August 15, 2024
It’s August, and that can only mean one thing: It’s time for ADvancing States’ annual Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Conference! One of the most-anticipated events for stakeholders in delivering long-term services and supports (LTSS), HCBS 2024 is taking place in Baltimore August 18-22, 2024, and GT Independence is excited for this opportunity to exchange ideas and perspectives.
GT is a longtime HCBS sponsor and participant, and we’re looking forward to continuing our tradition. This year, we’re cooking up all sorts of specials, and we invite attendees to stop by our booth (no. 501) for a taste of what’s ahead. Plus, it’s where conference-goers will find fresh-baked cookies from Zoe’s Just Dezzerts, our favorite bakery in Baltimore! Not only does it produce a wide range of delicious desserts, but it is “Deliciously Inclusive” with job opportunities for people with a disability, demonstrating that everyone has the capacity to bring joy into people’s lives. Zoe’s inspiring story is a testament to self-direction and the incredible things people can accomplish when they have the opportunity to live their lives with dignity and respect.
Beyond our booth, we’re gathering some top “chefs” in self-direction for a panel session led by our CEO, Holly Carmichael. Through “Cooking Up a Top-Notch Self Direction Program: It’s All in the Ingredients,” attendees will gain valuable information, ideas, and perspectives that can inform their own self-direction programs, all the way from conception through execution and evolution. Mark your calendars for 9 a.m., Wednesday, August 21, and head to Kent A-C, 4th floor.
Creating a successful self-direction program is much like preparing an elaborate meal, and Holly is being joined by some of the most experienced “chefs” from around the country, including:
- WRenia Bratts-Brown, Associate Director of Home and Community-Based Services in the LTSS unit within NC Medicaid. WRenia has been with NC Medicaid for 15 years, where she provides leadership oversight, and has over 30 years of experience in case management and long-term services and support.
- Nicole Watts, the District of Columbia’s Participant Directed Services (PDS) program coordinator. Nicole oversees all aspects of the daily operations for D.C.’s PDS program and serves as the contract administrator for FMS and supports broker vendors.
The program also includes contributions submitted by Cindy Grebin, Human Services Program Representative at the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Cindy’s work focuses on the development and implementation of policies that support individuals with disabilities, specifically in the area of self-direction. She is tasked with evaluating the effectiveness of current policies and creating new ones to meet the ever-changing needs of program participants.
The session promises to be informative and dynamic, contributing to making HCBS 2024 another productive conference. We look forward to engaging with attendees in our booth, at the session, and throughout the program.