Dear ______,
I am contacting you on behalf of the North Carolina Stakeholder Engagement Group (NC SEG), a cross-disability initiative on managed long-term services and supports, is funded by the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD). The Medicaid Reform Stakeholder Engagement Group is the first to be comprised entirely of individuals receiving services and supports from the MHDDSA system and family members. The Stakeholder Engagement Group is not serving in any official advisory capacity to the Department. Rather, its goals are to: 1) increase participants’ knowledge and understanding of managed long-term services and supports; 2) articulate the strengths and weaknesses of the current system to key decision makers; and 3) disseminate information to the constituent groups across the state.
Since October, 2013, members have gathered to communicate what they wanted--the values, principles, needs and outcomes important to recipients of services and supports--rather than how to get there, e.g., who is in charge and how the money flows. Stakeholders expect a system where there are no waiting lists, and one that produces real life outcomes including integrated employment, inclusive housing, the ability to develop financial assets, and is accountable to consumers and families to achieve these outcomes. The group spent their time discussing strengths of the current system as well as barriers in accessing needed supports. The result is the NC SEG’s “Outcomes & Expectations for Managed Long Term Services and Supports” (Outcomes & Expectations), a comprehensive list of expectations about how the system should work in the lives of consumers and families in areas such as such as entrance into the system, assessment, support coordination, qualified providers, and participant protections.
I have enclosed a summary of the NC SEG’s Outcomes & Expectations that emerged from these stakeholder discussions. This list has also been shared with the Medicaid Reform Advisory Group, members of the North Carolina General Assembly Legislative Oversight Committees on Health and Human Services, leaders at the LME/MCO level, at various Department of Health and Human Service stakeholder meetings, and with a variety of local consumer advocacy and constituent groups across the state of which these stakeholders are a part.
Our next immediate goal is to get out as many supporters for the NC SEG’s Outcomes & Expectations as possible. Few things are more effective in systems change than sharing our message and building a large network of support and with established and respected groups or organizations. To that end we are asking ______to endorse the North Carolina Stakeholder Engagement Group’s “Outcomes and Expectations for Managed Long Term Services and Supports”.
Please let me know if your organization will endorse the Outcomes & Expectations and join the NC SEG’s as partner. Also let me know if there’s anything you need from me; I am happy to answer any questions you may have before lending your support.
Sincerely,
NAME