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NCI Survey

The National Core Indicators (NCI) Survey provides an opportunity for members who receive Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) to report their satisfaction with their services and level of community integration. Colorado has been participating in the NCI surveys since 2013.

The information collected through these surveys is used to better understand the effectiveness of HCBS administered by the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) and improve supports and services provided in the state.

What does NCI Measure?

  • Self Determination
  • Service Coordination and Access
  • Relationships and Community Inclusion
  • Rights, Choices, and Decision-making
  • Employment Status and Goals
  • Health, Welfare, and Safety
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Upcoming Survey Opportunities

Members on the Developmental Disabilities (DD) and Supported Living Services (SLS) waivers will be randomly chosen from a list of Colorado residents receiving long-term services and supports to participate in the National Core Indicators (NCI) – Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (NCI-IDD) survey (also known as the Adult In-Person Survey). 

The survey is confidential, and all information provided by the member, or a proxy authorized to speak on their behalf will be kept confidential. Answers to questions will not be shared with the member's providers, case manager, or others. The member's services won't be changed by the answers provided. This information will not be identifiable in any report that is released publicly. 

The survey will take place in-person or via video conferencing depending on the preference of the member. An interviewer from an organization called Vital Research may contact you between October 2023 and May 2024 to participate in the survey. 

We hope you choose to take part in this important project if contacted by Vital Research. 

If you have questions about the NCI-IDD Survey or need additional information from Vital Research, please visit the Vital Research Website.

The State of the Workforce Survey (formerly known as the Staff Stability Survey) is an online survey of provider agencies supporting adults (age 18 and over) with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in residential, employment, day services, and other in-home or community inclusion programs. The survey captures data on wages, benefits, turnover rates, and recruitment/retention strategies of the Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), who are providing direct supports to adults with IDD and are employed by the provider agencies surveyed.

The State of the Workforce Survey is mandated by HB 18-1407 and participating in this survey provides Colorado the opportunity for provider agencies, advocates, and researchers to work together to examine workforce challenges, identify areas for further investigation, benchmark workforce data, measure improvements made through policy or programmatic changes, and compare Colorado’s data, to those of other states.

National Reports

State Reports

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Colorado participates in the following surveys:

HCPF has partnered with an independent firm, Vital Research, to assist in the creation and administering of the Children’s Waiver Satisfaction Survey (CWSS). The CWSS expanded NCI’s Children’s Family Survey which primarily focused on Colorado’s Children’s Extensive Services (CES) waiver. The new Children’s Survey will receive feedback from families on their services and supports from members enrolled on the four children’s waivers, which include:

The CWSS survey was launched in August 2023. Members selected to participate will receive a notification letter in the mail with instructions on how to complete the survey. The survey was also sent via email with a survey link to complete the survey.

The survey is confidential, and all information provided by the member, guardian, or a proxy authorized to speak on their behalf will be kept confidential. Answers to questions will not be shared with the member's providers, case manager, or others. The member's services won't be changed by the answers provided. This information will not be identifiable in any report that is released publicly. 

HCPF thanks families and members for their participation in the survey.

HCPF has partnered with an independent firm, Vital Research, to conduct a survey for Direct Care Workers asking their level of satisfaction with their work. The survey aims to collect data on their satisfaction with wages, compensation, benefits, career advancement, training, and overall fulfillment from working as a Direct Care Worker. The survey will be confidential to ensure the validity and integrity of the responses provided. 

The first survey cycle was launched in December 2022, and concluded on January 31, 2023, to provide baseline data on the direct care workforce in Colorado.

The second administration of the survey will launch in September 2023 with updated questions incorporating feedback from the first administration.

A final report will be available upon completion.  Comparative data analysis will provide knowledge of what actions HCPF can take to strengthen the Direct Care Workforce.

For questions or more information about the Direct Care Workforce Survey, please contact the Direct Care Workforce Team at hcpf_dcworkforce@state.co.us

The National Core Indicators-Aging and Disabilities (NCI-AD) is an initiative designed to support states' interest in assessing the performance of their programs and delivery systems in order to improve services for older adults and individuals with physical disabilities. NCI-AD's primary aim is to collect and maintain valid and reliable data that give states a broad view of how publicly funded services impact the quality of life and outcomes of service recipients.

Colorado’s population is rapidly becoming older and more diverse, it remains important for Colorado to assess the quality and impact of its Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS). Colorado is among one of the fastest growing states with populations of adults aged 65 and older and this demographic is more likely to have at least one physical disability. State departments and planning groups can utilize the data collected through this survey to make improvements in programs and services, and more effectively meet the needs of older adults and adults with physical disabilities who have significant health care needs.

National Reports

State Reports

National Report Snapshots

Colorado participated in National Core Indicators—Aging and Disabilities (AD) pilot of the State of the Workforce Survey (formerly known as the Staff Stability Survey)-Aging and Physical Disabilities (SSS-AD), due to an increased interest regarding the stability and quality of the workforce supporting older adults and people with physical disabilities. The pilot launched in September and ended November 14, 2022.

Colorado collected data from agencies that provide services such as Adult Day Services, Respite, Homemaker, Personal Care, and more, for the Elderly, Blind and Disabled (EBD), Community Mental Health Supports (CMHS), Complementary & Integrative Health (CIH), and Brain Injury (BI) Waivers. The State of the Workforce Surveys are unique and timely tools for states to assess the status, turnover, recruitment, hourly wages, vacancy rates, demographics, benefits, length of employment, and other pertinent data points related to Direct Care Workers (DCWs). The lessons learned from the pilot year will be applied to launch a survey available to all states in 2023. Colorado plans to participate in upcoming survey cycles once the survey is made available to all states.

Colorado will be able to use SSS-AD in several ways, including supporting workforce initiatives, government partnerships, context for NCI-AD outcomes data, providing baseline data for future analysis, budget projections, policy planning, stakeholder engagement, and quality assurance.

The survey is administered via email and web link, giving provider agencies an opportunity to respond about the DCWs they have on payroll.

This information will not be identifiable in any report that is released publicly. 

State of the Workforce - AD Pilot Report

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Additional surveys:

In response to the national COVID-19 public health emergency, National Core Indicators (NCI) added a state-optional COVID-19 Supplement to all NCI-IDD surveys. The COVID-19 Supplements were created to support the understanding of the experience of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and their interactions with services, provider agencies, and direct service providers. Data were collected between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021. Colorado participated in the COVID-19 Supplemental Survey as these survey findings are intended to inform states as they plan for the future.

National Reports

The National Core Indicators (NCI) Child Family Survey (CFS) is mailed to families who have a child (under the age of 18) with an intellectual and/or developmental disability who lives in the family’s home and receives at least one service, in addition to case management.

The intent of the survey is to understand demographics and address key areas of concern such as respect/rights, service planning, community inclusion, choice, and health and safety. The data that result from NCI surveys are often used to inform strategic planning, produce legislative reports, prioritize quality improvement initiatives, and to also share the data with stakeholder groups and use the stakeholder feedback to help set priorities and establish policy direction. 

Colorado discontinued participation after the conclusion of the 2021-2022 survey cycle, and instead has focused on creating a new survey, Children’s Wavier Satisfaction Survey, to include all four children’s waivers.

National Reports

State Reports

State Report Snapshots

NCI Remote Survey Pilot Study Summary Results 2019-20

  • Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the declaration of a national public health emergency, and the need to avoid in-person contact, NCI states had to prematurely end the 2019-2020 data collection cycle for the NCI In-Person Survey. Anticipating continued challenges to direct-contact data collection in future cycles, NCI expanded an ongoing pilot study to assess the feasibility of administering the survey through videoconference.
     
  • Colorado participated in this survey and the following results, based on 226 remote surveys, are summarized in this brief report.

The In-Person Survey (IPS) is typically a face-to-face conversation completed with a minimum of 400 individuals who are 18 years of age or older and receiving at least one paid service from the state, in addition to case management. In 2019-2020, IPS survey data collection period was unexpectedly abbreviated due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. National Core Indicators recommended states pause in-person surveying on March 16, 2020, and the IPS surveying was ended in April due to the ongoing pandemic. The 2021-2022 IPS was conducted remotely with the person receiving services and/or their proxy via Zoom video.

Colorado has been participating in the survey since 2013. The intent of the survey is to understand demographics and address key areas of concern such as employment, respect/rights, service planning, community inclusion, choice, and health and safety. The data that result from NCI surveys are often used to inform strategic planning, produce legislative reports, and prioritize quality improvement initiatives, and to also share the data with stakeholder groups and use the stakeholder feedback to help set priorities and establish policy direction.

NCI-IID Current Reports

National Report Snapshots

State Reports

State Report Snapshots