Consumer and Counselor Experiences in the Arkansas IndependentChoices Program

This report describes the implementation of IndependentChoices by synthesizing information from in-person interviews with program staff, a mail survey of program counselors, and telephone interviews with consumers who had the opportunity to receive the program allowance. It discusses the program's goals and features, how consumers managed their responsibilities under it and made use of its flexibility, and levels of consumer satisfaction with the program. Other reports present estimates of demonstration impacts on beneficiaries, their caregivers, and public costs; describe the types of beneficiaries who chose to participate; describe the features and procedures adopted by IndependentChoices in greater detail; and draw implementation lessons from all three demonstration states. [102 PDF pages]