Sara Bovat

Sara Bovat is a qualitative researcher with a diverse background in Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS), disability advocacy, and social work. Her portfolio focuses on HCBS quality measurement, the Money Follows the Person (MFP) Demonstration, and other evaluation technical assistance to advance Medicaid programs that support older adults and people with disabilities.

Currently, Bovat manages a team that recommends nationally standardized measures from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) HCBS Quality Measure Set to California’s Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Data Transparency Dashboard Initiative. She recently led a needs assessment to determine states and territories with MFP programs’ readiness to implement the HCBS Quality Measure Set. She also conducted an environmental scan on educational services for children with autism for the Marcus Autism Center.

She has published on other topics related to competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities; the Illinois Continuity of Care Administrative Simplification 1115 Demonstration, which expands postpartum coverage for pregnant individuals; and cross-screening practices for disability and human trafficking.

Bovat started her career as a Direct Support Professional for adults with intellectual disabilities as an AmeriCorps volunteer. Prior to Mathematica, she was the Disability Policy Fellow at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD). She holds an M.A. in social work, policy, and administration from the University of Chicago’s School of Social Services Administration and a license of social work (LSW) certification.