Olmstead -- Real Choices for Iowa
Your "Olmstead in Iowa" Headquarters

Implementing Olmstead in Iowa

Accomplishments 2007-2008:

Community-based Services

Service access, flexibility and quality
Service access for children
Waiting lists
Consumer Protection
Information Sharing
Medicaid Reimbursements for community services
Staff development for direct care staff
Wage disparity and benefits for direct care staff

1. Service access, flexibility, and quality                                       

   • Legislation creates a Single Point of Entry Long – Term Living Resources Team to recommend structure and funding to make a single point of entry into the long-term care system by December 1, 2008

   • $127 million in new spending from the new money generated from the increase in the state’s tobacco tax.

   • $250,000 in new funds to create a new Mental Health Professional Shortage Area program to recruit psychiatrists serving in community mental health centers ($200,000) and establish a new psychologist internship program ($50,0000)

2. Waiting lists

   • $2.2 million to reduce the waiting list for the children’s mental health services waiver.  Includes the required state match ($1.1 million) for the Money Follows the Person pilot program (which will draw down $50 million in federal funds over five years to move people out of institutions and into home and community based services settings).

3. Consumer protection

   • The legislature funded the Office of the Substitute Decision Maker for the first time (to assist people without family in making care-related decisions) and $130,000 to hire two additional Long-Term Care Ombudsmen (to help address complaints and concerns of residents and families of residents in long-term care facilities).

4. Information sharing

   • Require the Departments of Public Health, Human Services, Inspections and Appeals, Workforce Development, and other state agencies to conduct a comprehensive review of Iowa's health and long-term care workforce to raise public awareness about and document shortages, describe current workforce needs, project future demand (next 25 years), and develop a plan to meet the future needs.

5. Medicaid reimbursements for community services

   • Medicaid providers and home and community based service (HCBS) waiver providers will not receive a rate increase this year, but nursing homes will see a bump in their rates ($10.4 million). 

6. Staff development for direct staff care

   • The legislature appropriated $75,000 to implement the recommendations of the Direct Care Worker Task Force

7. Wage disparity and benefits for direct care staff

   • The legislature appropriated $140,000 to the Iowa Caregivers Association to support long-term care direct care worker recruitment and retention initiatives.