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The Hilltop Institute is pleased to present the proceedings of the sixth Hilltop Symposium, Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS): Examining the Evidence Base for State Policymakers, convened on June 11, 2009 at UMBC.
The Hilltop Symposium brought together more than 130 policymakers, health services researchers, and healthcare practitioners, including some of the nation’s leading HCBS researchers and policy experts, from across the country to discuss the measures and evidence to examine whether the expansion of home and community-based services has produced desired outcomes (quality, choice, cost, satisfaction, and safety) in the long term for older adults and persons with disabilities. The day was divided into four sessions and was highlighted by a keynote address, a luncheon address, and concluding reflections.
In her keynote address, Susan C. Reinhard, PhD, MSN, Senior Vice President for Public Policy at AARP, constructed an analytic framework to explore both the current state of the evidence regarding rebalancing initiatives and the development of a new framework to advance an evidence-based research agenda. Dr. Reinhard framed the day by challenging the audience to re-examine the definition of “HCBS” and “Home.”
The luncheon address reflected on the challenges facing HCBS providers. Carol Raphael, MPA, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, provided an overview of HCBS workforce issues, quality issues, and financial constraints facing the nation as the number of older adults with complex healthcare needs increases.
In the final session of the day, Henry Claypool, Director of the Office on Disability at the US Department of Health and Human Services, reflected on the day’s proceedings and offered thoughts and inspiration on policy directions for services to older adults and persons with disabilities that hold promise.
To view the agenda, presentations, and proceedings, click here.
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