Academic Community Resource Centers:
A vision for successful and safe community integration
Additional "Access to Health Care" Resources
National Action Strategy – Executive Summary
"Closing the
Gap" U.S. Surgeon General Report
Links to Model Programs
Northern Virginia Training Center Regional Community
Support Center
The Need
Professionals, advocates and the media have increasingly cited the inability of
many community-based programs to provide high quality services and supports to
people with mental retardation who are also medically fragile and/or experience
challenging behaviors. The Surgeon General confirmed these concerns in its
report, “Closing the Gap: A National Blueprint to Improve the Health of
Persons with Mental Retardation” http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/mentalretardation.
The quality and access to needed health care services, the Surgeon General
found, is greatly lacking for people with mental retardation. “[N]either the
education and training of health professionals nor other elements of the
Nation’s health system have been updated to reflect their [people with mental
retardation] progress.”
With federal and state support, many people with mental retardation who seek
quality community supports can realize their dream. The answer lies with the
expansion of the Academic Community Resource Center model.
The
Vision
Academic Community Resource Centers (CRCs)
can be stand alone clinics or situated at existing large public and private
Intermediate Care Facilities for Persons with Mental Retardation (ICFs/MR). A
key component of ICFs/MR care is the requirement of on-site medical, dental and
therapeutic services for residents. Many of the professionals serving at ICFs/MR
have long tenures working exclusively with individuals with mental retardation.
The vision of CRCs is to allow community-based
individuals with MR/DD to access health care and other services at the CRC. An
CRC also provides training to staff of community providers and community-based
clinicians, and establishes formal relationships with universities to provide
specialized training opportunities for students. Access to specialists by
non-residents in rural areas is especially enhanced.
Model Programs
The vision of the CRC is being
realized in several states, including Virginia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New
Jersey, North Carolina, Missouri, and Washington State.
The timing is right
Congress and the Administration are considering reforms to Medicaid. The CRC
concept is a cost-effective way to expand access to community-based health care
services now, while also preparing for the future through the training of future
health care professionals. Federal support for CRC should be part of any future
Medicaid reform proposal.
Testimonials: Families and case managers speak out
“For her entire life, Christy, has had to fight for the
most basic health care services in the community. It was frustrating for us as a
family to know that, right down the street, was Lanterman Developmental Center
[an ICF/MR in California] that offered exactly what Christy so desperately
needed. If not for the kindness of professionals who fit Christy in on their own
time, Christy would have gone without.” [Toni Rhodes Glover, mother to
Christy].
“The mother was very pleased. She stated she had been
searching for dental services for years. [Her child] is very physically involved
with cerebral palsy, [as such] most community dentists refused to see
her.” [Prince William Case Manager, Virginia].
“Northern Virginia Training Center has provided a
tremendous service and has been a tremendous asset to this family. Consultative
and psychiatric services have been a quality service that was not available in
the community. Specialized resources are certainly not available in the
community with the same knowledge base as the folks from NVTC. Recommendations
were reasonable and on target and were appropriate considering the dynamics of
the family at this time.” [Loudoun Case Manager, Virginia].
For more information or to arrange a tour of
an ACRC, please contact
Tamie Hopp
Executive Director
605-399-1624
vor@compuserve.com
