|
National Home and Community Based Services Conference:
Slide Presentations Posted
Thank you for joining us at National HCBS Conference this year!
Click here to view the presentation slides from the pre-conference intensives, and workshop sessions.
Videos of the welcome plenary session with Assistance Secretary Kathy Greenlee, and the Wednesday plenary session with Dr. Laura Mosqueda will also be posted on NASUAD's website in the coming weeks.
|
|
Administration for Community Living
|
|
Webinar #5: Advanced Stage Dementia & Palliative Care
The focus of this webinar will be on the clinical course and care of people with advanced dementia as supported by research in both nursing home and home and community-based settings. Discussion will include research directions and opportunities, including recruitment, as well as specialized resources.
New date:
Tuesday, September 24, 1:30-3pm ET
To register for the online event:
- Go to http://goo.gl/w03Or1 and click "Register."
- On the registration form, enter your information and click "Submit." Once the host approves your registration, you will receive a confirmation email message with instructions on how to join the event.
Click here for more information on ACL's 2013 Webinar Series on Alzheimer's Disease and Resources.
|
|
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
|
|
Medicare Open Enrollment Webinar
CMS will host a Webinar to help educate and inform people about Medicare Open Enrollment. October 15 to December 7, 2013, is when all people with Medicare can change their Medicare health plan and prescription drug coverage for 2014. Information on 2014 plans will be available beginning in October. People with Medicare can call 1-800-MEDICARE or visit www.medicare.gov for more plan information. If a person is satisfied that their current plan will meet their needs for next year, they don't need to do anything.
Visit www.medicare.gov for more information on Open Enrollment.
|
|
Fact Sheet on People with Medicare and the Health Insurance Marketplace
CMS released a fact sheet entitled, "People with Medicare and the Health Insurance Marketplace," which includes answers to the following questions regarding Medicare beneficiaries:
- How will Health Insurance Marketplace affect my Medicare Coverage?
- Do I need to do anything with Marketplace plans during the Medicare Open enrollment period (October 15 - December 7, 2013)?
- What should I do if I am contacted about signing up for a health plan?
Click here to review the full fact sheet. |
|
Strengthening the Direct Service Workforce: No Wrong Door/Single Entry Point Systems Starter Kit
CMS released a document entitled, "Starter Kit for No Wrong Door/ Single Entry Point Systems Working to Strengthen the Home and Community-Based Direct Service Workforce." This starter kit explores the many ways in which No Wrong Door/Single Entry Point Systems (NWD/SEPs) can complement their current nursing home diversion and community transition activities through active engagement in the direct service workforce (DSW) infrastructure development and improvement. It provides basic background information about DSW challenges and strategies and is intended to encourage consideration and discussion about how NWD/SEPs can become more involved in workforce development.
|
Defense Department's Suicide Prevention Policy Shapes Efforts
The Defense Department has issued a policy that for the first time provides comprehensive guidance on addressing suicide prevention within the entire military community. The new policy establishes standards and assigns responsibilities for the broad implementation of the Defense Suicide Prevention Program. The Defense Department established the program to allow a strategic approach to suicide prevention, intervention, follow up and surveillance within the department.
Click here for the full Defense Department Directive.
|
|
Federal Long-Term Care Commission Releases Recommendations
The Federal Commission on Long-Term Care released its recommendations on September 12, 2013.
The bi-partisan commission was created by the American Taxpayer Relief Act to advise Congress on how long-term care can be better provided and financed for the nation's older adults and people with disabilities, now and in the future.The commission consists of 15 appointees - nine from Democratic Congressional leadership and the White House, and six from Republican leadership.
The Commission's report includes recommendations on long-term care service delivery, workforce, finance and advancing a national advisory committee on long-term services and supports.
Click here to view a summary of the recommendations.
Click here for a slide presentation of the information contained in the final report.
|
|
AARP Public Policy Institute
|
Blogs on Long-Term Care and Family Caregiving Issues
The AARP Public Policy Institute has released more blogs on long-term care and family caregiving issues. These blog posts bring attention to the national discussion about the future of long-term services and supports (LTSS), and identify new solutions to the financing and delivery of LTSS and family support. See the PPI LTC Blog Series and join the conversation.
|
|
National HIV/AIDS & Aging Awareness Day: New Logo and Events
September 18 was National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (NHAAAD). Events were planned this week in conjunction with the 6th annual awareness campaign that targets HIV prevention, testing, education and treatment for adults over 50 living with or at risk of HIV.
NHAAAD events were scheduled across the country in the following states: California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Tennessee and Washington, DC. International events for NHAAAD include efforts to reach older adults in Canada and Kenya. One particular town hall event is planned to recognize long-term survivors and wounded AIDS warriors. Another community health fair event at a local veteran's hospital includes a collaborative approach to raise HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C awareness and provide health and wellness information.
Click here for more information and to access and download NHAAAD educational materials.
|
|
Alabama Department of Senior Services
|
|
Newly Released Elder Abuse Protection Toolkit
Alabama Department of Senior Services recently released new Elder Abuse Protection Toolkit. In Spring 2013, Alabama passed a bill known as the Protecting Alabama's Elders Act, which established a new set of laws to fight elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.
Click here for more information on the Alabama Department of Senior Services.
|
| The ARCH National Respite Network |
|
15th National Lifespan Respite Conference
On October 15-17, 2013, the ARCH National Respite Network, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Lifespan Respite Coalition, will host the next National Lifespan Respite Conference in Boston, MA. Over 30 workshops and plenary sessions will focus on State Lifespan Respite best practices, respite for individuals with Alzheimer's, respite for veterans, innovations in respite service delivery and access, community and faith-based volunteer respite initiatives, crisis respite models, the latest on respite evaluation and research, among other topics.
Click here to review the preliminary agenda.
Click here to register.
|
|
The Consumer Voice 37th Annual Conference
The Consumer Voice Annual Conference will be held in the Hilton Crystal City, October 24th to 27th, 2013.
The Conference attendees will engage in one-on-one dialogue with consumers of long-term services and supports; get the latest policy updates directly from key experts at the federal level; learn about best practices nationwide; and attend skills training and acquire tools and resources.
Click here for more conference information.
Click here to register.
|
| Mathematica Policy Research |
|
Impact of SSI-SSDI Ticket to Work Incentives
In July 2013, Mathematica submitted a policy research paper to the Social Security Administration Office of Retirement and Disability Policy. This report presents results from a new analysis of the impacts of introducing the original Ticket to Work (TTW) program. An earlier analysis produced evidence that TTW had positive impacts on service enrollment (that is, enrollment in services at a state vocational rehabilitation agency or other employment network), but methodological limitations led to ambiguous conclusions about impacts on earnings and benefits (Thornton et al. 2007; Stapleton et al. 2008). The new analysis substantially resolves these ambiguities.
|
| National Resource Center for Participant-Directed Services |
|
2013 Financial Management Services Conference
The fifth biennial National Resource Center for Participant- Directed Services (NRCPDS) Financial Management Services Conference will be held November 4-5, 2013, in Baltimore, MD. This conference will feature workshops with participant direction tax experts within the IRS as well as other experts and specialists.
|
|
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
|
|
Webinar on Individual Eligibility Appeals
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's State Coverage Initiatives program, in coordination with the State Health Reform Assistance Network, will be hosting a free webinar on Monday, September 23 from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. EDT to discuss individual eligibility appeals. Presenters Melinda Dutton and Kinda Serafi from Manatt Health Solutions provide an overview of regulation requirements including:
- state options for delegation of MAGI Medicaid and Exchange appeals;
- the standards for components of the appeal process, such as for appeal notices, appeal requests, benefits, informal resolution, hearings, and appeal decisions;
- the due process and procedural rights of the appellant; and
- requirements for coordination between agencies and appeals entities.
|
|
New Online Resource
Self-Advocacy Online is an educational and networking website for teens and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It is a place to find accessible information on current topics in self-advocacy. Key areas of the site include a listing of self-advocacy groups, a video story wall, an online learning center, and research studies translated into accessible documents.
|
Truven Health Analytics Releases Annual Medicaid LTSS Expenditure Report
The annual Medicaid long-term services and support expenditures (LTSS) report is now available. The report presents Medicaid LTSS expenditures from Federal Fiscal Years 2006 through 2011.
|
|
September is National Preparedness Month
National Preparedness Month (NPM) is managed and sponsored by FEMA's Ready Campaign, which works closely with Citizen Corps and National Preparedness Community (NPC) members to increase emergency preparedness awareness and activities across the nation and to ensure the rollout of NPM events. Though preparedness is a year round activity, September is the month for recognizing national preparedness. The overall goal of this designation is to engage the public to make preparedness a part of their daily lives. NPM is geared towards building awareness and encouraging Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, schools, organizations, businesses, and places of worship.
Click here to learn more about National Preparedness Month and access FEMA's NPM toolkit.
Click here to explore disaster benefits through the National Council on Aging's BenefitsCheckUp website.
|
September is National Cholesterol Education Month
September is National Cholesterol Education Month, a good time to get your cholesterol checked and learn about the importance of keeping your cholesterol at healthy levels. Having high cholesterol puts you at risk of developing heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. Get information on the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) website about risk factors, LDL and HDL, medications, and steps you can take to lower your cholesterol:
All plans in the new Health Insurance Marketplace include cholesterol screening as a free preventive service for adults of certain ages and high risk individuals.
Reminder: Enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplace begins October 1, 2013 for coverage starting January 1, 2014.
|
|
ACL Veterans Transportation "Highly Rural" Transportation Grants
A funding opportunity provided by the Veterans' Transportation Program to provide service in highly rural areas is accepting applications through October 9th, 2013.
The purpose of the program is to provide grants to eligible recipients to assist veterans in highly rural areas through innovative transportation services to travel to VA medical centers and to other VA and non-VA facilities.
Eligible organizations are Veteran Service Organizations and State Veteran Service Agencies recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Non-eligible organizations such as an AAA, ADRC, State Agency on Aging and Disability, or local transportation provider would have to partner with the above organizations and provide the services as sub-recipient.
Grantees can receive $50,000 for each highly rural area for which they provide transportation services. No matching funds are required.
Click here for more information or to apply.
|
|
CMS MFP Tribal Initiative Funding
On July 23, 2013, CMS announced a Money Follows the Person (MFP) Tribal Initiative (TI) funding opportunity. The MFP-TI offers existing MFP state grantees and tribal partners the resources to build sustainable community-based long term services and supports (CB-LTSS) specifically for Indian country. The TI may be used to advance the development of an infrastructure required to implement CB-LTSS for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) using a single, or a variety of applicable Medicaid authorities.
Closing date for applications is October 17th, 2013.
Funding is intended to support the planning and development of:
- An in-state Medicaid program CB-LTSS, as an alternative to institutional care, tailored for AI/AN who are presently receiving services in an institution;
- A service delivery structure that includes a set of administrative functions delegated by the state Medicaid agency to Tribes or Tribal organizations;
- The TI may be used to cover costs necessary to plan and implement activities consistent with the objectives of this funding and within Federal grant regulations. The funds are subject to all the terms and conditions of the MFP Program.
Click here for more information on MFP and the funding opportunity.
Applicants must apply for this grant through www.grants.gov. |
|
Support for Demonstration Ombudsman Programs Serving Beneficiaries of Financial Alignment Models for Medicare-Medicaid Enrollees Modification 1
Grant Title: Support for Demonstration Ombudsman Programs Serving Beneficiaries of Financial Alignment Models for Medicare-Medicaid Enrollees Modification 1
Agency Issuing Grant: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Eligible Applicants: State governments
Close Date: 2nd Round: October 3, 2013; 3rd Round:January 14, 2014
Funding Opportunity Number: CMS-1J1-13-001
CDFA Number: 93.634
Grant Amount: $3 million for 10 awards
Description: This opportunity provides financial assistance to States to plan, develop and provide Demonstration Ombudsman Program services to individuals who participate in the Financial Alignment model. States will ensure that individual beneficiaries have access to person-centered assistance in resolving problems related to the Demonstration. The program will inform States, Plans, CMS, and other stakeholders regarding beneficiary experience with the Plans and will recommend areas of improvement in States Financial Alignment Initiatives.
Click here for more info on this funding opportunity.
Applicants must apply for this grant through www.grants.gov. |
|
Building Evidence: Effective Palliative/End of Life Care Interventions
Grant Title: Building Evidence: Effective Palliative/End of Life Care Interventions
Agency Issuing Grant: National Institutes of Health
Eligible Applicants: State governments, Nonprofits, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) and Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
Close Date: June 9, 2016
Funding Opportunity Number: PAR-13-289
CDFA Number: 93.361
Grant Amount: Not announced.
Description: This opportunity announcement seeks to stimulate research that develops and tests optimal palliative and end-of-life care interventions (models of care) based on measurable outcomes. Palliative Care and End-of-Life (PCEOL) interventions are increasingly needed for all individuals with Life Limiting Illnesses (LLI's) in some form or other, including those who are culturally diverse or aging. Adverse impacts have been shown to extend to the caregivers and families of patients with LLIs. Many individuals with LLI's also may concurrently be suffering from multiple complex comorbidities (MCC's), placing an increasing burden on health, health systems and costs.
Click here for more info on this funding opportunity
Applicants must apply for this grant through www.grants.gov. |
|
