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Understanding this Site

Welcome to www.HCBS.org, the Community Living Exchange Collaborative Clearinghouse

What is the purpose of this site?

When a state official sets out to design a new program, the first step is to identify other states that operate similar programs, locate the individuals that oversee the program, and persuade them to share as much material about the programs as possible. The Clearinghouse is an attempt to harness the power of the internet to make this process simpler.

This site assists states and other entities in building systems that provide services and supports that reflect the needs and preferences of individuals of all ages with disabilities. This site is intended to facilitate sharing information, tools, and practical resources across the many states and local entities that are reexamining and redesigning how they provide supports.

We believe that this sharing of information will result in quicker and more efficient implementation of new or redesigned programs. It will also inform individuals and policy makers working in the field of "best practices" and latest developments and generate new ideas for systems change.

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Who is the audience for this site?

The primary audience is states, territories, community-based groups, and others, in partnership with their disability and aging communities are designing and implementing community long-term support systems for individuals with disabilities and older adults. A special focus is on organizations that have received grants as part of the President's New Freed Initiative (NFI), specifically the Real Choice Systems Change (RCSC) and Medicaid Infrastructure grants (MIG) from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

The site may also be of use to individuals with disabilities, older adults and providers to educate themselves on how to be active participants in changing systems. Researchers, policy makers and other interested parties will also find a wealth of information on the site about home and community based services.

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What types of information will I find?

Our purpose is to collect and disseminate current and relevant information from the grantees themselves, from states, from academic institutions and researchers and others through a fully accessible database with rich search capabilities. This information ranges from higher-level policy reports and analysis to practical tools, such as position descriptions, assessment tools, implementation plans, operational budgets, etc.

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Where does the information on this site come from?

The majority of the information on this site is generated by CMS grantees, including the Community Living Exchange Collaborative and other Technical Assistance Providers; however, we are constantly seeking out useful information from many different sources, including researchers, non-profit organizations and other websites.

If you are aware of documents that you feel should be posted on the Clearinghouse, please e-mail the website administrator at webmaster@hcbs.org.

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What should users know about copyright and endorsement issues?

Content on this site is made available solely for your limited personal, noncommercial use. Copyrights and other rights in the site may be held by third parties. While we have endevored in good faith to obtain from such third parties the rights we believe necessary to include their works on the site, we do not represent or warrent that your use of the content displayed on the site will not infringe the rights of third parties. You are solely responsible for obtaining all permissions from third parties that may be necessary for any use of the content you wish to make. Content provided by third parties and links in the site to thrid-party web sites are provided solely as a convenience. Boston College is not responsible for, and does not endorse, third-party contnet. Your reliance on third-party web sites is at your own risk.

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How is this site organized?

There are two primary means of locating information on this site: searching and browsing.

Search: You may "search" the site using keywords (for example, accessible housing), or by using the advanced search tool. The search tool is located on the upper left side of every page. You can enter any search term (keywords) in the search box. When you press "Go" the computer will begin scanning our database for documents that contain the terms you entered. The search results will appear below.

Browse: You may also "browse" the documents on the site by topic (for example, model communities), by type of document (for example, legislation), by state-specific information (for example, Alabama) or by the source of materials (for example, CMS). The browsing tool is located in the middle of the home page, on the left hand side, and is also accessible from most other pages on the site by clicking "start a new browse".

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How do I use the "browsing" tool?

For a detailed explanation, please see the browse help page.

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What is "State by State"?

The "state by state" section of the website provides easy access to information about the 50 United States, the District and US Territories. The information presented in State by State is the same information you will find if you search by state using the search tool, or if you browse by state using the browse tool.

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How is this site funded?

This site is funded with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Starting in June 2009, this site will be funded by a Corporate Sponsorship Program. Our Sponsors share a common interest in home and community based services and therefore support access to the valuable resources on HCBS.org.

Learn more about our Corporate and Foundation Sponsors .

For more information on how to become a Sponsor please contact, Brenda Vitale at 617-552-3484 or vitaleb@bc.edu.

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Who administers this site?

This site is administered by Boston College, the Center for Home and Community Life. Please contact us if you have any questions or comments about this site.

The site was produced by WGBH Interactive, a production unit of the WGBH Educational Foundation.

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What are the minimum browser requirements for this site?

This site is best viewed in Firefox 2-3, Internet Explorer 6-7, or Safari 3.

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HCBS / Clearinghouse for the Community Living Exchange Collaborative / (http://www.hcbs.org)