Colorado HCBS Focus Groups

Posted on January 1, 2018

An Overview Of The Colorado HCBS Focus Groups

Who Is Involved?

This project is the result of a collaboration between CQL and the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing’s (HCPF).

When Did It Start?

In Spring 2018, 11 different focus groups were conducted and a summary report was released following the completion of the focus groups.

What Is The Project?

Focus groups were held across the state of Colorado, and revealed eight major themes regarding person-centered practices in Colorado.

Why Was It Created?

Colorado HCPF wanted to better understand knowledge and application of person-centered approaches in the state's human services system.

Where Is The Impact?

The focus groups occurred in six cities across Colorado, along with two online focus groups for those not able to attend in person.

How Does It Help The Field?

The findings from the focus groups and the report provide practical guidance for improving person-centered practices in the state.

Inside The Colorado HCBS Focus Groups

Focus groups were selected as this study’s methodology because compared to other methods they are more accessible, attend to power issues, and result in a high yield of data, all of which are necessary when working with people with disabilities.

Design

Focus groups were selected as this study’s methodology because they are more accessible, attend to power issues, and result in a high yield of data, all of which are necessary when working with people with disabilities. Focus groups are more accessible because they are structured more like real world conversations than other methods, such as surveys or one-on-one interviews.

Participants

Participants were recruited through study information flyers distributed to Colorado Department of HCPF, community advocacy groups, community coalitions, Community Centered Boards, and providers of Home and Community Based Services. In addition, participants were recruited through targeted social media posts, and word of mouth. In total, 56 people consented to participate.

Procedure

The focus groups were facilitated by one of two CQL facilitators; each of the facilitators had over 40 years’ experience working with people with disabilities. The focus group focused on four topics: functional assessment; eligibility determinations; case management/planning; and, service provision. The focus groups lasted approximately 1-2 hours and were audio recorded.

Analysis

ATLAS.ti 8 was used for all qualitative analysis. Focus group data were analyzed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Thematic analysis is particularly useful in demarcating similarities and differences in responses (Manhire, Hagan, & Floyd, 2007). After immersion in the data, the data was examined for patterns across the data and initial codes were generated.

Colorado HCBS Focus Groups Partners

This research project was initiated through a partnership with the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing.

Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing

Colorado HCPF oversees and operates Health First Colorado, Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+), and other programs.

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Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing

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