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Save the Date!
30th Annual National HCBS Conference
September 15-18, 2014
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30th Annual HCBS Conference Registration Now Open
Registration is now open for the 30th Annual National Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Conference from September 15-18, 2014 in Arlington, VA. The conference offers a blend of policy, program and practice issues for professionals interested in home and community-based waivers and services for all ages and abilities. The conference has a strong presence from the agencies of the US Department of Health and H uman Services including Administration for Community Living (ACL) and Administration on Aging (AoA). This year, the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) is celebrating 50 years of working with state disability and aging agencies, which will include a gala dinner celebration at the conference.
Click here to register for the conference.
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In the Works: Guidelines for States Wishing to Implement Uniform Statewide Reporting on Title IIIB Legal Services
NASUAD is an active participant in an exciting new initiative to create guidelines for States wishing to develop, or revise current, statewide reporting systems for Title IIIB legal services. The project's goal is to facilitate the gathering and utilization of statewide reporting data to "tell the story" of Title IIIB legal services and its impact on the well being of the nation's most vulnerable elders. The one-year project is funded by the Borchard Center on Law and Aging and administered by The Center for Social Gerontology (TCSG). TCSG is hoping that directors of State Units on Aging (SUAs) and their legal services developers will help champion this important undertaking.
The Guidelines will make recommendations about: (1) the process for developing statewide reporting, calling for active participation of State Units on Aging, Area Agencies on Aging and Title IIIB legal services providers; (2) data collection methods and types of data to be gathered; and (3) suggestions for using the information/data to help build support and understanding of the critical importance of legal services.
Click here to view the entire announcement.
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Administration for Community Living
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ACL Funding Opportunity for SHIP TA Center
The Administration for Community Living is seeking applications to operate the State Health Insurance Assistance Program National Technical Assistance Center (The SHIP TA Center). The SHIP TA Center will provide training, technical assistance, and promotional activities in support of the SHIP program and projects nationally. The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) provides grants to states and territories to fund infrastructure, training, and outreach support to over 12,000 counselors in over 1,300 local community organizations in 54 States and Territories. SHIPs provide free, one-on-one counseling and assistance to help Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries navigate the complexities of health and long-term services and supports systems.
Applications are due Monday, July 7, 2014.
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Cast Your Vote for "Suicide Prevention: What is your Role"
For the second consecutive year, the Administration for Community Living's (ACL) collaboration with several Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies has led to a finalist submission for the HHS Innovates People's Choice Award. Public votes are needed to decide if "Suicide Prevention: What is your role" will receive the top recognition. "Suicide Prevention: What is your role" combined the reach of the web and the power of community engagement to reduce suicide, the 10th leading cause of death in the nation.
In 2009, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius established HHS Innovates to recognize employees and their achievements in using new concepts to solve important challenges in the workplace. Last year, ACL received both the Secretary's Innovates Award and the People's Choice Award for its entry "Connecting to Combat Alzheimer's Disease," a project to increase participation in clinical research by leveraging aging and public health networks.
Click here for more information on HHS Innovates, "Suicide Prevention: What is your role", the other finalists, and to cast your vote. Voting will close next Friday, June 6, 2014.
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No Wrong Door Funding Announcement Applicant Call
The Administration for Community Living, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and Veterans Health Administration jointly issued a Funding Announcement to assist states in the planning of a No Wrong Door (NWD) System that will make it easier for all populations in need of LTSS to learn about and access the services and supports they need.
These agencies will be hosting a call is for interested applicants on June 5, 2014, 3:00 p.m. ET. The call in number is: 1-888-455-9730; Passcode: 2780
Click here to view the funding announcement.
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Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Texas and CMS Finalize MOU for Dual Integration Demonstration
On May 23, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that Texas received a memorandum of understanding to move forward with its dual eligible integration project. Under the demonstration, 168,000 dual eligible in six counties will be eligible to participate. Texas' demonstration will build upon the state's existing Medicaid Managed Care program, known as STAR+PLUS. Demonstration plans will be limited to the managed care organizations already participating in the STAR+PLUS program. The pilot is scheduled to begin March 1, 2015.
Click here for more information about the demonstration.
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DOL Announces Funding to Promote Employment of People with Disabilities
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has announced the availability of $15 million in grants to state workforce agencies to increase the employment of people with disabilities in current career programs. The funds will go toward the Disability Employment Initiative (DEI), a joint program of DOL's Employment and Training Administration and Office of Disability Employment Policy. The current announcement is for the fifth round of DEI grants. According to the announcement, DOL intends to award at least one grant in each of three population focus areas:
- projects that focus on adults (ages 18 and older) with disabilities;
- projects that focus on youth (ages 14-24) with disabilities; and
- projects that focus on individuals (ages 14 and older) with significant disabilities.
DOL indicates that they expect to award eight states with grants from between $1.5 to $2.5 million.
Click here to view the DOL announcement.
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ODEP Signs Alliance Agreement with
the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society
On May 19, Assistant Secretary Kathy Martinez of the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and President Emeritus Richard Bancells of the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society signed an alliance agreement to promote disability employment and total inclusion for people with disabilities in the workforce at the Nationals Park baseball stadium in Washington, DC. Learn more here.
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Health and Human Services
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HHS Releases National Alzheimer's Plan 2014 Update
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius presented the "National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease" 2014 Update at a meeting of the federal Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services on April 29. The council received updates on the plan's implementation from its three subcommittees: Research, Clinical Care, and Long-Term Services and Supports. Among the updates were: the identification of 11 Alzheimer's-risk genes that provide new insights about disease pathways and possible drug targets; an almost 14 percent reduction of the inappropriate use of anti-psychotics among long-stay nursing home residents with dementia; and funding to states for development of dementia-capable long-term services and supports systems. The council will meet next on July 21, 2014.
Click here to view a complete video of the April 29 meeting.
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Alzheimer's Foundation of America
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AFA Care Connection Teleconference: A Loving Approach to Dementia Care
The Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA) will hold its free monthly teleconference on June 12, 2014, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET for family and professional caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related illnesses. Guest expert Laura Wayman, author of "A Loving Approach to Dementia Care," will discuss "Finding Joy, Purpose, and Fulfillment as a Dementia Caregiver."
Click here for details on this teleconference and the monthly series.
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Employer Assistance and Resource Network
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EARN Talks Inclusion in ABILITY Magazine
A recent Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN) article in ABILITY Magazine, a leading magazine covering health, disability and human potential, highlighted key elements of an inclusive workplace as prescribed by the new Section 503 and VEVRAA regulations.
In the article titled, "Federal Contractors: Creating a Culture of Inclusion," Kathleen Lee, Business Outreach Specialist at Cornell University's National Employer Technical Assistance Center discussed how federal contractors can incorporate inclusive strategies to capitalize on new opportunities to expand the hiring of people with disabilities and veterans, to move beyond compliance, increase employee engagement and productivity, and create a culture that values the contributions of all employees.
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Employer Practices Rehabilitation Research and Training Center
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Employer Practices RRTC Launches New Website
The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Employer Practices Related to Employment Outcomes among Individuals with Disabilities (Employer Practices RRTC) has launched a new website. The site contains information summarizing the research that was presented at the October 2013 State of the Science Conference, along with research briefs, links to papers, and links to online tools and resources. The site also features short videos clips of representatives from business, government and academia, sharing their perspectives on the importance of the findings of the Employer Practices RRTC to date. This rehabilitation research and training center is funded to Cornell University by the U.S. Department of Education National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR).
Click here to view the Employer Practices RRTC website.
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Public Health Dimensions of Cognitive Aging Meeting
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) Committee on the Public Health Dimensions of Cognitive Aging will host a public workshop on June 9, 2014, 8:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. PT at the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center of the National Academies in Irvine, California. In the afternoon, the public will have the opportunity to provide testimony and comments. The goal of the committee is to make recommendations focused on the public health aspects of cognitive aging with an emphasis on the following:
- Definitions and terminology
- Epidemiology and surveillance
- Prevention and intervention
- Education of health
- Public awareness and education
Click here to request the opportunity to make comments,
receive instructions for attending the workshop remotely through the WebEx platform.
Click here for more information or to register to attend the workshop on site.
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Money Follows the Person: A 2013 State Survey of Transitions, Services, and Costs
The Kaiser Family Foundation published a new survey report showing more than 35,000 people had participated in the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program by August 2013. The survey report included each of the 45 states involved in the MFP program. Enacted in 2006, the MFP demonstration allows elders and people with disabilities with Medicaid-funded long-term services and supports to transition from institutional settings to their preferred home and community-based settings. The MFP program was extended through 2016 by the Affordable Care Act. The survey report showed that 20 states reported that a lack of "safe, affordable, and accessible housing" was the biggest challenge preventing them from enrolling more people with Medicaid into MFP. The survey report also found that, in two-thirds of participating states, the number of direct-care workers was sufficient to care for people who used MFP to transition back to their homes and communities.
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Congressional Briefing: The Rising Threat of Alzheimer's Disease
The LEAD Coalition, comprised of Alzheimer's Foundation of America, BrightFocus Foundation, Cure Alzheimer's Fund and USAgainstAlzheimer's will host a congressional briefing "The Rising Threat of Alzheimer's Disease & the Most Promising Research Efforts to Stop It." on June 12, 2014, 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET in Washington, DC.
Dr. David Bennett, director of the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center in Chicago, will discuss the recent mortality report - for which he was principal author - that found that more than 500,000 deaths of Americans age 75 or older were attributable to Alzheimer's disease each year. LEAD Coalition members Stacy Pagos Haller, Tim Armour and George Vradenburg will discuss the current state of Alzheimer's disease clinical research. Ian Kremer, LEAD Coalition executive director, will moderate the briefing.
Click here to for briefing details and to RSVP.
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OWL Mother's Day Report on Long-Term Care
On May 8, the Older Women's League (OWL) held a Capitol Hill briefing in Washington, DC to release its 2014 Mother's Day report entitled "Long-Term Care, Managing Our Future." In the report, OWL takes an in-depth look at the issue of long-term care. The report highlights the urgent need to ensure quality long-term care and to protect consumers from catastrophic long-term care costs that can devastate individuals and families. The report also calls on lawmakers to implement important policy recommendations.
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Rehabilitation Research and Training Institute
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The Rehabilitation Research and Training Institute is holding a free webinar on aging and people with intellectual disabilities on June 9, 2014, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. People with intellectual disabilities encounter many of the same issues associated with aging as do people who do not have an intellectual disability. The webinar will examine the physical, cognitive, and behavioral changes typical of the aging process and explore, as well, how these changes manifest for someone with an intellectual disability. Free CEUs are available.
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Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement
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Perspectives of Millennial and Boomer Women: Who's Better Off?
The Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement is holding a briefing and reception on June 10, 2014, 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET (Registration and light refreshments at 2:00 p.m.) in Washington, DC. This event will feature a panel discussing recent research on the financial well-being of Millennials and Boomers. Attendees will include individuals from women's and aging organizations, the financial literacy and retirement planning communities, financial service organizations, policy organizations, and government agencies.
More details and a complete agenda will follow soon.
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AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting
Join AcademyHealth in San Diego, California on June 8-10, 2014 for its Annual Research Meeting (ARM) to:
- Examine emerging research issues critical to the organization, financing, and management of health services;
- Get updates on the latest research studies and current health policy issues;
- Hear the research funding priorities of foundations and federal agencies; and
- Explore the impact of health services research on improving access and quality of care.
The ARM program is designed for health services researchers, providers, key decision makers, clinicians, graduate students, and research analysts. Online registration deadline is May 30, 2014.
Click here to learn more and register for the event.
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Information Specialist II/Public Information Officer
The Iowa Department on Aging Area is seeking an Information Specialist that will work closely with the Department Director and management team in crafting a statewide marketing plan that promotes the Iowa Department on Aging, Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, Area Agencies on Aging and Iowa's Aging Network. The incumbent will craft or write guest editorials; social media and ListServ releases; prepare and coordinate public presentations, press releases and other department promotional materials. The incumbent will also work with a variety of other department personnel in the coordination, writing formatting and release of department newsletters and periodicals such as "Aging Watch", "Healthy Iowans Update", the annual report of the OSLTCO, Volunteer Newsletter of the OSLTCO, consumer fact sheets and other educational and advocacy materials.
Click here to apply and learn more about the position.
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The Dementia Diaries is a book that follows four young people dealing with dementia in their grandparents. The book is for young people about dementia from the perspective of a young person. Adapted from interviews with young carers across Kent, England, the Dementia Diaries' end goal is to raise awareness of dementia among young people in a way that's fun, shareable and life-affirming. Learn more here.
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