New State Grants Will Improve Assistance to Disabled

HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson on May 22 announced the availability of $70 million in new grants stemming from President Bush's New Freedom Initiative, designed to allow states to assist the disabled. States who receive the "Systems Changes for Community Living" grants will work with the disability and aging communities to "design and implement improvements in community long term support systems," which will "allow children and adults with a disability or long term illness to live in the most integrated settings suited to their needs," according to an HHS press release. Grant applications will be available in July, and awards will be announced by October. Thompson also announced the release of $50,000 "starter" grants to 28 states and territories that "will help pay for the development of public-private partnerships ... in each state to advise on the use" of the new federal grants (HHS release, 5/22). For more information about the grants, go to http://www.hcfa.gov/medicaid/systemschange/.