IL NET, a project of the Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU) Program in partnership with
the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) is presenting a National Teleconference & Web Cast on Making Sure the Money Follows the Person in Your State on Friday, October 27, 2006 at 2:00pm Eastern; 1:00pm Central; 12:00pm Mountain; 11:00pm Pacific; 10:00am Alaska; 8:00am Hawaii time.

What is Money Follows the Person?

Passed as part of the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 2005, the Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration Grant assists States in their efforts to reduce their reliance on institutional care while developing community-based long-term care opportunities, enabling people with disabilities and senior citizens to fully participate in their communities. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the $1.75 Billion in funding for MFP may assist as many as 100,000 people to return to the community!

Under MFP, to be implemented on January 1, 2007, the federal government will,pay for 75% to 88% of the associated long-term costs of transitioning,individuals out of nursing homes and into community settings.

Because MFP requires letters of endorsement from "major partners" including Centers for Independent Living (CILs), this provides a major incentive for CILs to work with their states to pursue a possible funding source for nursing facility transition work centers are doing already!

For those working on a state's Money Follows the Person (MFP) application, the teleconference and webcast will answer:
--how to maximize your state's Money Follows the Person proposal
--how to ensure Money Follows the Person is properly implemented
--what can you do if your state isn't applying for Money Follows the Person?

Who Is Presenting?

Bob Kafka--Co-founded ADAPT of Texas and is currently the National Organizer for ADAPT. Kafka is the Co-Director of the Institute for Disability Access and serves on the board of directors for the Home and Community Resource Network. He also served on the board of the National Association of
Protection and Advocacy Systems and for TASH. Kafka helped shepherd in ADAPT's victory for lifts on buses, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and today works to support community based services for people with disabilities.

Gwen Gillenwater--Before becoming the Senior Director of Policy and Outreach for the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), Gillenwater was the Director of Advocacy and Public Policy for the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), Director of the Coalition of Citizens with
Disabilities in Illinois, and was the Executive Director of the Junction Center for Independent Living (JCIL) in Norton, Virginia.

National Call In Number: 1-800-261-8738
PR, VI, GU & CNMI Callers: 1-404-724-2073*
Or, Log On To: http://www.ilru.org for the Web Cast
(*Ask for "National Council on Independent Living Teleconference")

What Do I Need To Participate In The Webcast?

A computer with either a RealOne Player or a Windows Media Player. If you do not have either of these players, you can download one for free online. The webcast is an audio broadcast of the live presentation with real-time captioning of the presentation. No other images are broadcast.

What Do I Do The Day Of The Webcast?

On the day of each training, go to http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/calendar.html (or the link below) and click on the link provided to "go to web cast." For technical assistance prior to or during the web cast, call Dawn Heinsohn at ILRU: 713-520-0232 (V) or 713-520-5136 (TTY) Ext. 130.

How Do I Access The Accompanying Materials?

Accompanying MFP materials including a reference guide, along with a Teleconference Evaluation Form will be available online shortly before the trainings. Simply go to www.ncil.org/mfp.html to download the materials.

This IL NET Teleconference and Web Cast is the first in a series of two trainings on the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. The second training, on State Plan Options (DRA Sec. 6086), will be held in November 2006.