Rebalancing Long Term Care Initiative

This project is completed. This information is maintained for reference.

The Rebalancing Long Term Care Initiative was a pilot initiative led by the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation intended to decrease reliance on institutional care and increase use of community-based care for adults with significant physical disabilities. Two counties were involved in the pilot projects: Forsyth and Surry.

The Institute on Aging provided technical assistance and consultation to the project team and conducted evidence-based evaluation in the second and third year. Bill Lamb, Associate Director for Public Service, and Jen Craft Morgan, Scientist and IOA Associate Director for Research, worked on the project.

Project Background

In October 2004, The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services received a three-year grant to develop a Rebalancing Plan, designed to decrease reliance on facility-based care and increase availability and use of community-based services. The target population for the project included Medicaid-eligible adults with significant physical disabilities at risk of inappropriate or undesired placement in a residential facility. The ultimate goal of NC’s Rebalancing Project was to examine and adjust the long term care system so that people with significant physical disabilities can remain in their homes and in control for as long as possible.

A Local Rebalancing Committee was convened with a broad base of representatives from Forsyth and Surry counties, the area selected as the pilot test site for the plan. This Committee identified issues and barriers and determined whether they need to be addressed on the local or state level. The Committee developed a draft Plan with findings and recommendations in the following areas:
• access to comprehensive information and simplified eligibility;
• services that are readily available to support individuals and families;
• quality management mechanisms; and
• financing of programs and services.

State level recommendations were addressed during year two by relevant DHHS Divisions. During year three, the Rebalancing Plan was finalized and a plan for implementation statewide was created.

More Information

Download the Final Report