Change Is Good

Earlier this week, I accepted an offer to be the policy lead on a new Medicaid service option for people with disabilities. Some of you know that for the past several years, I’ve served as the policy lead for the Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment. Now that the DMIE is operational, I figured it was time to try my hand at something else. This new consumer-directed option (colloquially known as the “J” because of its federal statutory citation) will give people with disabilities more control over their funding for personal assistance services. It essentially puts a cash allowance in the individual’s hands to use for purchasing human or technological assistance with their personal care needs.

I’m looking forward to developing another cutting-edge initiative as well as the exposure I’ll get to new areas of policy. If I ever want to be a disability policy guru, I need opportunities that will give me a fresh perspective on the intersection between theory and practice.