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Health and Human Services:
HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt today awarded nearly $20 million in grants to states to develop programs for people with disabilities or long term illnesses.
The "Real Choice Systems Change Grants for Community Living" will help states and territories "rebalance" their long-term support programs to help people with chronic illness or disabilities to reside in their homes and participate fully in community life.
"These grants will help states take full advantage of the opportunities to reform their Medicaid long-term care systems offered by the recently passed Deficit Reduction Act of 2006 and remove barriers to equality for the 54 million Americans living with disabilities," Secretary Leavitt said.
"They will help persons with disabilities exercise meaningful choices about how and where to live their lives."
This demonstration provides up to $1.75 billion to eligible states to transition individuals from institutions who want to live in the community and rebalance their entire long-term care system to ensure individuals have a choice of where they want to live and receive services.
While applications for this demonstration are not due until Nov. 1, 35 states have expressed interest in applying.
For more information on the New Freedom Initiative, visit the CMS Web site at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/newfreedom/.
Posted on September 22, 2006 01:02 AM
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