Association of University Centers on Disabilities

Resources, October 2011:

Early Childhood
1. Professional Training Resource Library
http://depts.washington.edu/isei/ptrl/ptrloverview.php
The Professional Training Resource Library (PTRL) is a searchable, web-based library with a wide range of free materials to support professional training in the field of early intervention. The PTRL is hosted by the International Society on Early Intervention (ISEI) in partnership with the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD).

2. Understanding New Part C Regulations: Side-by-Side Comparison
http://www.cec.sped.org/Content/NavigationMenu/PolicyAdvocacy/IDEAResources/Celebrating_25_Years_of_Early_Childhood_Programs/PartCRegsSideBySideFULL.pdf
To help special educators and early interventionists in their monumental task of implementing the updated regulations, the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), its Division for Early Childhood (DEC) and the IDEA Infant Toddler Coordinators Association (ITCA) have released a side-by-side comparison of the 2011 final Part C regulations, published on Sept. 28, to Part C regulations from 1999.

Education
3. Characteristics of States’ Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards in 2010-2011
http://www.cehd.umn.edu/NCEO/OnlinePubs/Synthesis85/default.htm
In 2007, federal regulations introduced another assessment option for students with disabilities—the alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards (AA-MAS). The Institute on Community Integration's National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) has been tracking the characteristics of states' AA-MAS since 2007 and reports their findings here.

4. 2009 State Policies on Assessment Participation and Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
http://www.cehd.umn.edu/NCEO/OnlinePubs/Synthesis83/default.htm
The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) has been tracking and analyzing state policies on assessment participation and accommodations since 1992. The purpose of the analysis reported in this publication is to update information on these policies that was last reported by NCEO in 2008 (based on 2007 data). Policies from all 50 states and the District of Columbia are included in the report. In addition, current state accommodations policies were analyzed by grade and content area.

Fundraising
5. Million Dollar List
http://www.milliondollarlist.org/
Compiled by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, this list includes data on more than 60,000 gifts of $1 million and up since 2000 from individuals, foundations, and corporations. Gift information can be searched based on geography, dollar amount, type of charity, individual donor, organization name or other customizable criteria. Searches can also reveal trends and look for potential collaborations that help leverage giving for the greatest impact.

Health
6. Achieving Health Weight by Reducing Obesity and Improving Well-being for People with Disabilities Across the Life Course
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/disabilityandobesity.html
This report, from the CDC’s Division of Human Development and Disability, examines a number of challenges and barriers to weight management specific to people with disabilities, and explores opportunities to enhance research, programs, education, and tools. Specifically, the report recognizes the need for publicly funded programs to include people with disabilities in mainstream, and sometimes targeted, health programs and health services that help reduce obesity.

Medicaid and Medicare
7. Rebalancing Long-Term Services and Supports: Progress to Date and a Research Agenda for the Future
http://www.hilltopinstitute.org/publications/RebalancingLTSS-ProgressToDateAndResearchAgendaForFuture-June2011.pdf
This report, from the Hilltop Institute at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), discusses progress in rebalancing Medicaid LTSS spending, how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) can support states’ continued efforts to rebalance LTSS, and opportunities for future research to support continued system transformation.

8. Examining Medicaid Managed Long-Term Service and Support Programs: Key Issues to Consider
http://www.kff.org/medicaid/upload/8243.pdf
There is increased interest among states in operating Medicaid managed long-term services and support (MLTSS) programs rather than paying for long-term services and supports (LTSS) on a fee-for-service basis, as has been the general practice. This Kaiser Family Foundation issue brief examines key issues for states to consider if they are contemplating a shift to covering new populations and LTSS benefits through capitated payments to traditional risk-based managed care organizations (MCOs). It draws on current literature as well as discussions conducted during the spring and summer of 2011 with a variety of respondents – federal and state officials, researchers, representatives from managed care organizations, service providers, and consumer advocates.

9. Medicaid and the Budget Control Act: What Options Will Be Considered?
http://www.kff.org/medicaid/upload/8238.pdf
This Issue Brief, from the Kaiser Family Foundation, examines the potential Medicaid changes as a result of recent budget negotiations. It will examine the options available to Joint Select Committee, also known as the “Super Committee”, created by the 2011 Budget Control Act, as well as the Obama Administration’s Plan for Economic Growth and Deficit Reduction, which was released in September.