Submit A Proposal for the National HCBS Conference!
The National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) is pleased to announce the Call for Sessions for the 2016 National Home and Community Based Services Conference, August 29-September 1, 2016 in Washington D.C. This conference offers a unique blend of policy, program, and practice issues for professionals interested in home and community-based services for individuals of all abilities and in all settings. Proposals are currently being accepted for one hour and fifteen minute workshops.
The HCBS Conference has become the "go-to" conference for learning in the expanding field of home and community-based services. Don't miss the opportunity to be part of this important conference. Presenting provides an unparalleled opportunity to share new ideas or highlight noteworthy projects, research, and practices with your peers and other professionals. The Call for Sessions for the 2016 HCBS Conference will be open from January 19th - February 29th.
Click here to learn more and submit your session today.
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Register for the Iowa Governor's Conference on Aging & Disabilities!
The Iowa Governor's Conference on Aging & Disabilities, May 23-26th, 2016, will offer a wide array of Iowa, regional and national strategies to address the challenges and embrace the opportunities that accompany the ever-changing aging and disability communities.
The conference is being hosted by the Iowa Department on Aging and the Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council, in partnership with the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities, and directed by a steering committee made up of Iowa business and community leaders and chaired by Lt. Governor Reynolds. Our theme - "Disruptive Innovations" - focuses on the myriad ways Iowa's aging and disability communities are and need to continue evolving: culturally, economically, socially, and technologically.
We are excited to announce our Plenary Speaker, Terry Rich, CEO of the Iowa Lottery. Mr. Rich is an expert at helping organizations realize that saying "it's always been done that way" is the biggest obstacle to allowing for substantive and meaningful change. Mr. Rich will inspire you to go back to your office and consider how you can improve the work you do.
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AIRS Annual Information & Referral Conference Call for Proposals
The Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS) has released the call for proposals for the 2016 Annual Information and Referral (I&R) Training and Education Conference. AIRS is seeking workshops addressing the breadth of I&R service delivery. The Aging and Disability track provides a valuable opportunity to share developments and effective practices in serving older adults and persons with disabilities with I&R colleagues across the country. This track is coordinated by NASUAD's I&R Support Center, which strongly encourages aging and disability I&R agencies to review the call for proposals and consider a submission. Topics such as family caregiving, elder justice, mental health, aging with a disability, developments in home and community-based services, cross-sector partnerships and collaboration (including ADRC and 2-1-1 partnerships), No Wrong Door system building, ADRC funding and sustainability, use of technology in I&R, transportation, health coverage (Medicare and Medicaid coverage), and data collection and quality assurance are all topics of interest in aging and disability I&R.
The conference is being held in St. Louis, Missouri, with pre-conference intensives on May 22, 2016 and the regular conference May 23-25, 2016. Please contact Nanette Relave with any questions.
The deadline for proposal submissions is Wednesday, February 10, 2016. Send submissions for the Aging and Disability track to Nanette Relave.
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HCBS Clearinghouse E-Clips
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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.
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Funding Sources Available to States to Help Low-Income Persons
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) created a resource that explains the funding sources available to states for meeting the health-related social needs of low-income persons. NASHP and RWJF created this resource because the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CCMI) created the Accountable Health Communities initiative that is meant to bridge the gap between health care and social services. The publication specifically brings attention to funding sources that states can use to help adult high-cost/high-need residents live.
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Additional Oversight Needed of CMS' Demonstration to Coordinate Care
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) began the Financial Alignment Demonstration in 2013 to improve care coordination. GAO was asked to examine care coordination under this demonstration. On January 19, The Government Accountability Office publicly released a report with their recommendations for CMS. GAO found that the states have a fair amount of flexibility in designing their demonstrations which resulted in different measures in each state. GAO recommends that CMS develop new measures and align the current measures to improve oversight of care coordination.
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| Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services |
Final Rule to Improve Medicaid Prescription Drug Rebates/Reimbursements
On Thursday, January 21, 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized a rule that explains reforms to the rebate and reimbursement systems for Medicaid prescription drugs. This rule should save the federal and state governments $2.7 billion over a five year span. Included in the rule are new definitions, long-term framework for implementation of the Medicaid drug rebate and reimbursement programs, and details of how the rebates are calculated. Prescription drug prices are at an all time high, this rule is one step the federal government is taking in an effort to lower costs. CMS is still considering comments on the final rule at this time.
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| Department of Health and Human Services |
Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee Meeting
The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the first meeting for the Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee. The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) required the creation of the Committee, whose members were appointed by the Comptroller General. The Committee is responsible for reviewing proposals for physician-focused payment models submitted by stakeholders. The first meeting of the Committee will take place on Monday, February 1, 2016.
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| Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission |
Agenda Available for First MACPAC Meeting of 2016
The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) is holding its first meeting of 2016 on Thursday, January 28, 2016, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Washington, DC. MACPAC has posted the agenda for the upcoming meeting on their website along with additional meeting information. The meeting is split into three sessions with various topics to be discussed during each section. MACPAC will accept public comments following the morning and afternoon sessions on their website.
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| Social Security Administration |
Online Social Security Forms Available
The Social Security Administration's (SSA) website is home to many forms to download, print, and fill out. The forms include applications for disability benefits, child's insurance benefits, Medicare enrollment, appealing a medical decision, and requesting a waiver on an overpayment. These forms to apply for benefits are also available to be filled out and submitted online. You can find out more information by reading Disability.gov's Guide to Disability Benefits or call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY: 1-800-325-0778).
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Webinar: Helpful Information and Practical Skills for Military Families with Secondary Trauma
Easter Seals Dixon Center for Military & Caregiver Services - in partnership with Atlas Research, Caregiver Action Network, Family Caregiver Alliance, National Alliance for Caregiving, Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving, and USO - is sponsoring a Military Caregivers webinar on helpful information and practical skills for military families with secondary trauma. Presenter Jane Hamilton RN, MSN, CEO, Founder of Partners on the Path, trainer, Easter Seals Dixon Center National Veteran Caregiver Training Program will outline important facts about secondary trauma in military families and will describe skills and helpful resources to help you effectively cope as a caregiver. The webinar will take place on Tuesday, January 26, 2016, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET.
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| Florida Dental Association |
Volunteers Needed for Two-Day Dental Clinic
The Florida Dental Association is seeking volunteers for the Florida Dental Association (FDA) Mission of Mercy event, also known as FLA-MOM. FLA-MOM is a two-day dental clinic with the goal of treating 3,000 patients. This event offers free dental services- including cleanings, fillings, extractions, partial dentures, root canals, and x-rays, for people in need. FLA-MOM is seeking all different types of volunteers including dentists, hygienists, physicians, nurses, EMTs, students, and general volunteers. The event will take place on April 21, 22, and 23, 2016.
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| Health Management Associates |
Webinar: Self-Assessment Tool for Value-Based Payment Readiness
Health Management Associates (HMA) is hosting a webinar on a self-assessment tool for primary care providers, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and behavioral health providers to use for value-based payment readiness. HMA experts Mary Goddeeris, Senior Consultant; Peter Epp, Partner; and Deborah Zahn, Principal, will demonstrate how the readiness tool can help practices as they prepare themselves for value-based payments. This webinar is recommended for executives of FQHCs, health systems, physician practices, behavioral health providers, and other provider organizations; primary care associations; behavioral health associations; Medicaid managed care plan executives; and Medicaid directors and staff. The webinar will take place on Wednesday, January 27, 2016, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET.
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Webinar:Resident-to-Resident Elder Mistreatment in Nursing Homes
The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, in partnership with the National Center for Elder Abuse (NCEA), is hosting a webinar to discuss resident-to-resident elder mistreatment. Dr. Karl Pillemer, Director, Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research, Hazel E. Reed Professor in the Department of Human Development, Professor of Gerontology in Medicine at the Weill Cornell Medical College, will share findings, recommendations, and best practices from his research regarding the prevalence and reporting of resident-to-resident elder mistreatment in nursing facilities. The webinar will take place on Tuesday, February 2, 2016, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET.
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| National Disability Institute |
Webinar: ABLE Implementation 2016
The National Disability Institute (NDI) and the ABLE National Resource Center are hosting a webinar on Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE Act) implementation for 2016. This webinar aims to highlight the various components of this progress in an effort to better prepare and educate individuals with disabilities and their families, state ABLE administrators, the greater disability advocacy community, and other relevant stakeholders as to the current status of ABLE and what we can expect in the next 12 months. Expert panelists Chris Rodriguez, Senior Public Policy Advisor, National Disability Institute; Heather Sachs, Vice President of Advocacy & Public Policy, National Down Syndrome Society; Ken Brown, Social Security Administration; Marty Ford, Senior Executive Officer, Public Policy, The Arc; Stuart Spielman, Senior Policy Advisor and Counsel, Autism Speaks; and, William Thompson, Deputy Executive Director, Florida Prepaid College Board, will discuss implementation for this year. Real time captioning will be available for this free webinar. This event will take place on Friday, February 5, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. ET.
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Webinar:Home and Community-Based Services to Support Community Living
The Home and Community Based-Services Committee is convening via webinar format on January 29, 2016. The meeting will cover a discussion of their December 2015 interim report, Addressing Performance Measure Gaps in Home and Community-Based Services to Support Community Living: Synthesis of Evidence and Environmental Scan, including comments from the public. The meeting objectives include: Reviewing results from the synthesis of evidence and environmental scan; discussing public comments received on the 2nd Interim Report; reviewing prioritization approach and working ahead of the March 2016 in-person Committee Meeting. The webinar will take place on January 29, 2016, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET.
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Pew Charitable Trusts Seeks Senior Associate for Government Relations
Pew Charitable Trusts is seeking applicants for the position of Senior Association of Government Relations. The Senior Associate will be an integral part of the Government Relations team in Washington, D.C. and will work with a number of health related advocacy and research projects. Qualified applicants must have a minimum of five years of professional experience working with policymakers and staff in government relations, government service, state or federal campaigns and/or policy advocacy, experience in both state and federal government, a Bachelor's degree in a related field, and a health policy background. All applications must be submitted by Monday, February 8, 2016.
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Supportive Services Demonstration for Elderly Households in HUD-Assisted Multifamily Housing
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced it is making approximately $15 million available to test a promising housing and services model for low-income seniors to age in their own homes and delay or avoid the need for nursing home care.
HUD's Supportive Services Demonstration for Elderly Households in HUD-Assisted Multifamily Housing will offer three-year grants to eligible owners of HUD-assisted senior housing developments to cover the cost of a full-time Enhanced Service Coordinator and a part-time Wellness Nurse. The purpose of the Demonstration is to test the effectiveness of this enhanced supportive services model for elderly households and to evaluate the value of enhanced service coordination paired with affordable housing for seniors. The demonstration will be independently evaluated to determine the impact of the enhanced supportive services model on: Aging in place in HUD-assisted senior developments; avoiding early transitions to institutional care, and; preventing unnecessary and often costly health care events-such as some emergency room visits and hospitalizations-for residents in HUD-assisted senior developments. Grant applications must be submitted electronically by Monday, April 18, 2016, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
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Inclusive Planning Impact Grant
The Transit Planning for All project has announced the availability of funding for community-cased demonstration programs. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to encourage development of an inclusive coordinated transportation system in which people with disabilities and older adults actively participate in both advisory and decision-making capacities. While the intention is first and foremost the development of inclusionary processes and plans, the secondary expectation is that inclusion will result in identifiable and measurable changes in the transportation system that respond to the needs and preferences of older adults and people with disabilities.
To take advantage of this funding opportunity, communities should download both the request for proposals and the grant application form. All requirements stated in the application form must be met in order for an application to be considered. There will be a conference call to answer questions on the demonstration grants on Wednesday, Jan. 27 at 2 p.m. ET. Call toll-free: 866-906-9888; Passcode 2724141. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM ET on Friday, March 18, 2016.
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CMS Accountable Health Communities Grant
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation released a request for proposal (RFP) for an Affordable Care Act (ACA) funding opportunity for Accountable Health Communities (AHC), funding opportunity number CMS-1P1-17-001. The AHC model will test three community-focused interventions of varying intensity and their ability to impact total health care costs and inpatient and outpatient health care utilization. There are different tracks-Increase Awareness, Provide Assistance, and Align Partners-with varying funding amounts available. Each track will run for a five year period. A letter of intent to apply is required and due by Monday, February 8, 2016. An electronic cooperative agreement application is due by 1:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 31, 2016.
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State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) Base Grant
The Administration for Community Living released the application for the the 2016 State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) Base Grant Funding Opportunity. Congress created the SHIP in 1990 with the goal of assisting Medicare-eligible individuals, their families, and their caregivers to make informed health insurance choices. There are currently 54 active SHIP grants; one in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The funds awarded through this application are for the FY 2016 budget period, April 1, 2016 - March 31, 2017. Eligible applicants are states and United States territories that demonstrate their ability to provide the program through the state office of insurance, the state Medicaid office, or the department on aging.All applications must be submitted by Monday, February 15, 2016, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
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Enhanced Training & Services to End Abuse in Later Life Program Grant
The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) has released the Fiscal Year 2016 Enhanced Training and Services to End Abuse in Later Life Program solicitation. The program provides three year awards for up to a total of $400,000 to local communities to address abuse in later life, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, exploitation, and neglect against victims who are 50 years of age or older. Award funds must be used to organize training and cross-training for criminal justice and other professionals, develop services for older victims, and create or enhance a coordinated community response. All applications must be submitted by Thursday, February 11, 2016, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
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