KENTUCKY

Kentucky continued its progress in implementing the Olmstead plan released by the Cabinet for Health Services and Consumer Advisory Council in December 2002. Citizen members of the Advisory Counci also in December presented a "Citizen's Response" to the draft plan, as a result of which the Advisory Council agreed to create a subgroup to review the issues raised by the citizen members. The Advisory Council said it would develop specific recommendations for modifying the plan's goal and strategies "as needed."

A revised plan was issued March 17, 2003, and meetings were held throughout 2003 by the Advisory Council to continue to monitor the plan. The Office of Aging Services hosted a series of informational sessions throughout the state in October and November 2003 to inform the public about the requirements of the Olmstead decision related to appropriate provision of services for people with disabilities. The Cabinet for Health Services also developed a Web site for Olmstead activities and developments at http://www.chs.ky.gov/Olmstead.

In March 2003, the Kentucky legislature enacted a major measure that affected people with disabilities, the "Kevin Webb and Kim Brown Self-Determination Act" (House Bill 501). Webb and Brown are people with mental retardation and Down Syndrome who live at home with their parents. The law directs the Commission on Services and Supports for Individuals with Mental Retardation and Other Developmental Disabilities to make recommendations to the Department of Medicaid Services for the implementation of a self-determination model for people with disabilities who are receiving services through the Supports for Community Living (SCL) waiver program. The target date for completion of the recommendations is December 2003.

The measure also reauthorizes the commission, which was created by legislation in April 2000 to monitor and make further recommendations for the 10-year "Kentucky's Plan" for comprehensive services for people with mental retardation (MR) and developmental disabilities (DD) that was issued in April 2001. A main goal of the commission has been to reduce the waiting lists for services for people with MR or DD. In an October 2003 update report, the commission noted that the number of individuals receiving services through the SCL program had increased from about 1,600 in FY 2001 to about 2,200 in FY 2003, with an additional 500 slots expected to be filled in FY 2004.