does the HCBS Final Settings Rule Apply to Your State IL Network?

Scary or Not Scary: Understanding HCBS Settings Rule

Summary of this Training:

APRIL and NASILC present an intro to HCBS Settings Rule Guidance webinar and how the Independent Living network fits in. Hopefully these rules that once seemed complicated and scary will be demystified and you will have a better idea of how your CIL or SILC fits.

APRIL and NASILC will discuss what work they are doing with IL on this rule. Followed by nuts and bolts of the program from Kate Brady, Project Manager, NCAPPS & HCBS Engagement, and examples from peers in your field of how you might partner. Commissioner Jill Jacobs and Director of the Office of Independent Living Programs walked us thorugh why and how this important work fits in the field of Independent Living.

Click Here to View Webinar with Slides and Speaker View Version

Q. How do I see the Powerpoint, Presenters, and ASL all at once in the recording?

A: If you select switch playback view in the bottom right hand corner to gallery you can see all the speakers and ASL interpreter in the playback!

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