March 27, 2015
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From NASUAD  
NASUAD Presents NCI-AD to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
In June 2014, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) laid out a vision for a future health IT ecosystem where electronic health information is appropriately and readily available to empower consumers, support clinical decision-making, inform population and public health and value based payment, and advance science. Part of that work includes developing electronic standards that can enable the creation, exchange, and re-use of interoperable service plans for use by health care and community-based long-term services and supports providers, payers and the individuals they serve (termed the 'eLTSS initiative').

Our sister association, the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services and NASUAD jointly presented on the National Core Indicators and National Core Indicators - Aging and Disabilities to the eLTSS workgroup on Thursday, March 26. These quality measurement tools were identified as an initiative that will help inform the eLTSS target outcomes and deliverables.

Click here for more information on ONC's eLTSS work. 
Education & Training for Older Workers Presentation Available
On Thursday, March 26, the National I&R Support Center hosted a webinar on education and training for older workers. The webinar addressed issues facing older workers, explored training and education options and considerations for this population, and highlighted trends and innovations that may benefit older workers and older learners. Led by Kathy Krepcio, Executive Director of the Heldrich Center, the presentation included findings from a new report, Improving Education and Training for Older Workers, developed as part of the AARP Future of Work@50+ Initiative.  

Click here to access the visual presentation and audio recording.  
NASUAD Spring Meeting and MLTSS Symposium Registration Open
The National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) will host its 2015 Spring Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, on April 22-25. This year's meeting is divided into two parts with one fee that covers the entire event.

The NASUAD membership meeting will take place April 22  and 23. Participants will learn important updates to federal regulations and policies, discuss findings from the first year of the National Core Indicators-Aging and Disabilities consumer survey, and share experiences on how to address the challenges facing states as they deliver high-quality long-term services and supports. Participants will also have the opportunity to meet and discuss issues of concern with federal officials from ACL and CMS; members will participate in setting NASUAD's policy priorities for 2015.
 
NASUAD will host the Managed Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) Symposium on April 24 and 25. Participants will engage in in-depth conversations about key issues in MLTSS and learn more about the valuable opportunities managed care provides for state system development. Currently, registration spots are being held for state representation, however NASUAD invites our partners in the aging and disability community, health plans and their representatives to be put on a waiting list to see if space is still available.
 
Click here to register and learn more about both events. 
HCBS Clearinghouse E-Clips
This section of  Friday Update highlights reports that have been added to the HCBS Clearinghouse within the past week. Visit www.nasuad.org/hcbs for more information.
Toolkit for Building Intergenerational Communities
Generations United has released a toolkit to help communities develop intergenerational best practices. The publication, Creating An Age-Advanced Community: A Toolkit for Building Intergenerational Communities that Recognize, Engage, and Support All Ages, includes planning tips and inspiring stories from communities across the United States, engagement and development scales to assess programs, a self-administered community assessment, and an infographic.

Click here to access the toolkit.

Poor Whatever the Measure
Published in this month's Social Science Quarterly, the article "More Likely to Be Poor Whatever the Measure: Working-Age Persons with Disabilities in the United States" explains findings that show disability in the U.S. is associated with poverty, irrespective of which poverty measure is used. In the study, the authors use the official poverty measure, the supplemental poverty measure (SPM), and two multidimensional poverty measures created by the authors themselves.

Click here to access the full article.

British Columbia Initiative for Transition Planning
This article from BC Medical Journal offers some tools and processes developed to aid the transition of chronic care youth from pediatric care into adult primary and specialist care. The  author specifically discusses the Shared Care Youth Transition Initiative as an effective approach to transition planning.

Click here to view the article.

From the Administration
Administration for Community Living
Funding Opportunity for a Paralysis Resource Center
ACL is now accepting grant applications for a National Paralysis Resource Center to improve the health and quality of life of individuals living with paralysis, their families, and caregivers by raising awareness of and facilitating access to a broad range of services relevant to individuals with paralysis. Applications for funding are due April 27 through Grants.gov.

Click here for additional details on the grant opportunity. 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Medicaid & CHIP Enrollment Report for Jan 2015
CMS has released the January 2015 monthly report on state Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) eligibility and enrollment data. The data show nearly 400,000 additional enrollees in January 2015, which brings the total number of individuals enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP close to 70 million.

Click here to view the full report.
Summer Intern Program to Be Announced  
The 2015 CMS Summer Intern Program will be announced during the week of April 6, 2015, via vacancy announcements posted to USAJOBS.gov. Vacancy announcements will only be posted for three days. 
 
This 12-week internship is designed for current students with an unweighted cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. The purpose of the Summer Intern Program is to enhance students' knowledge about CMS programs, mission, vision, and goals. The program seeks to familiarize participants with Federal, State, and local health care programs.

Click here for more information on the program.  
From Congress
House of Representatives
House Votes to Repeal Medicare SGR Policy   
On Thursday, March 26, the House of Representatives voted to pass a bill that would permanently repeal Medicare's Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) provision. SGR is a provision intended to slow the rate of growth in Medicare physician payments; however, the policy would result in a significant cut to doctor reimbursements if unchanged. Over the past decade, Congress has passed numerous pieces of legislation that established short-term fixes to the provision. The legislation under consideration would end SGR and establish new physician payment policies. The bill also contains a number of other health care policies, including two additional years of funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), an extension of programs that provide financial assistance to some Medicare beneficiaries, and outreach and assistance regarding Medicare Part D. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration. President Obama released a statement announcing that he will sign the bill into law if it passes through Congress.

Click here to view the details.
From Other Organizations
American Association of People with Disabilities
Tony Coelho Media Scholarship 
The NBCUniversal Tony Coelho Scholarship will offer four scholarships for college students with disabilities who are pursing communications or media-related degrees. Each recipient will  receive $5,625 for tuition and fees for the spring, summer, or fall semesters of 2015. All applications and supporting materials are due on Friday, April 24 by 5:00 p.m. ET.

Click here for complete details on the scholarship and how to apply.
The Commonwealth Fund
Webinar: Health & Health Care Among Older Adults in 11 Countries
This webinar will feature key findings from The Commonwealth Fund's 2014 International Health Policy Survey. The survey compared the views and experiences of people 65 and older on issues of health and health care use, health care costs and access, care coordination, end-of-life planning, and more. The survey was conducted in 11 countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The webinar is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, April 1 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET.

Click here to register. 
n4a
Seeking Nominations for Aging Innovations & Achievement Awards
The call for nominations is open for n4a's Aging Innovations Awards and Aging Achievements Awards. The awards program recognizes AAAs and Title VI aging programs that exemplify innovation and sound management practices. Nominations are open until Tuesday, March 31 and must be submitted online. Award winners will be showcased at the n4a Annual Conference & Tradeshow this July.

Click here to view the 2015 Nominations Process and submit a nomination.
National Council on Aging 
Webinar: Strong Brains, Sharp Minds 
This two-part webinar series will cover fundamentals about the aging brain and the latest brain science research. Presenters will also address risk factors and self-care opportunities. Part 1: Understanding the Building Blocks will take place on Thursday, April 9 at 1:30 p.m. ET. Part 2: Offering Practical, Low-Cost Brain Health Programs in your Community is scheduled for Thursday, May 7.

Click here for more details and registration for the webinar. 
National Disability Navigator Resource Collaborative 
State-Specific Fact Sheets  
NDNRC has released five new state-specific New York fact sheets to help navigators and assisters better serve the needs of consumers with disabilities. The NY fact sheets were prepared by the NDNRC's Community Outreach Collaborative in the state, the Center for Independence of the Disabled, NY. The full list of topical and population-specific fact sheets from NDNRC can be found here.

Click here to view the state-specific fact sheets for New York.
Just for Fun
ADAPT
FUN*RUN for Disability Rights
ADAPT'S 10th Annual FUN*RUN will take place on Sunday, April 19 at Upper Senate Park in Washington, DC. The event supports disability activists in the continued fight to end institutional bias in the long term services and supports system. Senator Tom Harkin is collecting sponsors to support his participation in this year's FUN*RUN. 

Click here to learn more about the FUN*RUN.
Click here to sponsor Tom Harkin.
Job & Internship Postings
DCTV Internship Opportunity for High Schoolers
In partnership with the D.C. Office on Aging, DCTV is offering an internship for high schoolers in grades 10-12 to participate in The Centenarian Project, an intergenerational video profile of DC residents who are 100+ years old. The profiles will be aired on DCTV's seven cable channels. The internship requires a commitment of six hours a week from April 20 to July 3. Applicants must submit their applications by Thursday, April 9 before 5:00 p.m. ET to be considered.

Click here to access the application and full details.
AmeriCorps VISTA Openings with NE State Unit on Aging
The Nebraska State Unit on Aging, in Lincoln, NE, is looking for four outgoing, self-motivated individuals interested in helping the minority and impoverished aging population in the State of Nebraska. Through the Nebraska Strengthening Aging Populations (NSAP) program, VISTA members will collect data, create volunteer databases/spreadsheets with aging-related data, develop training manuals and materials, create a standardized Senior Center Operational manual template, and research the policies and procedures required for Health Promotion/Disease Prevention programs to obtain evidence-based status. Interested applicants should have postsecondary educational or work experience with non-profit organizations, social work, or grant-funded projects. The program will from June 2015 to June 2016. Applications must be submitted by April 27.

Click here to view position details. 
National Organization on Disability Seeks Office Assistant
The National Organization on Disability (NOD) promotes the full participation and contributions of people with disabilities in all aspects of life. Today, NOD focuses on increasing employment opportunities for working-age Americans with disabilities who are not employed. NOD seeks to hire an office assistant for the New York City office. Responsibilities include providing basic administrative support for the Managing Director, coordinating office logisitics, and arranging travel for NOD management.

Click here to view position details and how to apply. 

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