News at a Glance
Expectations for
Students with Cognitive Disabilities: Is the Cup
Half Empty or Half Full? Can the Cup Flow Over?
To make informed decisions about the best instruction and assessments
for students with cognitive disabilities, several questions need
to be answered. For instance, how many students with cognitive disabilities
can be expected to achieve the same level of proficiency as other
students? To what extent can we predict who these students are? Can
we discern whether a student's failure to meet proficiency is due
to the student's disabling condition or lack of appropriate instruction?
Finally, what effects do teacher expectations have on student achievement?
This report addresses these questions, and includes an analysis
of nationally representative cognitive and achievement data to
illustrate the dangers in making blanket assumptions about appropriate
achievement expectations for individuals based on their cognitive
ability or diagnostic label. In addition, a review of research
on the achievement patterns of students with cognitive disabilities
and literature on the effects of teacher expectations is included.
For more information
go to:
www.education.umn.edu/nceo/OnlinePubs/onlinedefault.html#synthesis
Frequent Filer (Office Assistant)
Provide supplementary and
auxiliary clerical services to agency staff. Being a Frequent Filer
might not be as glamorous as being a frequent flier, but this type
of volunteer service is invaluable to this large social service agency.
Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age. Contact Ramsey County
Community Human Services—Volunteer
Services at 651-266-4090 for additional information or e-mail to
volunteerservices@co.ramsey.mn.us.
Minnesota
Health Care Services Study
The Health Care Services Study
was requested by the 2003 Legislature to identify potential cost
savings for Minnesota Health Care Programs, for which spending is
increasing at a significant rate. It identifies a number of strategies
to improve the value of the Minnesota Health Care Programs. The study
was conducted over 14 months and includes input from enrollees, stakeholders,
health care providers and national health care experts, and an independent
review (by Bailit Health Purchasing) of the practice of covering
health care services in Minnesota and other states.
The strategies are grouped into three
categories – those for
which savings estimates have been developed, those that need further
development but have the potential for significant savings, and those
that merit further exploration.
Strategies with Implemenation
Plans and Savings Estimates
Evidence-based decision making. This would apply research on clinical
effectiveness in shaping coverage policy and reducing state spending
for ineffective services. Implementation involves a state medical
director, medical policy council and participation in a multi-state
Medicaid evidence-based practice center.
Pharmacy savings. Three initiatives would save pharmacy costs in
the fee-for-service Medical Assistance (MA) program. They include
contracting for specialty drugs, providing blood factor products
for hemophiliacs through 340 treatment centers and reducing pharmacy
reimbursement rate payments and requiring prior authorization for
new drugs.
Intensive medical care management
for the chronically ill. People enrolled in the MA fee-for-program
who are at high risk of hospitalization would be provided with intensive
medical care management services. This is expected to reduce the
medical expenses for this group, while improving access to quality
health care and their health status.
Strategies That Hold Promise
for Savings
Expand managed care for people with disabilities. People with physical
disabilities, mental illness or developmental disabilities could
be better and more efficiently served by appropriately designed managed
care programs.
Improve training, oversight and investigation of the Personal Care
Assistance (PCA) program. Closer state oversight, better training
and enhanced program integrity efforts could produce additional state
savings for this program.
Help county health and human services programs collaborate. Increased
collaboration among counties could improve performance and efficiencies
in the delivery of health and human services.
Improve managed care organization (MCO) contract management. A strategically
focused approach to working with MCOs would ensure and improve performance
accountability with these providers.
Improve county partnership and performance management. Strategic
contract management efforts would also help counties, which are responsible
for providing continuing care services.
Pilot disease management. A pilot for MA fee-for-service could evaluate
the potential for disease management to improve the quality of care
and reduce costs for people with chronic illnesses.
Divert and reduce nursing home stays. Two pilot efforts could test
strategies to reduce avoidable nursing home stays. They include placing
long term care consultants in hospitals and geriatric clinics and
funding assessment worker and independent care planning for people
leaving nursing homes within a set timeframe.
Improve case management for home and community based waivers. Pursuing
recommendations in a 2003 DHS legislative report could improve these
services for people with disabilities and elderly.
Support electronic medical records (EMR). EMR hold great promise
to reduce redundant testing, eliminate medical errors and increase
efficiency. Minnesota has begun to address this through a Department
of Health-led effort.
The link to the complete Health Care Services Study is:
www.edocs.dhs.state.mn.us/lfserver/Legacy/DHS-4357-ENG
Life Skills House: Preparation for the Real World
District 16's Learning Alternative
Program has a Life Skills Transition program for special education
students between the ages of 17 and 21, who need additional training
following high school to prepare them for real world experiences.
Who is Eligible?
Students residing
in Spring Lake Park School district 16 who have received recommendation
for enrollment and approval by the Director or Special education.
What is a Transition Program?
A program in which students
have the opportunity to participate in the community, gain employment
skills, begin to develop independent living skills, and work on their
individualized learning activities.
For more information contact Flo Jackson, Life Skills Transition,
763-795-5125, e-mail fjacks@splkpark.k12.mn.us
