Findings in the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP) report, “Separate and Unequal: States Fail to Fulfill the Community Living Promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act,” released last week, show that progress in providing health and community based services for persons with physical disabilities and mental illnesses has lagged significantly behind efforts for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The report includes 12 recommendations to address this and the other findings.
The Department of VA has stated it will hire 1,600 additional mental health care professionals by the end of June to address the increased psychological needs of veterans. From 2005 to 2012, the number of veterans receiving specialized treatment for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, or other behavioral conditions has increased from 927,052 to 1.3 million. However, some worry that this initiative will do little to address the country’s shortage of mental health providers. Read the story.
State funding and investment for mental health services have significantly decreased in recent years, even as demand for these services has increased. But there may be a glimmer of hope for advocates of expanded access to mental health coverage. In participating states, the upcoming Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act will increase both the number of eligible enrollees and the list of treatments and services covered, including mental health coverage. Both the Medicaid expansion and the establishment of health insurance exchanges are scheduled to roll out Jan. 1, 2014. The federal government will pick up all the costs for…
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is an organization whose goal is to improve the lives of seniors through education, intervention, and resources. The NCOA is also an excellent resource for statistics regarding the health of older Americans. NCOA’s website . Disease A chronic disease is one that is long lasting or reoccurs in the same patient; examples include heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. Approximately 80% of seniors have at least one chronic disease, and 50% are dealing with at least two. The National Governors Association states that 75% of the national money spent on health care is used…
Senior Life Care Planning works with seniors and their families as advocates for their quality of life, whether at home, assisted living facility or nursing home.
Whether paid directly to a disabled person, or into an ordinary trust, most gifts and inheritances and accident, workers compensation, divorce, and other litigation recoveries jeopardize government aid and even may have to repay prior benefits.
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