As aging and disability programming continues to intersect at the national, state, and local levels, I&R Specialists are fielding an increasing number of questions concerning programming for client groups that include older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers. This session will present the work that the National I&R Support Center, ADvancing States, AIRS, and the National Center for Benefits Outreach and Enrolment (at NCOA), are doing to expand the reach of I&R to help individuals with disabilities and their caregivers find appropriate resources. Presenters will discuss the new “disability competency” section in this year’s ABC’s of I&R manual, changes to the CIRS-A certification, and other updates to the Support Center’s training materials. Additionally, presenters will highlight resources available to help older adults and individuals with disabilities access Medicare. Kelsey Walter, ADvancing States, Washington, DC; Erin White, ADvancing States, Washington, DC

Individuals and families contact ADRCs with very complex circumstances which frequently involve challenges associated with mental illness and developmental disabilities. Systems and service providers specializing in mental health, substance use and developmental disabilities as well as the aging network have generally functioned separately, ill-equipped to adequately serve those in need of a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to receiving care and services. This session will teach participants about screening tools which can help identify persons with behavioral health needs; and on the different types of cross training necessary to truly integrate I&R systems. This session will also provide examples and the opportunity to discuss processes that have been implemented in Georgia aimed at improving access to the full array of community-based services for individuals and families. Eve Byrd, Fuqua Center on Late Life Depression, Atlanta, Georgia; Mary Lou Rhan, Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, Atlanta, Georgia; Wendy Martinez Schneider, Behavioral Health Link/ Georgia Crisis and Access Line, Atlanta, Georgia

Are you challenged to find resources when a caller asks “I need to find a ride?” If so, join a discussion on matching transportation resources with customer needs. This session will cover the family of transportation services including ADA paratransit, dial-a-ride, and private, human service, veteran, and medical providers, as well as voucher networks. Learn about regional and national initiatives for transportation resource development around Mobility Management, I&R/A networks, and the Veterans Transportation Community Living Initiative. A facilitated small group activity on working through challenging “Find a Ride” scenarios will demonstrate the value of locating resources through network partnerships. Participation will help you get your callers from A to B! Kenneth Thompson, Easter Seals Project ACTION, Washington, DC; Carolyn Rader, Atlanta Regional Commission, Atlanta, Georgia

As young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities make the passage from adolescence to adulthood, they are faced with many unique challenges. Large numbers of transition age youth are entering into Participant-Directed programs. While the ability to locate, hire, train, schedule and supervise homecare workers can be liberating, personal choice also requires responsibility and accountability, which can be barriers to success. Caregivers may also complicate the process when they do not acknowledge what young people want for themselves. This session reviews consumer rights, person-centered planning and self-determination, models of participant-directed services, employer authority, boundaries and ethics concerns, solution-oriented discussion of best practices, and an examination of successes through film vignettes. Gerianne Prom, Centers for Independence, iLIFE LLC, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Danielle Skenadore, Centers for Independence, iLIFE LLC, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Nearly 23 million older Americans are economically insecure and lack the resources to make ends meet. Session participants will learn about a new holistic approach to economic security that involves a new way of thinking about service delivery at the community level, and EconomicCheckUp, a new online consumer tool that can empower low-income seniors to assess their needs and seek assistance. Maggie Flowers, National Council on Aging, Washington, District of Columbia

What does “person-centered” mean from the unique perspectives of persons served and their families, organizational leaders, program administrators and professionals? Building alignment of perspectives and a common language is essential to cultivating a person first culture. Grounded in self-determination theory, person centered planning goes beyond consumer choices to supporting a person’s ability and desire to self-direct. Pablo Picasso once said “Everything you can imagine is real.” Person centered approaches make it possible for persons with disabilities to make real their meaningful life in their community. Gerianne Prom, Centers for Independence, iLIFE LLC, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

How does a caller who lives in a rural area locate transportation options? What funding sources are available to assist my agency in enhancing transportation I&R/A for individuals located in rural areas? How do I tell callers there are no transportation options available? Are these questions relevant to your agency? Through a panel presentation and group activity, participants will explore potential partnerships, funding sources, and both local and national initiatives that address some of the challenges faced by I&R/A agencies that assist rural older adults and adults with disabilities in accessing transportation options. Angela Brown, n4a/NCST, Washington, DC; Melisa Lopes, n4a/Eldercare Locator, Washington, DC; Angela Brown, n4a/NCST, Washington, DC; Lynne Joyner, Heart of Georgia Altamaha Regional Commission, Baxley, Georgia; S. Darren Wallace, Veterans Health Administration, Atlanta, Georgia

What does a ‘No Wrong Door System’ for all populations and all players mean for aging and disability I&R/A? How does it affect the role of Options Counselor, I&R/A specialist, Center for Independent Living staff or DD/ID system professional? From the Federal vision to the basics of service delivery, join the Administration for Community Living and representatives from state and local I&R/A organizations including presenters from the ADRC, AAA, CIL and DD/ID systems, as they explore these questions with session attendees. Joseph Lugo, Administration of Community Living, Washington, DC; Maureen Strickland, Office for Resource Development, Wisconsin Department of Health Services; Lindsay Baran, National Council on Independent Living, Washington, DC

This workshop will cover best practices working with newly arrived immigrant and refugee populations. Participants will learn how to make referrals and access resources to assist newly arrived immigrant and refugee populations. They will gain knowledge about protective and risk factors of limited English proficient communities and how to target those risk factors. This workshop is intended for social workers, health-related providers, interpreters, government human services staff and agencies serving refugees. The information shared will be relevant to all individuals, both frontline and managerial, working with low-income and underserved communities. Pabitra Rizal, Center for Pan Asian Community Services, Atlanta, Georgia; Diana Bui, Center for Pan Asian Community Services, Atlanta, Georgia

In January 2014, many uninsured individuals began to receive their health insurance through Marketplace plans authorized under the Affordable Care Act. This session will provide information on the first five months of the new health insurance Marketplace plans and some of the challenges faced. There will be an emphasis on the relationship between the health insurance Marketplace plans and Medicare. This session will provide information on transitions from Marketplace plans, including Medicaid expansion, to Medicare and Medicare related programs (MSP and LIS). Leslie Fried, National Council on Aging, Washington, District of Columbia