New York State ranks fourth in the nation for states that have the best services for individuals with special needs and their families.
United Cerebral Palsy has released its 2015 report, The Case for Inclusion, which ranks the 50 U.S. states and District of Columbia based on how well their state Medicaid programs serve residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. New York state ranks fourth on the list, behind Arizona, Maryland, and Missouri. The state was fifth in last year’s report. Connecticut ranks 17th, up from 22nd in 2014, while New Jersey ranks 28th, down from 15th.
Since 2006, the report’s rankings have revealed how state Medicaid programs measure up in areas including how many individuals are supported in the community, how many participate in competitive employment and family support services, and how states are helping those in need, including serving those languishing on waiting lists.
The report identifies five key aspects of an effective Medicaid program:
Promoting Independence: People with disabilities live in and participate in their communities.
Promoting Productivity: People with disabilities have satisfying lives and valued social roles.
Keeping Families Together: The state offers support services that provide assistance to families that are caring for children with disabilities at home, which helps keep families together, and people with disabilities living in a community setting.
Reaching Those in Need: People with disabilities have sufficient access to needed support, and control over that support so that the assistance they receive contributes to lifestyles they desire.
Tracking Health, Safety, and Quality of Life: People are safe and healthy in the environments in which they live.
Each state was given a ranking for the above five aspects, which was then averaged to find its overall ranking. New York State ranked first in the country for Reaching Those in Need, but 32nd for Promoting Independence.
“It is both a duty and a necessity of a civil society such as ours to aid and empower these individuals, who are often the most vulnerable among us, to succeed. We are all stronger together,” the report states.
The Case for Inclusion 2015 Rankings
1. Arizona
2. Maryland
3. Missouri
4. New York
5. Hawaii
6. Colorado
7. Minnesota
8. District of Columbia
9. South Carolina
10. Ohio
11. Georgia
12. Maine
13. Alabama
14. Massachusetts
15. Utah
16. California
17. Connecticut
18. Oregon
19. Kentucky
20. Kansas
21. Vermont
22. Pennsylvania
23. Indiana
24. Louisiana
25. New Hampshire
26. Washington
27. Florida
28. New Jersey
29. Michigan
30. West Virginia
31. Nevada
32. Tennessee
33. Wisconsin
34. North Carolina
35. Delaware
36. New Mexico
37. Nebraska
38. South Dakota
39. Rhode Island
40. Alaska
41. Virginia
42. North Dakota
43. Oklahoma
44. Iowa
45. Wyoming
46. Idaho
47. Illinois
48. Montana
49. Arkansas
50. Texas
51. Mississippi
