Maine's Community Living Program: Implementation and Outcomes

Over the last five years, options counseling has evolved from a general set of activities and functions within Area Agencies on Aging and Aging & Disability Resource Centers (AAAs/ADRCs) to a more standardized and generally accepted role within the Aging Network. With the award of the Community Living Program (CLP) grant in 2009, Maine proposed to develop more consistent methods for identifying people at risk of residential facility placement and to begin to develop standards for the options counseling functions. In 2010, Maine was also awarded an Options Counseling Standards Grant which has provided support for furthering the work started under the CLP grant.

Muskie School staff developed a Consumer Satisfaction Survey, A Survey of Options Counselors and Options Counselor Manager/Supervisor Survey. Results of the surveys and data from the follow-up form developed by the Steering Committee are included in the Outcomes section of this report. Muskie staff also conducted the evaluation of Maine's Options Counseling Standards Grant. The results of this evaluation are organized into two main sections: Implementation of Options Counseling which examines the processes, protocols and practices that were developed , and Outcomes which examines the implementation of the options counseling services along four dimensions:

• Consumer Outcomes;
• Staff Outcomes;
• Organizational Outcomes; and
• System Outcomes.

Suggested citation:

Fralich J, Richards M, Olsen L. Maine's Community Living Program: Implementation and Outcomes. Portland, ME: University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service; December 2011.