STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY INCLUSION

Goal:

The Strategies for Community Inclusion Domain assesses the agency’s established partnerships with community organizations that support inclusion. Such provider and community partnerships may include Independent Living Centers, peer and family mentors, faith-based organizations, public facilities, advocacy and self-advocacy groups, health and fitness options, transportation and many other organizations and opportunities in the community. 

Learning Objectives

The Strategies for Community Inclusion domain focuses on the development of a better understanding of the importance of person-centered planning that is comprehensive and addresses all areas of a person’s life: 

• Establishing networks with a wide range of community resources
• Knowledge of, and access to, comprehensive networks of resources, with collaboration and communication among Medicaid Service Coordinators (MSCs), Care Coordinators and Care Managers, circles of support, other service providers and community partners  

Audience

Agency Leadership and Staff:

• Executive Team
• Program Directors
• Medicaid Service Coordinators (MSCs)
• Care Coordinators/Care Managers
• Supervisors
• Direct Support Professionals

Tools and Processes

Group Discussion Exercise – Strategies for Community Inclusion

The following group discussion exercise is structured to help the agency gain a better understanding of the importance of developing and maintaining a comprehensive network of community organizations to support individuals as they work to realize their goals for community inclusion. 

1.

Get a sense of the agency’s baseline score by completing the Mini ESTA.

2.

This brief podcast defines the “Strategies for Community Inclusion Domain” and why the questions in the full self-assessment are important.   

3.

Complete the ESTA or move to the next step.

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4.

Assemble a group of your agency’s Leadership stakeholders; minimally include Executive Leadership (e.g. CEO, CFO, HR, COO), Board of Directors and Program Directors. For a more expansive group include external participants (consumers, families, community partners, etc.).  
  
A.) Note: This process may also be conducted using multiple groups with each group comprised of discrete stakeholders (e.g. Board members only; Executive Team only).

5.

Review the self-assessment of Strategies for Community Inclusion from the Mini ESTA (or ESTA if completed).

A.) By reviewing the rating/score from the assessment, the agency will see where they fall on the continuum of progress towards transformation in the Strategies for Community Inclusion Domain. Keep in mind the responses to the individual items in the assessment during discussion.

6.

Continue discussion using the prompts below. During discussion, consider potential actions that may be undertaken to make further progress in the transformation process.

​Approximate Time for Exercise:
​60-90 minutes

A). Discuss how community supports and providers are part of individual service planning and the overall strategic planning processes. Do these community members attend participant services planning meetings and make themselves available to assist with problem-solving?   

B.) Discuss how service coordination/care coordination/care management efforts are utilized in conjunction with this network of essential supports. How is feedback obtained from the individuals and families utilizing these services to ensure that their needs are met?  

C.) Discuss any efforts undertaken in relation to working with managed care organizations (MCOs). Have any new partnerships/contractual relationships or avenues for resources been explored with MCOs?

D.) ​How do peer mentors and other system advocates assist, or how could they assist, with education, training and transition efforts on both individual and program/systems levels.

E.) Describe how the agency explores new resources and catalogues community resources and how this information is stored and shared within the agency. Is the information made easily accessible to staff, participants and families? 

Download Discussion Prompts