CONNECTICUT

Connecticut officials say that the state was moving in the direction of the spirit of the Olmstead decision even before that ruling was handed down by the US Supreme Court. The state's long-term care planning document, Choices are for Everyone, published in March 2002, has as its subtitle: "Continuing the Movement Toward Community-Based Supports in Connecticut." A Community Options Task Force, created in March 2000, held meetings and formulated the plan over a two-year period. The most recent draft of the plan can be found at http://www.dss.state.ct.us/images/CommIntPlan.pdf.

The plan identifies strategies for expanding available options for people with disabilities and for enhancing information resources that will help them make informed choices about those options. The plan's action steps address barriers such as lack of public education about available options and lack of affordable housing, adequate community supports, and trained and well-compensated workers. State officials point out that the state's Olmstead plan grew out of the efforts of advocates and disability groups who thought a specific document was needed, leading the governor to instruct the Department of Social Services and Long-Term Planning Committee to develop a plan.

The Community Options Task Force officially disbanded after the Choices are for Everyone plan was produced. However, most members now are part of the steering committee for the two federal Systems Change grants the state received (see below), and are now monitoring the progress on those grants.

In the face of a major state budget crisis, resources are the biggest challenge carrying out the plan, state officials say. The planning document could change, they add, but that is an unlikely prospect in the short term because of the budget situation. The state work force was reduced by 6 percent in FY 2003, and another 8 percent of the work force took early retirement. This has left many agencies strapped for funds and staff.

To minimize the need for additional resources in the short term, officials say, the plan's action steps call mainly for investigating and exploring options. The plan delineated action steps but not ones that require additional resources. In the area of housing, for example, state officials have been meeting with various parties in the housing industry about ways to improve and expand accessibility for people with functional limitations. Another example is a review of guardianship rules in Connecticut to review possible barriers.  

In addition, in recent years, the state has been putting together a variety of assisted living opportunities. To date, the effort has been directed mainly at increasing housing options for older people, state officials say, but they hope they will be able to extend these possibilities to other people with disabilities in the future. Another source for innovation and experimentation has been the federal Systems Change grants that the state received: an $800,000 Nursing Facility Transitions grant to identify residents who are appropriate for transition to the community and to provide assistance to them for their move to the community; and a $1.35 million grant for three model communities for people with disabilities.