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Save the Date!
30th Annual National HCBS Conference
September 15-18, 2014
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World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2014
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World Elder Abuse Awareness Day - June 15, 2014
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) was launched on June 15, 2006 by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations. The purpose of WEAAD is to provide an opportunity for communities around the world to promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons by raising awareness of the cultural, social, economic and demographic processes affecting elder abuse and neglect.
WEAAD is also in support of the United Nations International Plan of Action acknowledging the significance of elder abuse as a public health and human rights issue. WEAAD serves as a call-to-action for individuals, organizations, and communities to raise awareness about elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The National Center on Elder Abuse joins the Administration for Community Living in inviting the public to take a stand against elder abuse and protect seniors.
Click here to find resources, events, and ideas to take action.
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Labor-HHS Subcommittee Endorses Spending Bill, Includes $10 Million for Elder Justice
Earlier this week, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (Labor-HHS) approved a $156.8 billion fiscal year (FY) 2015 spending bill. Frequently among the more contentious of the 12 annual spending bills, the Labor-HHS measure recommends funding levels for many critical non-defense discretionary programs, including the Older Americans Act (OAA). As considered by the Subcommittee, the draft bill rejects several cuts proposed by the Administration in its FY15 budget request, opting instead to maintain FY14 funding levels for initiatives such as Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) and Community Services Block Grant (CSBG).
The measure also includes $10 million to implement the Elder Justice Initiative at the Administration for Community Living (ACL). While short of the $25 million requested in the President's FY15 budget, this funding would represent the first direct appropriation for the Elder Justice Act, which was signed into law in 2010. Next steps for the bill include consideration by the full Appropriations Committee, but no date has been set. Though a summary of the bill has been released, the bill text has not. Accordingly, beyond those programs highlighted in the summary document, the Subcommittee's recommendations are not yet known.
Click here to view the bill summary.
Click here to view an audio recording of Tuesday's hearing.
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Registration Open for 30th Annual HCBS Conference
Registration is open for the 30th Annual National Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Conference from September 15-18, 2014 in Arlington, VA. This conference showcases innovative national, federal, state and local delivery and policy developments vital for assuring that Americans of all ages and abilities receive the highest quality community living supports, care, and services possible.
Over 1,000 national, federal, state and local leaders, advocates, and champions for children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities from across the nation are expected to attend the conference. Due to the overwhelming success of last year's conference, the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) has decided to again host special Pre-conference Intensives.
This year, 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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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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National Study of Long-Term Care Providers
In the next few weeks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics will begin fielding the second wave of the National Study of Long-Term Care Providers (NSLTCP). This biennial National Study of Long-Term Care Providers (NSLTCP), is a groundbreaking initiative to monitor trends in the major sectors of paid, regulated long-term care services providers. NSLTCP includes adult day services centers, home health agencies, hospices, nursing homes, and assisted living and similar residential care communities. This study will help policymakers, health care planners, and providers better understand, plan for, and serve the future long-term care needs of the older population and disabled young adults.
Click here for more information.
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Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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CMS Vacancy Announcement
The Disabled and Elderly Health Programs Group (DEHPG) at CMS is seeking qualified candidates for several staff level positions across various divisions. The hiring divisions include:
- Division of Benefits and Coverage
- Division of Long Term Services & Supports
- Division of Community Systems Transformation
- Division of Integrated Health Systems
DEHPG encourages interested and qualified candidates to apply through USAJobs and the vacancy announcement will remain open through June 17, 2014.
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National Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an informational bulletin related to the National Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Survey of Adult Medicaid Enrollees. This informational bulletin describes a new nationwide survey of access to care and experiences of care among adult Medicaid enrollees. The survey will be conducted in the fall of 2014 using a modified version of the Adult Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS�) Medicaid 5.0H questionnaire. This bulletin is also intended to call the attention of organizations to the next steps for states.
Click here to view the informational bulletin.
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Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers Opportunity
The Department of Education recently announced a Grant Opportunity aimed at enhancing independence in the daily lives of adults with cognitive impairment through technology. The Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program provide funding to plan and conduct research, demonstration projects, training, and related activities, including international activities. The funding will also develop methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technology that maximize the full inclusion and integration into society, employment, independent living, family support, and economic and social self sufficiency of individuals with disabilities, especially individuals with the most severe disabilities. The program is intended to improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Applications are dueAugust 4, 2014.
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Food and Drug Administration
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Medication Safety Tips for Older Adults
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a new consumer update article titled, Four Medication Safety Tips for Older Adults. The update offers older Americans basic tips on how to prevent the serious health risks associated with potential drug interactions. The FDA notes that older Americans in particular are at greater risk of dangerous drug interactions given the increased likelihood that they are taking multiple prescribed medications for various health conditions and natural metabolic changes that affect the body's ability to process prescribed medications.
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Presidential Proclamation - World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, 2014
The White House released a press release by President Barack Obama regarding World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, 2014. "Each year, the international community renews its commitment to addressing a human rights issue that too often goes ignored -- elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Elder abuse damages public health and threatens millions of our parents, grandparents, and friends. It is a crisis that knows no borders or socio-economic lines. On World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, we strengthen our resolve to replace neglect with care and exploitation with respect. America must lead by example, and my Administration remains dedicated to ending elder abuse, supporting victims, and holding abusers accountable."
Click here to view the entire release.
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| American Association on Health and Disability |
New Fact Sheet - Medicaid Buy-In
The American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) has announced the publication of a new fact sheet for the National Disability Navigator Resource Collaborative (NDNRC). Medicaid Buy-In is intended to give Navigators and Enrollment Specialists answers to the questions that people with disabilities may have about possible Medicaid Buy-In as a coverage option when they are looking into purchasing private insurance in the Marketplace. The Buy-In program is an optional Medicaid coverage group for working individuals with disabilities.
This fact sheet provides additional assistance for those assisting consumers with disabilities on Medicaid issues as it adds to a series of fact sheets which have addressed the process for Medicaid eligibility, the medically frail status and information on Medicaid HCBS waiting lists. The entire list of fact sheets is available here.
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| American Society on Aging |
12 Simply Safety and Security Tips for Aging in Place
The American Society on Aging (ASA) released an article titled, 12 Simple Safety and Security Tips for Aging in Place. The article offers basic tips for older adults to make their home living environment as safe as possible. The tips are made available right in time for National Safety Month, and include suggestions that emphasize proactive steps toward fall prevention at home.
Click here to view the article.
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New Interactive Tool on Income and Assets Among Medicare Beneficiaries
The Kaiser Family Foundation has released their newest interactive tool on income and assets among Medicare Beneficiaries, now and in the future. A small share of the 52.4 million elderly individuals and people with disabilities on Medicare have relatively high incomes, but most are of modest means, with half living on incomes of less than $23,500 last year. Although the majority of beneficiaries have some savings, the value of their assets varies dramatically, and is much lower for black and Hispanic than white beneficiaries, for widows than for widowers, and for younger Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities and seniors over age 85. The interactive tool explores these differences in Medicare beneficiaries' income and assets.
Click here to view the interactive tool and a short video clip. |
Mediware Acquires Harmony Information Systems
On June 11, 2014, Mediware announced that it acquired Harmony Information Systems. Harmony is an information technology company with a large presence in post-acute and long-term services and supports systems. According to the company, Harmony has business relationships with 40 state-level agencies, including a number of aging and disability agencies. Mediware, the new parent company, has a long history of providing software and related services to a variety of entities in the health care system.
Click here for more information.
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Spring 2014 Fiscal Survey of States Report
The National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO) released the Spring 2014 Fiscal Survey of States report. The report shows that state budgets are expected to continue their trend of moderate growth in fiscal 2015 according to governors' spending proposals. The report also shows that consistent year-over-year growth has helped states achieve relative budget stability, but progress remains slow for many states. Executive budgets in 42 states call for higher general fund spending levels in fiscal 2015 compared to fiscal 2014. In aggregate, general fund spending is projected to increase by 2.9 percent in fiscal 2015.
Click here to view the report summary and full report. |
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National Academy of Social Insurance
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Dignity-Driven Decision Making: What is it and Why is it so Important?
The National Academy of Social Insurance has released a new brief on Dignity-Driven Decision Making (DDDM). The brief reports that DDDM is beginning to move into wider circulation in the U.S. health care system, driven by an accelerating push on two fronts: an imperative to substantially improve the quality of services for individuals with advanced illness by recognizing and incorporating their stated preferences into all aspects of care, and the goal of establishing a degree of consistency and control over costs late in life. The brief also explains the challenge to push DDDM beyond the boundaries of initial development to continue the empowerment of patients and ways to ensure that their dignity remains intact as they approach the end of life.
Click here to view the brief.
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National Association of State Head Injury Administrators
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TBI Public Funding - Part II: Medicaid TBI HCBS Waivers
The National Association of State Head Injury
Administrators (NASHIA) is holding a webinar on June 18, 2014, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Presenters will provide an overview of �1915(c) Medicaid TBI HCBS Waiver programs and community LTSS options; recent CMS rules governing HCBS characteristics; and State trends/initiatives addressing LTSS for individuals with brain injury.
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National Council on Aging
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Innovative Type 2 Diabetes Self-Management Program
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) in collaboration with Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, WellPoint, YMCA, and OASIS have developed a face-to-face and online support program that will help individuals manage their Type 2 diabetes. The program consists of a six-week workshop available both in-person and online, that offers education about the condition, information about ways to improve overall help, and provides tips and tools for meeting personal health goals. Workshop participants may also take part in a research study of the pilot program.
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2014 Consumer Voice Annual Conference - Registration Open
Registration is open for the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care is holding the 2014 Consumer Voice Annual Conference from November 15-19, 2014 in Arlington, VA. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with advocates and colleagues from across the country; interact directly with long-term care consumers; hear from the best speakers in the field; receive the latest long-term care policy updates from key experts; and acquire tools and resources that will re-energize their work and help put advocacy into action. Participants can register before July 22, 2014 and save $50 with the Early Bird rate. Room rates are a low $149/night.
Click here to register for the conference.
Click here for more accommodation and conference information.
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Business Operations Manager - Policy, Strategy, and International Affairs
AARP Policy, Strategy and International Affairs Division is seeking a Business Operations Manager in the Executive Vice President (EVP) office for Policy. The ideal candidate will
manage the group financial and capital management activities, budget forecasting, development and tracking, as well as other operational needs of the EVP office including coordinating procurement and help with planning. The ideal candidate will also bring strong operations experience, project management, and good communication skills. AARP
delivers policy solutions that improves the lives of people 50+ and their families.
Click here for more details and contact information.
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Policy Outreach Director - Public Policy Institute
AARP Public Policy Institute is seeking a Policy Outreach Director to help engage with external thought leaders, academic institutions and other influential organizations. The ideal candidate will bring a strong combination of policy experience, project management and communications skills. AARP delivers policy solutions that improves the lives of people 50+ and their families.
Click here for more details and contact information.
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Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month
June is Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month. Worldwide, there are at least 44 million people living with Alzheimer's disease and other dementia's.This month, there are many ways to help raise awareness and inspire action. These include:
- Talk about Alzheimer's each time you meet other people
- Post, tweet and share the facts about Alzheimer's disease and other dementia's
- Show your commitment to the cause by wearing purple, the official color of the Alzheimer's movement
The Alzheimer's Association states that everyone who has a brain is at risk to develop Alzheimer's - but everyone can help to fight it. The goal is for the public to get involved and hopefully end Alzheimer's.
Click here for more information.
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