The document discusses the future of community-based services and education for those with disabilities or special needs. It outlines how in the past, those with disabilities were often institutionalized but now there is a focus on community-based services. Key considerations for the future include a growing and more diverse elderly population, potential funding challenges, and ensuring services reach all in need regardless of factors like income or ethnicity. Community services will need to adapt to remain inclusive and accessible to changing demographics.

1. The Future of Community Based
Services and Education
Regina Oladehin
AET/508
Melanie Latin
!0/21/2019

2. The Future of Community Based Services and
Education
“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at
twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning
stays young”
-Henry Ford

3. Introduction
For years people who had mental or physical disabilities were locked away. They were
placed institutions or state hospitals and that is generally how they spent the entirety of
their lives.
East Louisiana State Mental Hospital, Jackson, LA.

4. Community-Based Services
In 1997 the Council for Exceptional Children established Community-based services
● Central to a person's growth and dignity is a right to live within the community, with access to high
quality and appropriate services.
● b.A legal mandate with fixed responsibility must exist providing community services for all persons,
including those now institutionalized.
● c.The goal of community services is to assure the greatest developmental gains on the part of the
individual through maximum flexibility in all services.
● d.The ongoing process of normalizing the service system requires developing a continuum of
community-based living environments and the selective use of the full range of services available to
the entire community.
● e.Multiple and diverse methods of safeguarding program quality are essential at every level of
responsibility.
● f.All programs provided to exceptional persons must include written standards governing service
delivery.
● g.When a state restricts an individual's fundamental liberty, it must adhere to the principle of least
restrictive environment and, further, absolutely guarantee due process.

5. Into the Future
● Key Considerations
● Possible Funding Scenarios
● Influence on Diversity and the Law

6. Key Considerations in Anticipated Changes
There are a number of factors to consider when anticipating future changes in
community based services:
● Population increases with a higher percentage of older adults
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1464018/figure/fig2/ (Knickman &
Snell, 2002).
● A change in the definition of aging and what services/assistance is needed for the elderly
population
● A more diverse population that is more educated and skilled but with a higher gap in the
distribution of wealth
● A change in the family dynamic with more older adults living alone with fewer or no
children (Wacker & Roberto, 2014).

7. Possible Funding Scenarios
There is currently some concern surrounding the funding for community based
health services for older adults. Many older adults are interested in attaining these
services, but often healthcare professionals have limited knowledge about these
services. Because there is an increasing number of older adults more funding will
have to be available for different programs:
Nutrition Service Programs
Senior Centers
Adult Day Centers
(Knight, Lama, & Laureano, 2015).

8. Influences of Diversity and the Law
The growing number of older adults in the United States means that the population
of older adults is growing in diversity as well. That diversity also implies that there
is a need for more diverse services.
One of the issues brought on by having a more diverse population is ensuring
services to every older adult who needs them.
Health services for impoverished and native populations are funded through
federally funded Title programs
Often older and African American adults resist services so funding has to be
provided to inform them of community based services that they are entitled to.

9. References
Knickman, J. R., & Snell, E. K. (2002, August ). The 2030 Problem: Caring for aging baby boomers.
Health Services Research, 37(4), .Lifelong learning - new strategies for the education of working
adults. (2007, Dec 07). US Fed News Service, Including US State News Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/468711122?accountid=35812
Knight, M., Lama, S.D., & Laureano, E. (2015). Community-based supports and services for older adults: a
primer for clinicians. Journal of Geriatrics, 2015(678625), 1-6. Retrieved from
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/678625
National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. The Maturing of America—Communities Moving Forward
for an Aging Population. National Association of Area Agencies on Aging; Washington, DC, USA:
2011. http://n4a.membershipsoftware.org/files/Maturing_of_Ameria_ll.pdf. [Google Scholar]
Wacker, R. R., & Roberto, K. A. (2014). Community resources for older adults: Programs and services in
an era of change. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.