NCIL Congratulates Money Follows the Person Recipients!

More than 23 thousand people with disabilities will now be able to live in their own homes rather than in institutions.  The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) is pleased to announce that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) today released the first recipients of Money Follows the Person (MFP) Rebalancing Demonstration Grants to transition people from nursing facilities and into the community.

38 states submitted MFP proposals to CMS, 17 of which were accepted.  States receiving MFP demonstration grants are: WI, NY, CA, IN, WA, TX, CT, SC, MI, MO, OK, IA, AR, OH, MD, NE, and NH.  MFP proposals from 21 additional states are still being considered.  Those states that did not receive funding may still be awarded grants after certain details of their application are clarified.  Many of the grant reviewers who assisted CMS in designating which states receive MFP funding, are active NCIL members. 

"After years of advocating for MFP, this announcement is a major victory for people with disabilities nationwide," NCIL Executive Director John Lancaster said.  "The real success of MFP will be when thousands of people, who were receiving services in a nursing facility or other institution, are free to live in the community and have control over their lives!"

NCIL took a leadership role in the passage and implementation of MFP as part of our efforts to end the institutional bias.  MFP will dedicate more than $23 million in FY 2007 and close to $900 million to these 17 states over five years on programs ensuring people with disabilities are served in the

most integrated setting.  

NCIL members, disability advocates and individuals with disabilities alike can celebrate the fact that our years of advocacy efforts are paying off. NCIL members were instrumental in making MFP a reality.  It is now only a matter of time before people are able to rejoin their loved ones in the community!