The study’s goals are as follows:
- Develop effective collaborations with five MSADPs as study partners.
- Identify the key internal and external factors that promote and inhibit the development and expansion of MSADPs.
- Describe the alternate organizational, operational, and service models used by MSADPs.
- Describe the alternate funding strategies that can be used to finance MSADPs.
- Calculate the full costs of developing and maintaining MSADPs.
- Identify the benefits of MSADPs.
- Disseminate the results of the study widely.
- Develop a handbook that summarizes the alternate organizational, operational, service, and financing models and lesson learned across the five study partner MSADPs, to facilitate development of new MSADPs in other cities around the country.
This report was developed using a range of sources. Two site visits conducted by the authors at the Marilyn Hilton MS Achievement Center (MSAC) and related programs in Los Angeles provided opportunities for face-to-face interviews and observation. A wide range of MSAC and NMSS Southern California Chapter documents and financial reports were also reviewed.
