In the first decade of the twenty-first century, the primary challenge facing state Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) systems was managing the transition away from institutional care towards home and community-based services (HCBS). This transition is still ongoing. However, the considerable success at pivoting LTSS programs towards the community has opened opportunities to pursue greater community inclusion within the HCBS spectrum. Many people with disabilities left large institutional facilities where they had little control over their own lives only to enter large congregate group homes with similar levels of regimentation, isolation and lack of autonomy. In light of that, payers have begun to transition towards non-congregate modes of service-provision, emphasizing service models like supported employment, supported community living, shared living/host home arrangements, and other more inclusive models. We seek to support and accelerate that transition in our grantmaking.

The Inclusa Foundation will focus its work primarily within the State of Wisconsin. Successful applications should be oriented around the unique policy context of Wisconsin’s LTSS ecosystem. We are not seeking to support programming that is already financed via the Family Care or IRIS programs, though we are open to supporting the piloting of innovative program models that may be supported over time by Family Care/IRIS in the future. We consider ourselves stewards of Wisconsin’s LTSS ecosystem and are also interested in investing in leadership development and policy education activities that will help Wisconsin’s LTSS programs continue to excel in the decades to come.