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Missouri ranks third nationally in services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities 

 

Gov. Nixon’s mental health priorities help individuals with disabilities participate in and contribute to their communities

JEFFERSON CITY – A new national report demonstrates the continued success of efforts to expand community-based services and improve quality of life for Missourians with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Gov. Jay Nixon said today. The annual ranking by United Cerebral Palsy shows Missouri is third in the nation – and second most-improved since 2007 – for providing quality services that improve the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

“When I took office in 2009, many Missourians had spent years waiting to get the community-based services they needed to live fuller, more productive lives,” said Gov. Nixon. “Working together, we changed all that, creating the Partnership for Hope and eliminating the waiting list for in-home Medicaid services for Missourians with developmental disabilities. This national ranking is a great testament to the efforts of our Department of Mental Health, provider agencies and local Senate Bill 40 boards, which continue to make a real, life-changing difference for thousands of Missourians and their families.”

In 2010, Gov. Nixon created the Partnership for Hope, which provides home- and community-based services to Missourians with developmental disabilities and their families. The Partnership for Hope, the first of its kind in the nation, is now helping more than 2,700 people with developmental disabilities in 99 counties and the City of St. Louis. These efforts have now brought the waiting list for in-home services for low-income Missourians with developmental disabilities down to zero for the first time in decades.

The Case for Inclusion is an annual ranking of how well state Medicaid programs serve individuals and families to ensure the same opportunities and quality of life for everyone. The report by United Cerebral Palsy shows Missouri only behind Arizona and Maryland in the inclusion rankings.

The analysis also indicates Missouri’s as the second most improved state since 2007. Missouri dramatically increased the portion of resources dedicated to individuals living in the community (from 59 percent to 86 percent) as well as had a 57 percent reduction in the number of individuals living in state habilitation centers. Also since 2007, Missouri began participating in reporting outcomes for the National Core Indicators (NCI).

Key aspects of a high functioning Medicaid program include promoting independence and productivity; keeping families together by providing access to needed supports so that the assistance the individuals receive helps them lead the life they desire; and making sure environments where individuals life are safe and healthy.