Tennessee Announces Employment and Community First Choice Demonstration

TennCare and DIDD spent lots of time meeting with individuals with disabilities, families and advocates, asking what they wanted and needed from disability services. Employment opportunities in integrated settings for competitive wages and community living options emerged as top priorities.

With Amendment 27 to the TennCare demonstration, Tennessee proposes to implement within its existing managed care demonstration an integrated managed long-term services and supports (MLTSS) program that is specifically geared toward promoting and supporting integrated, competitive employment and independent, integrated community living as the first and preferred option for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).  As DIDD was preparing and meeting with families, they also said they want assistance in navigating service systems, knowledge about building community relationships and engagement, and support from other families who have experienced similar situations.

As a result of this feedback, many services and supports that fall under the “Information and Training” and “Emotional Supports” categories will be available to eligible individuals and families through the new Employment and Community First CHOICES waiver. 

Some of these options include:

Family Caregiver Education and Training:  “This service provides reimbursement up to $500 per year to offset the costs of educational materials, training programs, workshops and conferences to provide education and support to family caregivers in order to preserve the family unit and increase confidence, stamina and empowerment.”  

Community Support Development, Organization and Navigation:  “These services help individuals and family caregivers to develop a network for information and mutual support from others who receive services or family caregivers of individuals with disabilities. It assists individuals with disabilities and family caregivers with identifying and utilizing supports available from community-serving organizations and businesses, such as churches, schools, colleges, businesses, libraries, neighborhood associations, clubs, recreational entities and other community-serving organizations.”

Peer–to-Peer Self-Direction, Employment and Community Support and Navigation: These services assist an individual and their family members in understanding and considering self-direction, integrated employment and independent community living options, and addressing questions and concerns related to such options through the experiences of a peer who has successfully self-directed his or her own services and/or achieved integrated employment and community living goals.”

FMI:  

TennCare and DIDD spent lots of time meeting with individuals with disabilities, families and advocates, asking what they wanted and needed from disability services. Employment opportunities in integrated settings for competitive wages and community living options emerged as top priorities.

With Amendment 27 to the TennCare demonstration, Tennessee proposes to implement within its existing managed care demonstration an integrated managed long-term services and supports (MLTSS) program that is specifically geared toward promoting and supporting integrated, competitive employment and independent, integrated community living as the first and preferred option for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).  As DIDD was preparing and meeting with families, they also said they want assistance in navigating service systems, knowledge about building community relationships and engagement, and support from other families who have experienced similar situations.

As a result of this feedback, many services and supports that fall under the “Information and Training” and “Emotional Supports” categories will be available to eligible individuals and families through the new Employment and Community First CHOICES waiver. 

Some of these options include:

Family Caregiver Education and Training:  “This service provides reimbursement up to $500 per year to offset the costs of educational materials, training programs, workshops and conferences to provide education and support to family caregivers in order to preserve the family unit and increase confidence, stamina and empowerment.”  

Community Support Development, Organization and Navigation:  “These services help individuals and family caregivers to develop a network for information and mutual support from others who receive services or family caregivers of individuals with disabilities. It assists individuals with disabilities and family caregivers with identifying and utilizing supports available from community-serving organizations and businesses, such as churches, schools, colleges, businesses, libraries, neighborhood associations, clubs, recreational entities and other community-serving organizations.”

Peer–to-Peer Self-Direction, Employment and Community Support and Navigation: These services assist an individual and their family members in understanding and considering self-direction, integrated employment and independent community living options, and addressing questions and concerns related to such options through the experiences of a peer who has successfully self-directed his or her own services and/or achieved integrated employment and community living goals.”