August 20, 2024
ADvancing States’ annual Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Conference is one of the industry’s premier events, attracting local, state, and federal policymakers and stakeholders to exchange ideas, experiences, and learnings. The common goal is to promote the practices and policies that advance long-term services and supports for all individuals, regardless of age or ability.
GT Independence is a longstanding participant and sponsor of the annual HCBS conference and continues in its tradition at HCBS 2024, now underway in Baltimore. This year, GT Independence is hosting a panel session focused on best practices: “Cooking Up a Top-Notch Self-Direction Program: It’s All in the Ingredients.” CEO Holly Carmichael moderates the Wednesday morning session, joined by WRenia Bratts-Brown, Associate Director, HCBS, North Carolina Medicaid, and Nicole Watts, Participant Directed Services Program Coordinator, D.C. Department of Health Care Finance. Together, they will share insights into critical planning and execution elements that have delivered tangible results in their regions. Additionally, Holly highlights contributions from Cindy Grebin, Human Services Program Representative, Minnesota DHS, on progress made in her state.
Throughout the session, these experts emphasize that self-direction programs are a collaborative effort reinforced by a range of quality ingredients. The success of a program can be heavily influenced by something as broad as legislative mandates or as niche as fiscal intermediary services. The panel discussion is expected to be far-ranging, covering topics such as positioning self-direction to ensure people know about their options, soliciting input from the stakeholders who matter most, embedding self-direction as the default option, and measuring outcomes and assuring quality.
In the relatively young field of self-direction, states and regions are challenged to create and maintain successful self-direction programs without a set playbook to follow. Events like HCBS 2024 are critical forums for exploring approaches that work (or don’t!) and learning how certain ingredients in the mix can be tweaked to generate better outcomes. Further, with more shared knowledge comes more power, and that power can be used to advocate for change at all legislative levels. It’s a recipe for efficient and effective self-direction programs that keep the people they serve at the center.