The Living Well Blueprint:

A Healthy, Safe and Connected Approach to Quality Home and Community-Based Services

The Living Well Blueprint is a comprehensive guide designed to enhance the quality of life for individuals with disabilities who receive home and community-based services (HCBS). It is a vital resource for individuals, providers, and state agencies, each playing a crucial role in achieving healthy, safe, and connected lives for individuals with disabilities. The primary goal of the Blueprint is to ensure that individuals with disabilities can live fulfilling lives within their communities by addressing their diverse needs, offering guidance to service providers, and providing a framework for state agencies to implement effective policies and practices. Built on the foundation of the Living Well Project—a five-year initiative funded by the Administration for Community Living (ACL)—the Blueprint reflects the most effective strategies for improving the lives of individuals.

This project has been instrumental in testing and refining promising practices, focusing on delivering high-quality HCBS and monitoring the safety and well-being of individuals in our communities. Through this collaborative effort, the Blueprint not only fosters more inclusive and safe communities but also plays a crucial role in protecting and promoting the rights of people with disabilities.

Each section provides an overview of why these best and promising practices are essential, what works best in each element, tools to implement strategies, and the opportunity to reflect on whether these elements are present for individuals, providers or states. Each element has sections that focus on individuals, providers, and states. These are defined as:

Individual: Refers to people with disabilities receiving Home and Community-based
services, as well as their family members and self-advocates.
Agency: Provider organizations providing home and community-based services and
supports to people with disabilities to live their most independent and
community-integrated lives.
State: State agencies responsible for implementing and overseeing home and
community-based services in their states.

Click on a button below to learn more about the tools and resources designed for each group!

Individuals

Agencies

States

The Elements of Success

The Living Well Blueprint is organized around five key elements, each focusing on different aspects of the Living Well project. In each element, the Blueprint Reflection serves as a structured evaluation and planning tool across different levels of
individual, provider and state.

For Individuals: It helps with self-assessment, personalized goal-setting, and accountability for personal growth.

For Agencies/Providers: It enhances service delivery, ensures alignment with standards, and supports continuous
improvement in their practices.

For States: It aligns policies with broader goals, optimizes resource allocation, and aids in monitoring and evaluating
the impact of programs and initiatives.

Click on an element below to learn more about how individuals, agencies/providers, and states can support the enhancement of Home and Community Based Services!

Quality Home and Community Based Services

Self-Advocate Leadership and Engagement

Family Engagement

Improving Abuse and Neglect Response

Building Community Relationships

Our Self-Advocates are our strength.

The cornerstone of the Living Well work has been our Self-Advocate Leaders. Their leadership and guidance has helped our providers, state leaders, and many people with disabilities who receive services. Our Self-Advocate Leaders have impacted the resources that Living Well developed and have used their voices to change systems in Wisconsin and across the country.

Training and Mentorship

Our Self-Advocate Leaders have co-created and co-facilitated our Safe and Free Meeting Series, our Rights Guides and Know Your Rights Videos, and our Healthy, Safe and Connected Toolkit. These resources, trainings and peer-to-peer education has impacted thousands of self-advocates across Wisconsin.

Advocacy

Our Self-Advocate Leaders have worked with state agencies, legislators, policymakers, and providers to transform the Home and Community-Based Services in Wisconsin. They have attended Disability Advocacy Day, submitted public comments, attended hearings, presented on panels and conferences, and now sit on boards.

Plain Language

Our Self-Advocate Leaders have worked with groups across Wisconsin to improve their resources and materials to be in plain language. From the BPDD resources to Department of Health Services communications, they have improved the accessibility for people with disabilities to understand the services and systems that impact their lives.