“Title XIX of the Social Security Act (the Act) authorizes federal grants to states for a proportion of expenditures for medical assistance under an approved Medicaid state plan, and for expenditures necessary for administration of the state plan….Under section 1903(a)(7) of the Act, federal payment is available at a rate of 50% for amounts expended by a state “as found necessary by the Secretary for the proper and efficient administration of the state plan,” per 42 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 433.15(b)(7).” Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

Brain injury programs have collaborated with their Medicaid agencies and No Wrong Door (NWD) partners around the opportunity of Medicaid Administrative Claiming (MAC), or on-going funds to support access by people in need of person-centered, long-term services and supports (LTSS). Once flowing, the funds are discretionary and can allow a state to put additional resources towards employment supports or other priorities. States looking to broaden their employment impact might consider using earned MAC discretionary funds to hire an employment resource facilitator to help with vocational rehabilitation connections or post-employment supports, examine options for a youth job preparation initiative, or initiate an employment-specific support group for people with brain injury, as examples.

This e-learning community will break down the components of MAC and shed light on the steps for developing the groundwork necessary for administrative claiming (or expanding existing claiming). Participants will receive guidance on establishing connections and initiating communications for the exploration of MAC funds in this action-oriented series with assigned homework. TBI grantees are encouraged to involve key partners which may include your local community-based organizations providing brain injury services and supports, other ACL grantees that may be collaborators on prospective MAC initiatives, and other state agency staff as applicable. States are encouraged to have established contact with their state partners responsible for MAC and to have received preliminary receptivity to MAC partnership/exploration.

Session Structure and Schedule:

Four virtual sessions on Wednesdays at 2:00PM – 3:15PM ET from June – August 2024

• June 12th, 2:00-3:15PM ET
• June 26th, 2:00-3:15PM ET
• July 10th, 2:00-3:15PM ET
• August 28th, 2:00-3:15PM ET

Zoom Meeting links will be provided once grantees have been accepted into the e-Learning Community (accommodations provided based upon request). The links will be sent from the Administration on Disabilities (AoD) Disability Employment Technical Assistance Center (DETAC) Gmail Account, AoDEmploymentTA@gmail.com

Co-Facilitators:

Maria Crowley and Jill Ferrington, National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA)

Guest Instructors:

• Andrew Cieslinski, MPH – HCBS Strategies
• Steve Lutzky, PhD – HCBS Strategies
• Ami Patel – ACL, Office of Network Advancement
• Peggy Reisher, MSW – Brain Injury Alliance of Nebraska

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About the Facilitators/Instructors:

Maria Crowley serves as NASHIA’s Director of Professional Development and as a primary consultant for the TBI Technical Assistance and Resource Center, funded by ACL, supporting State TBI grantees and other stakeholders. Maria started working in the rehabilitation field as a job coach, then as a Business Relations Consultant with ADRS, facilitating the job placement of individuals with a wide variety of disabilities and providing customized employment training and consulting for businesses statewide. She has specifically focused on brain injury since 2000 to help individuals in home, community, and employment. She has led a number of initiatives and provided technical assistance related to behavioral health, juvenile justice, advocacy, concussion management, intimate partner violence, employment, trust funds, advisory boards, service coordination and trauma/ surveillance registries within business, state government, nonprofits, and partner organizations.

Jill Ferrington serves as NASHIA’s Director of Community Integration and brings a 30-year history working on disability initiatives and grants in the areas of brain injury, competitive integrated employment (including self-employment) for people with disabilities, Home and Community-Based Services, and Medicaid Buy-In. Jill currently serves as a project manager for NASHIA’s Leading Practices Academy on Criminal and Juvenile Justice aimed at implementation of brain injury identification and support approaches within adult and youth settings. In addition to training and resource development on a variety of brain injury topics, she supports states in their efforts to prioritize needs and engage stakeholders in the development of actionable State Plans, conceptualize and plan tailored resource facilitation and peer support models, and enhance or expand service delivery for people with brain injury.

Andrew Cieslinski is an Associate with HCBS Strategies. He joined the team in January 2013 during his first year of graduate school at the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health. He has gained a wide range of experience around Medicaid funded home and community-based services. This experience includes developing standardized tools for intake, screening, assessment and support planning; development and redesign of 1915(c),(i),(k) and 1115 waivers; successfully working with states to procure a variety of competitive funding opportunities; planning and implementing major projects with States to meet the requirements for federally-funded programs including NWD and Balancing Incentives Program (BIP); implementing and enhancing Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs); and creating and piloting initiatives to gain Federal Financial Participation (FFP) funding.

Steven Lutzky has extensive experience designing, implementing, and evaluating home and community-based systems for older adults, individuals with disabilities and long-term illness for the federal government, states, and private sector clients. He served as the Director of Division for Advocacy and Special Issues (DASI), within the Disabled and Elderly Health Program Group, Center for Medicaid and State Operations (CMSO), CMS. Steve has also served as the Chief of the Office on Disabilities and Aging within the District of Columbia’s Medical Assistance Administration and was a Senior Manager with The Lewin Group. He received his doctorate in Gerontology and Public Policy from the University of Southern California, Davis School of Gerontology.

Ami Patel joined ACL over six years ago to spearhead the NWD System vision and lead state technical assistance and grant management. As an SME on Medicaid Claiming, Ami also supports efforts to align healthcare and social services through interoperability and technology innovations. Prior to ACL, Ami worked at the Maryland Department of Aging supporting the state’s ADRCs.

Peggy Reisher has worked in the field of brain injury for over 25 years. She helped establish the Brain Injury Alliance of Nebraska (BIA-NE) in 2009 and became the Executive Director in July 2013. Prior to being the Executive Director, she served as the Director of Programs and Services. Peggy has a master’s degree in social work and worked 14 years on the traumatic brain injury unit at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln, Neb. where she helped patients and families identify community resources upon discharge from the hospital. Peggy is currently the President of the United States Brain Injury Alliance and is on the Munroe Meyer Institute Board of Directors.