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Idaho

Task Force

The Committee Integration Committee (CIC) was created by the Governor's office. It is composed of members from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, the divisions of Family and Community Services and Medicaid along with other agencies, advocacy groups, and consumers, including the Idaho Commission on Aging. The committee ultimately will produce a plan, but it currently is focusing on assessing the existing service delivery systems in Idaho with regard to community integration. There is no projected date for plan completion.

The overall number of consumers will be increased, so they comprise at least 50 percent of committee members. Increased representation of elder - as well as housing and transportation representatives - is forthcoming. The department director will make these additional appointments.

The Plan

Due to the fact that the plan is in its early stage, many of the details are not available. Idaho officials believe those crossover issues such as housing, transportation and medication have the greatest effect on successful community living and independence. The federal grants being implemented by the state, based on the recommendations of the CIC, focus on these issues, not on disability categories, and address people in all disability and age groups. The committee has completed an assessment of existing state facilities and now will move the investigation to facilities and services funded by Medicaid and provided in the private sector.

Implementation

The Legislature did not pass any laws in 2002 related to Olmstead. However, it has asked the Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Medicaid, to institute utilization review procedures to ensure that the right services are being delivered at the most appropriate level of care, based on need.

Although no lawsuits have been filed in direct response to Olmstead, other suits are pending that relate to similar issues. These suits have helped direct the state's efforts. For an update on lawsuits across the country, see Status Report: Litigation Concerning Medicaid Services for Persons with Developmental and Other Disabilities by Gary A. Smith at http://www.hsri.org/index.asp?id=news

The state of Idaho received a Real Choice Systems Change Grant this year in the amount of $1,102,148. The money will be used to conduct a needs and resources assessment; conduct an economic analysis of current service utilization; implement a community development project; and conduct an effectiveness study to test and refine a community based plan.

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