Texas Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities Annual Report, 1997 Page: 4 of 20
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Working together to increase ... Inclusion
-] By facilitating broad partnerships, using
resources more effectively and developing
better ways to support people in the commu-
nity, Council projects make it easier for Texans
with disabilities to participate in everyday
activities and experiences. These projects are
bringing individuals with disabilities into the
state's economic, educational, medical and
social mainstreams.
For example, businesses, service providers,
employment experts and school districts are a
few of the public and private groups that
recently made it possible for more than 200
adults with disabilities to obtain regular jobs.
At the same time, two local projects and a
statewide project made it possible for thou-
sands of children to be educated in regular
classes in their neighborhood schools. Partici-
pants included teachers, parents, school ad-
ministrators, community leaders, volunteers
and school board members.
State and local agencies are also participat-
ing in a project to ensure children with disabili-
ties can grow up in a stable, nurturing family.
This includes four local collaboratives and 23
permanency planning sites across Texas.
Another project has improved respite services
so families can obtain a needed break from the
ongoing demands of caring for a person with
significant disabilities.
Meanwhile hospitals, doctors, policymakers,
community organizations, disability groups and
numerous others are working to help Texans
make the transition to Medicaid managed care.
More details on these projects follow.
Supporters of House Bill 885 cele-
brate Gov. George Bush's signing of
a law which establishes a policy to
help children grow up in families and
sets up four pilot projects in Texas.
Pictured are (from left): Simone,
Claire and Rusty Thibodeau;
their mother, Paula Russell; Amy
Tompkins; Senator Judith Zaffirini
(Senate sponsor); Jennifer Cernoch; .
Roger Webb; Gov. Bush (seated);
Patty Anderson; Rep. Glen Maxey
(HB 885 author); Rep. Elliott
Naishtat (House cosponsor);
and Kathy Cunningham and
her daughter, Kaitlyn.O Healthcare Matters! (Advocacy, Inc.)
works to help Texans transition to managed
care and to ensure individuals' needs are met
by bringing together managed care organiza-
tions, hospitals, doctors, case managers, other
service providers, the state's Medicaid enroll-
ment broker, the Texas Medical Association,
Texas Hospital Association, individuals with
disabilities and disability groups, families,
policymakers, state agencies (including TDH,
TDHS, TXMHMR and HHSC), community
organizations and numerous others.
A special emphasis is on helping people
with disabilities entering STAR+PLUS, the new
Medicaid managed care pilot in Harris County
integrating long-term and acute care. Health-
care Matters! is also training managed care
providers about the needs and desires of
people with disabilities, including people's
desire for community supports and services.
Additionally, the project is identifying problems
and successes in managed care pilots across the
state and reporting these to policymakers.
The grant, which started in October 1996,
works in partnership with the Health and Hu-
man Services Commission (which is implement-
ing Medicaid managed care in Texas) and the
Texas Respite Resource Network. ADAPT of
Texas assists in training and technical assistance.
Activities include: holding consumer focus
groups in Austin, Lubbock, San Antonio and Fort
Worth; creating educational materials; providing
training and technical assistance; working with
policymakers; and creating a task force in Houston
to mobilize local resources and oversee training.
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Texas Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities. Texas Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities Annual Report, 1997, report, 1997; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth307517/m1/4/?q=%221997~%22&rotate=270: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.