Thursday, March 28, 2024
3:00 - 4:00 pm
Eastern Time
Improving Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Access and Outcomes
for Dual-Eligible Beneficiaries of Color
Speakers: Michael Brand, Marc Cohen, and Carrie Fisher
ABOUT THE TOPIC:
Community Catalyst and the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston, with support from Arnold Ventures, explored whether the home and community-based services (HCBS) system is prepared to meet the needs of aging dually eligible beneficiaries of color. This is a population disproportionately impacted by poverty, greater levels of unmet needs and often the most complex health statuses due to racism, classism, and other forms of oppression.
The project was guided by two questions: What disparities in access to HCBS exist for dually eligible beneficiaries of color? How can we mitigate the disparities through policy change? The research components included a literature review, key informant interviews, consumer focus groups, a community listening session, and data analysis using the Health and Retirement Study (HRS).
The speakers will discuss general trends in HCBS usage and unmet needs among dually eligible beneficiaries, disparities in access and utilization of HCBS services among beneficiaries of color, and the impact and importance of a usual source of care in getting needs met. They will also discuss policy recommendations to address disparities and the research processes that generated them.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:
About the Speakers:
Mike Brand, MSW, is a Policy Analyst for the Center for Community Engagement in Health Innovation at Community Catalyst. In this role, Mike works to advance equitable and community-centered policies across issue areas including dual eligibility, caregiving, home and community-based services, community benefit and economic stability.
Mike worked for over a decade supporting people, families, and communities from a variety of populations to get their behavioral health needs met. Mike also assisted medical students in developing person-centered care practices as a teaching associate for the Department of Medical Sciences at Brown University. Prior to his current role, Mike served as an MSW intern and a program associate at Community Catalyst.
Mike received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Master in Social Work (MSW) from Rhode Island College. He also earned a certificate of graduate studies in non-profit leadership and development from Rhode Island College.
Marc A. Cohen, PhD is co-director of the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston. He is a professor of gerontology at the University of Massachusetts and research director at Community Catalyst. Prior to joining UMass Boston, he was chief research and development officer, former president, and co-founder of LifePlans, Inc., a long term care research and risk management company. During his 30-year career, Marc has led major research studies related to issues affecting financing and delivery of long-term services and supports, led a national demonstration of a new falls-prevention program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and work with managed care plans implementing new models of care designed to reduce hospital readmissions. He received an MA from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and a PhD from the Heller School at Brandeis University.
Carolyn (Carrie) Fisher is a Research and Evaluation Scientist at the Institute for Community Health (ICH), where she leads evaluation and applied research projects with a focus on health-related advocacy and policy, trauma and trauma-informed approaches to evaluation, qualitative methods, and equitable evaluation. She has lectured and led workshops and webinars on community engagement, trauma-
informed approaches, and qualitative methods for a wide range of audiences. Carrie earned her PhD in Cultural Anthropology from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY).
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