Archives - Chronology of Past HHS Actions in the Olmstead/New Freedom Initiative Arena

• July 26, 2006 - HHS Provides Funding to States for Alternatives to Nursing Home Care in Medicaid

• July 26, 2005 - Surgeon's Call to Action to Improve the Health and Wellness of Persons with Disabilities

• July 22, 2005 - Transforming Mental Health Care in America: The Federal Action Agenda

• May 31, 2005 - OCR partnered with the Office on Disability to support National Governor's Association policy academy on young adults with disabilities

• July 2004 - Department of Health and Human Services Office on Disability publishes progress report on HHS New Freedom Initiative activities http://www.hhs.gov/od/

• July 22, 2004 - Executive Order: Individuals with Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness

• July 9, 2004 - HHS Approves Texas Plan To Help More Disabled Individuals At Home

• July 7, 2004 - Statement by Tommy G. Thompson Secretary of Health and Human Services Regarding the 14th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

• June 3, 2004 - HHS Identifies States for Medicare Demonstration of New, Less Restrictive Homebound Definition

• May 28, 2004 - HHS Expands Demonstrations to Recruit and Retain Personal Assistance Workers for People with Disabilities

• March 23, 2004 - The 2004 Progress Report: The President's New Freedom Initiative for People with Disabilities http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/newfreedom/toc-2004.html

• February 2004 - National Conference of State Legislatures Report on the States' Response to the Olmstead Decision: A 2003 Update The fourth annual Olmstead report categorizes current Olmstead-related plans, the role of the federal systems change grants, legislative initiatives, structural changes and implementation barriers.

• January 6, 2004 - CMS has redesigned and expanded its Promising Practices web page with new case studies on systems reform efforts to facilitate community integration of people with disabilities.

• November 5, 2003 - HHS Office on Disability (OD) co-sponsored with HUD, Fannie Mae, CMS and NIH a Symposium on Home ownership for Persons with Disabilities Web cast. To access this Symposium's resource materials go to: http://www.hhs.gov/od/webcast.html. Questions about homeownership or other affordable housing issues may be directed to the OD website at: http://www.hhs.gov/od/contactus.html
  
• October 30, 2003 - HHS to Award Individuals During Celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2003pres/20031030a.html
  

• October 2, 2003 - HHS Awards $33 Million to States, Other Organizations to Help People with Disabilities http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2003pres/20031002a.html

• October 2, 2003 - HHS Launches Demonstrations to Recruit and Retain Personal Assistance Workers to Help People with Disabilities http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2003pres/20031002.html

• September 25, 2003 - Statement by Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human Services Regarding the 13th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2003pres/20030725b.html

• September 22, 2003 - HHS Awards $9.3 Million to Help States Develop New Aging and Disability Resource Centers http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2003pres/20030922a.html

• September 17, 2003 - CMS Dear State Medicaid letter on promoting the principle "Money follows the Person" (PDF)

• July 22, 2003 - The President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health Delivers Final Report to White House
  
• August 12, 2002 - HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson Urges States to Continue to Expand Home and Community Based Care for Disabled Residents, Supports "Funding Follows the Person" Model
  
• March 25, 2002 - HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson presented to President Bush reports from nine federal agencies entitled "Delivering on the Promise; Compilation of Individual Federal Agency Reports of Actions to Eliminate Barriers and Promote Community Integration". The reports provided more than 400 specific solutions that agencies can implement to support community living for Americans living with disabilities. The reports were undertaken in response to President Bush Executive Order on Community-based Alternatives for People with Disabilities and the President's New Freedom Initiative.
  
• February 1, 2001 - President Bush announces the New Freedom Initiative as part of a nationwide effort to remove barriers to community living for people with disabilities. The initiative's specific proposals include HHS to promote full access to community life through implementation of the Olmstead Supreme Court decision; integrate Americans with disabilities into the workforce through implementation of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 (TWWIIA); and the creation of the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health.