College Park, MD--2/25/2014— Dr. Barbara Holt, currently a Senior Policy Analyst at the Hilltop Institute at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, gave a presentation on designing a self-directed service program, on Wednesday, February 19^th at Optimal Solutions Group, LLC (Optimal’s) office in M Square Research Park, Maryland.

While serving as Senior Policy Analyst at the Hilltop Institute, Dr. Holt is responsible for carrying out research, policy and statistical analysis related to Long Term Services and Supports for older adults and adults with disabilities. As Senior Policy Analyst she is also involved in the design and implementation of the Affordable Care Act in Maryland on several levels. Prior to her work at the Hilltop Institute, Dr. Holt has been the project manager on research studies for the Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services, National Institute of Health, and the Veterans Health Administration. Dr. Holt received her Ph.D. in Public Administration and Public Policy from Auburn University, her M.S.W in Social Work from the University of Alabama, her M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology from  Auburn University and her B.S. in Education from Auburn University.

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Optimal Solutions Group, LLC

Founded in 2000, Optimal Solutions Group, LLC is a nonpartisan public policy research and technical assistance firm that stands out for its quantitative expertise and innovative approaches to provide rigorous, data-driven research and technical assistance to government agencies, corporations, nonprofit organizations, and philanthropic foundations. Located at the University of Maryland’s M Square Research Park in College Park, Optimal is a leader in driving real-time public policy research. Optimal has 60+ employees, including multidisciplinary researchers with backgrounds in business, communication, economics, education, health policy, psychology, public policy, sociology, statistics, and urban planning. Optimal has four research centers: Health, Education, Housing, and Workforce Development and Social Policy.