New Jersey DDD Releases Quality Improvement Strategy Stakeholder Input Report
Once the focus groups were completed, an analysis of the central themes that emerged was completed and an online survey was created to capture additional stakeholder feedback.
According to the report, the process for the facilitated discussion was focused on quality, as it is defined by the person. Below is a summary of the questions that were asked along with the most frequent responses synthesized in the report:
- What do people with disabilities want in their lives? Dignity and respect, safety and security, consistency and stability, competent support and choice and control. Their family members answered: Safety and security, competent support, consistency and stability, housing and meaningful activities.
- What do paid supports need to do to help people get what they want in life? Paid Supports need to be well trained and competent, know and understand each person supported and Advocate for and with the person.
- What do provider agencies need to do to offer supports that help people get what they want in their lives and meet their needs? Provider agencies need to ensure Direct Support Professionals are compensated fairly and appropriately, have knowledge of and the ability to support a person in gaining access to resources within their community, ensure staff are well trained, and understand the needs of the people they are supporting.
- Who should be involved in evaluating the quality of services and supports and how? People using supports and services, and those who know them best as most important in evaluating quality. This should be completed through holding meetings to allow people to discuss concerns openly, having an independent evaluator, and DDD completing site reviews.
The report indicates that next steps for DDD are to use the data from the National Core Indicators (NCI) and review it with stakeholders against the stakeholder report findings focusing on the answers to the questions people answered describing what they want in their lives. DDD will also establish a quality council as part of their long-term strategy to review data, set priorities, and provide input into any policy and practice changes identified as being needed.
FMI: Click here to read the full report: Stakeholder Input Report.
Check out the NASDDDS website for additional resources on the quality of HCBS at http://www.nasddds.org/resource-library/quality/