Objectives
The second semester of the policy research project examines in greater detail the political processes at the state, county and municipal levels that determine how people with disabilities are cared for in the community. Approximately 18.7 percent of the U.S. population, or an estimated 56 million people with disabilities lived in the community in 2010. The state of Texas, Travis County, and the City of Austin mirror these national trends and face additional challenges resulting from a rapidly aging and growing minority population. In the next phase of the PRP we will evaluate options in aligning affordable senior housing with community-based services for the most vulnerable older Austinites. This entails conducting a robust economic analysis of PACE and PACE-like community-based long-term care for vulnerable older adults and incorporating housing supports into the model. Our ultimate goal is to identify best practices in terms of organizational features, client identification, volunteer participation, and funding.
Deliverables
The PRP will provide a final report that: 1) identifies what steps and investments would be needed to create a PACE program in Austin; 2) an analysis of the types of organizations that would be best suited to manage a complicated, highly regulated, highly coordinated service like PACE; 3) a comparison of other alternatives besides PACE for community-based long-term care that could be implemented in Austin and the characteristics of what makes these models work; 4) outlines the process of how a foundation can help catalyze those models to be established in Austin; and 5) describes what organizations would be well-positioned to help implement this model. This final report: “Community Care in Multi-ethnic Austin” will be presented at an Eldercare Forum organized by the class on April 12, 2016. The summit will include key study findings, interactive polling from the audience, and comments from a discussion panel of local political and community leaders.
Spring Course Evaluation
Grades will be based on the thoroughness and quality of class presentations, written reports, team problem solving skills, as well as the successful performance of research activities associated with data collection, analysis, and writing. Although the final research report will be produced by the entire class, each student will be responsible for writing particular sections of it. The deadline for the written Final-Year Report is May 3, 2016.