The Center for Health Policy and Research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School is hosting this website containing archived information about the Massachusetts Systems Change Grants at the original request of Gerry Morrissey, Assistant Secretary for Disabilities and Community Services, at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS). 

Massachusetts Systems Change Grants 

Ensuring sustainable community-based options for people with disabilities and long-term chronic illnessess through "Systems Change"

Massachusetts has been working to address barriers to community living through a series of “Systems Change Grants” funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in addition to other state and federally funded initiatives developed under a “Community First Policy”. Examples of projects include nursing home transition, self-directed community-based services, collaboration between aging network providers and independent living centers, Comprehensive Screening and Service Model (CSSM), Senior Care Organizations, and Programs of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly and a number of other innovations. Some of these projects are in a piloting phase, others identified best practices, and others are fully implemented across the Commonwealth to assure individuals have the option of community prior to nursing home care.

In 2005, the Commonwealth was awarded the most recent “Systems Change” grant commonly referred to as the “Systems Transformation” grant. The purpose of this grant is to bring all of the initiatives together into a strategic framework while stimulating further progress related to quality management, financing of community-based long-term support, and housing.

The Systems Change Grants are part of President Bush’s New Freedom Initiative . The New Freedom Initiative was announced in March of 2001 as a nationwide effort to remove barriers to community living for people of all ages with disabilities and long-term illnesses.

For more information on the Massachusetts Systems Change Grants, please review the following grants awarded by year:

Grants Awarded in 2001 

Nursing Facility Transition Grant ("Bridges to the Community" Project)- Awarded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in 2001 and has extended the project through September 2005. "Bridges" is a three-year model demonstation grant designed to help Massachusetts build community long-term care capacity. It is also an interagency, cross-age, cross-disability collaboration. "Bridges" began outreach in the 28 nursing homes in the greater Worcester demonstration area in March 2003. 

Massachusetts Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MMIG)- The University of Massachusetts in collaboration with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) was awarded a Medicaid Infrastructure Grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in January of 2000. The grant focus is on systems change to minimize barriers to employment with a specific focus on health insurance and medical care related barriers. Grant activities will continue to include research program development to support this systems change. 

Massachusetts Real Choice Systems Change Grant (RC)- Funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in 2001 and coordinated by the UMass Medical School for Health Policy and Research (UMMS/CHPR), the Real Choice Grant is designed to enhance the quality and accessibility of the present array of home and community-based long-term supports available to individuals of all ages with disabilities and long-term illnesses. 

Grants Awarded in 2003 

Aging Disability Resource Centers Grant (ADRC)- Funded by the Administration on Aging (AoA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), this is a three-year grant awarded to the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (ELD). The Executive Office of Elder Affairs selected two organizations to pilot this grant- The Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley, Inc. (ESMV) and the Northeast Independent Living Program (NILP). The primary goal of the ADRC grant is the create a single, coordinated system of information and access for all persons seeking long term services and supports, regardless of age, disability or income. 

Community Based Alternatives for Children (CTAC)- Funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), CHPR will working with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) to conduct a feasibility study to expand community based treatment alternatives for children with serious emotional disturbance who would otherwise require care in an inpatient setting and/or a psychiatric residential treatment facility. This grant is to examine the possible use of a 1915(c) Medicaid waiver via a demonstration project to provide community based services that are not otherwise Medicaid reimbursable. 

Community Integrated Personal Assistance Services and Support (C-PASS)- Funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in 2003, this is a three-year federal demonstration project. It is a consumer driven project designed to build state capacity to provide consumer driven personal supports. 

Massachusetts Independence Plus Systems Change Grant (IP)- Funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in 2001 and coordinated by the UMass Medical School for Health Policy and Research (UMMS/CHPR), the goal of the Independence Plus Grant is to develop a federal waiver that will allow individuals with disabilities to direct their own individual budget and choose the services and supports that best meet their needs in the community. 

Massachusetts Mental Health Systems Transformation Grant for a Recovery Center of Excellence- Awarded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for three years and is the result of successful collaboration among multiple stakeholder groups, including DMH, MassHealth, consumer groups, providers and UMass. The objective of this grant is to build the infrastructure to strengthen consumer-directed programs and promote a recovery orientation within the mental health service system. In order to build the needed infrastructure to connect and strengthen these efforts, the goals of this grant are to 1) establish a formal network across the state between all recovery-oriented activities that are consumer directed; 2) assess the gaps in recovery oriented and consumer-directed services throughout the state; and 3) establish a state-level consumer-operated Recovery Center of Excellence that provides training and technical assistance to consumer-directed programs and traditional mental health providers statewide and impacts state policy regarding mental health services. 

Grants Awarded in 2004 

Medicaid and Comprehensive Employment Opportunities Infrastructure Grant (MI-CEO)- The University of Massachusetts in collaboration with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) was awarded a Medicaid Infrastructure Grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in January of 2000. The grant focus is on systems change to minimize barriers to employment with a specific focus on health insurance and medical care related barriers. Grant activities will continue to include research program development to support this systems change. 

Quality Assurance and Quality Management (New England Quality Improvement Collaborative)- Funded by the Massachusetts Department of Mental Retardation (DMR) to the UMass Medical School's Center for Development Disabilities and Evaluation and Research (CDDER) for three years, this grant will focus on the development of an integrated infrastructure to promote the use of objective and analytic methods of measuring the quality of services and supports. The grant will develop a set of New England regional standards, quality indicators and objective measures of quality. In addition, funds will be used to establish methods to facilitate the sharing of resources, to train stakeholders in the use of quantitative information, and to develop methods for consumer use of quality information, including prototype provider profiles. 

Family-to-Family Health Care Information and Education Center-   Funded by the Federation for Children with Special Needs for three years. The goals of this grant are to increase the number of families with children with special health care needs (CSHCN) who receive information about services and supports that will enable their children to be active participants in their communities, increase the number of families with CSHCN who receive services for which they are eligible, particularly traditionally underserved families and increase the number of families with CSHCN who have access to training, leadership, and peer support opportunities. 

Grants Awarded in 2005 

Massachusetts has submitted a Systems Transformation grant application under the 2005 solicitation by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The application was submitted on July 7th, 2005 and awarded on September 30^th, 2005. The award, $2.89 million over five years (2005-2010), was divided into two parts. First, 10% of the funds were provided to complete the strategic planning process for systems transformation between October 2005 and May 2006. With the approval of the strategic plan in June 2006, the remaining funds were awarded to implement the strategic plan.

The grant focuses on three key goals that will help lift remaining barriers:

• Establish comprehensive quality management systems
• Develop alternative financing and diversion options to promote community living
• Coordinate long-term supports with affordable and accessible housing

To view additional resources (i.e. meeting agendas, meeting materials, presentations), click here. 

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