Evidence Supports Making CAPABLE a Colorado Medicaid Benefit
We are excited to share our latest evaluation report, Colorado Community Aging in Place–Advancing Better Living for Elders (CAPABLE) Evaluation. CAPABLE provides each program participant with a series of visits from an interdisciplinary team—made up of an occupational therapist, a registered nurse, and a handy worker—to improve their mobility, everyday functioning, and independence. This is an important topic with Colorado having the third fastest growth in the nation of the age 65 to 84 population between 2010 and 2020, behind only Alaska and Idaho.
The program already has a significant evidence base and is in use in 21 states. This evaluation will inform recommendations to make CAPABLE a long-term Medicaid benefit in Colorado. To be considered for approval, the evaluation had to show that CAPABLE led to positive outcomes for people living across various Colorado regions and be of benefit for all age groups over 18 on Medicaid, not just older adults. The study was undertaken by the Colorado Lab in partnership with the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing, and the support of consultant Yumiko Dougherty of Ignite the Change Advisors.
Overall, CAPABLE participants had positive and statistically significant improvements after enrolling in the program, including:
- A 24% decrease in difficulty for participants with “daily living activities” like bathing or showering, getting in and out of bed or chairs, and walking across a small room; and
- A 21% decrease in difficulty with “instrumental daily living activities” such as traveling independently, preparing meals, and performing light housework.
CAPABLE’s interdisciplinary model was found to promote greater efficiency and accountability than the current Home Modification benefit, and the packaged program makes it distinct from individual Medicaid services. In total, the evaluation results provide evidence that the program produces positive and statistically significant outcomes and support the recommendation to make CAPABLE a long-term Medicaid benefit in Colorado.
To learn more, please contact Dr. Elysia Versen.
San Luis Valley Plans of Safe Care Pilot Partners Participating in the Kick-off Event
- Area Health Education Center
- CDHS Division of Child Welfare
- Center for Restorative Justice
- Circle of Parents
- County Departments of Human Services
- Crossroads Substance Use Treatment Center
- High-Fidelity Wraparound
- Home Visiting Providers
- Peer Support Professionals
- Rural Recovery Network
- Sheriff’s Office
- SLV Health
- SLV Interagency Oversight Group
- Valley-Wide Health Systems
- WIC Educators
