Farewell to the Georgia Director of the Division of Aging Services
It is with mixed emotions, that we report that Dr. James Bulot has left the Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS). For the past six years, Jay has served as director of the Division of Aging Services at the Georgia DHS. Jay has also served as President of NASUAD's board of directors since September of 2014. Prior to being the division director, Jay was the executive director of the Governor's Office of Elderly Affairs in Louisiana. He has also served in various capacities at the University of Louisiana at Monroe including department head for Gerontology, Sociology and Political Science. Abby Cox, the current Administrative Director of the Georgia Gerontology Society, will take on the position of director of the Division of Aging Services. The Deputy Commissioner, Renorta Heard, will serve as the Interim Director until April 1, 2016. We wish Jay all the best on his new adventures in the private sector.
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Submit a Proposal for the National HCBS Conference: Only 2 Weeks Left!
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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I&R Center Webinar: Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)
The National I&R Support Center will host a webinar on the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). This webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, February 24, 2016, from 3:00-4:00p.m. ET.
The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) model provides an integrated system of care that is community-based, comprehensive, and coordinated for eligible older adults. Over 200 PACE centers are operated by 116 organizations in 32 states, and this number continues to grow. Yet, when providing information and counseling on long-term services and supports options, specialists may lack information on PACE. Join this I&R Center webinar to learn more about the PACE model, including services, partnerships, and outcomes. The presenter from the National PACE Association is Joy Cameron, Senior Director, State Policy.
Pre-registration is required for this webinar.
To register:
1. Click "Register".
2. On the registration form, enter your information and then click "Submit".
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Register Today for the Iowa Conference on Aging & Disabilities
NASUAD is proud to be sponsoring a National Aging and Disabilities conference in Des Moines, Iowa, May 23-May 26. Building on our popular HCBS conference in the fall, NASUAD is bringing a mini-HCBS conference to the mid-west.
The jammed packed agenda begins Monday morning with three separate day-long intensives. You can choose to:
- Be educated about employment opportunities for seniors and individuals with disabilities;
- Become informed about efforts to combat elder abuse;
- Learn about the creative efforts to improve oral health for seniors and individuals with disabilities.
You will be informed and updated on the Iowa Medicaid Modernization effort and be able to hear directly from Iowa's Medicaid director as well as the three plans chosen to serve Iowa's citizens.
Five states with mature Managed Care programs will share their experiences and take questions from the audience.
You will be enlightened, inspired, and educated by our plenary thought leaders including:
- Lt. Governor Kimberly Reynolds
- Terry Rich, author of "Dare to Dream: Dare to Act"
- Dr. Glassman, visionary leader in teledenistry for underserved populations
State aging and disability directors and their staff, State long term service and supports Medicaid directors and their teams, local aging providers, Area Agencies on Aging, Centers for Independent Living, academics, health care providers, meal providers, and all those who work to serve seniors and individuals with disabilities and their caregivers will all want to be at this national event. You don't want to miss it!
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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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Strengthening Low-Income Older Adults & Caregivers
Justice in Aging, with the support of the Albert and Elaine Borchard Center on Law and Aging, released a new paper, Advocacy Starts at Home: Strengthening Low-Income Older Adults and Caregivers. The paper's structure introduces Margaret and her story of being a family caregiver, discusses the problems that result from the strain of poverty on low-income family caregivers and then offers solutions to help support older adults and their caregivers. Accompanying the new paper is a video displaying the challenges that caregivers face in helping their loved ones age at home.
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Initial Recommendations to Improve the Financing of Long-Term Care
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), with funding from the SCAN Foundation, published a report offering recommendations to improve the financing of long-term care. The BPC published another report in April 2014 that examined the challenges in financing and delivery. This report is a follow up of those findings that offers recommendations to improve these issues. Included in the report are the challenges of financing long-term care, recommendations to address the needs of at-risk populations, improving the affordability and availability of private LTCI, expanding options at home and in the community for older Americans and people with disabilities, improving access to affordable long-term services and supports (LTSS) for working Americans with disabilities, and addressing the needs of Americans with significant LTSS needs.
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| Administration on Community Living |
ACL Seeks Comments on NIDILRR Proposed Rule
The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is seeking comments on the proposed rule about the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). The proposed rule: incorporates feedback on the WIOA transfer from NIDLRR stakeholders; streamlines prior NIDILRR program regulations issued by the Department of Education and aligns the regulations with the current statute and HHS policies; and defines the stages of research funded by NIDILRR and requires applicants to identify which stage(s) of research they propose to undertake. All comments must be submitted by 11:50 p.m. ET on Friday, February 19, 2016.
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President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities Meeting
The President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities (PCPID) will host a two-day meeting next week. Members will discuss preparation of the PCPID 2016 Report to the President, including the report's content, format, and related data collection and analysis required to complete the writing of the report. The meeting focus areas are: Family engagement; federal education policies; transition; and self-determination/supported decision-making.The location of the meeting is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Hubert H. Humphrey Building located at 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Conference Room 800, Washington, D.C. 20201. The public is welcome to observe in-person or via conference call. To join the meeting by phone, dial (888) 469-0957; when prompted, enter passcode: 8955387. For more information, please view the Federal Register Notice announcing the meeting. The two-day meeting is occurring on Monday, February 22, 2016, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET; and Tuesday, February 23, 2016, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET.
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| Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services |
Final Rule On Medicare Reporting and Returning of Overpayments
On February 11, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a final rule requiring Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B health care providers and suppliers to "report and and return overpayments by the later of the date that is 60 days after the date an overpayment was identified, or the due date of any corresponding cost report, if applicable." In 2014, a different rule was published regarding Medicare Parts C and D overpayments.
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CMS and AHIP Announce Clinical Quality Measures
On Tuesday, February 16th, CMS and America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) released sets of clinical quality measures intended to align quality measuring and reporting activities across the health care system. The entities, as part of the broader Core Quality Measure Collaborative, worked to develop consensus regarding quality measures that can be used by a variety of public and private health payers in order to reduce complexity, duplication, and burden on providers. CMS has indicated that it will encourage Medicaid and CHIP's Child and Adult Core Set Measures to use these quality measures for the programs. The release covered the following seven clinical areas of the health care system:
* Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), Patient Centered Medical Homes (PCMH), and Primary Care
* Cardiology
* Gastroenterology
* HIV and Hepatitis C
* Medical Oncology
* Obstetrics and Gynecology
* Orthopedics
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| Department of Health and Human Services |
Federal Poverty Guidelines for 2016 Released
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently published the 2016 federal poverty guidelines in the Federal Register. the 2016 guidelines became effective on January 26, 2016. Access to the guidelines is also available through the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. The Federal Poverty Guidelines affect the eligibility for some federal programs. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) has several fact sheets and charts that reflect how these changes will affect Extra Help programs for this year.
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Lori Smetanka Named Executive Director of Consumer Voice
The Governing Board of the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care has unanimously selected Lori Smetanka, JD, as Executive Director, effective immediately. Lori has been serving as Interim Executive Director since October 2015. "Lori's leadership skills and respect in the advocacy community, along with her history with Consumer Voice, make her the right person to lead the organization into the future," said Michael Koenig, Consumer Voice Governing Board President. Smetanka has been the Director of the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center, housed at Consumer Voice, since 2004. Prior to that, she served as Consumer Voice's Law and Policy Specialist since 1994.
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Amity Overall Laib to Lead National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center
Amity Overall Laib has been chosen as Director of the National LTC Ombudsman Resource Center, housed at the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care.
Overall Laib has been the Manager for Program and Policy with the Ombudsman Resource Center since 2010. Her previous experience included that of Staff Ombudsman and Managing Local Ombudsman for the Houston-Galveston Area Council/Area Agency on Aging, Houston, TX. She is also a past Board member of the National Association of Local Long-Term Care Ombudsmen.
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| Health Management Associates |
Webinar: Value-Based Payment Readiness: A Self-Assessment Tool
Health Management Associates and CohnReznick are hosting a webinar on value-based payment readiness. Presenters Deborah Zahn, Principal, HMA; Peter Epp, Partner, CohnReznick; and Mary Goddeeris, Senior Consultant, HMA, will discuss the self-assessment tool for primary care providers, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and behavioral health specialists. 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. Pre-registration is required for this free webinar. This webinar will take place on Thursday, March 3, 2016, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET.
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Webinar: Protecting Dual Eligibles from Balance Billing
Justice in Aging is hosting a webinar on what advocates need to know to protect dual eligibles from balance billing. People dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, including Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries (QMBs), have special protections against charges for Medicare co-payments and co-insurance. In this national webinar you will hear directly from CMS what is and is not allowed by federal law and learn from advocates what you can do to help your clients. Presenters Kim Glaun, Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office, CMS; and Georgia Burke, Directing Attorney, Justice in Aging, will explain who is protected and from what charges, share CMS findings regarding inappropriate billing and agency efforts to address this problem, provide examples of common situations where balance billing occurs, and suggest steps to assist a client who has received a bill or is facing collection. The webinar will take place on Thursday, February 23, 2016 2:00 p.m. ET.
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| National Alzheimer's and Dementia Resource Center |
Webinar: Writing Effective Proposals: Tips for a Strong Application
The National Alzheimer's and Dementia Resource Center is presenting a webinar on tips for writing effective proposals for a strong application. Participants who attend this webinar will: Learn how to read a grant or contract announcement to identify the key requirements; learn how to structure the proposal writing process; be able to better understand the key characteristics of strong proposals; and learn what is important to proposal reviewers. The presenter is Joshua M Wiener, PhD, Distinguished Fellow, former Program Director, Aging, Disability and Long-Term Care at RTI International.
The webinar will be recorded for those who cannot attend and pre-registration is required. This event will take place on Thursday, March 3, 2016, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.
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| National Council on Independent Living |
Annual Congressional Briefing on the State of Disability in America
The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) is hosting their Annual Congressional Briefing & Reception on the state of disability in America. The reception will include a short presentation on the state of the Independent Living Program in America, and brief remarks by members of the NCIL Board of Directors. Members of the House and Senate, as well as members of the Administration, are also invited to provide brief remarks. Last year's speakers included champions in Congress like Senator Sanders and Senator Isakson, and special guests including ACL Administrator Kathy Greenlee and Taryn Williams from the White House Office of Public Engagement. The briefing will take place on Wednesday, February 24, 2016, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. ET in the Capitol Visitor Center, Room SVC 203-02.
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North Carolina DHHS Seeks Long-Term Care Ombudsman
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is seeking qualified applicants for the position of long-term care ombudsman. The ombudsman is responsible for the administration and supervision of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. Qualified applicants must have a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a human service field such as psychology, sociology, public health, public health administration, social work, gerontology or related fields, and four years of experience in a human service program, two of which must have been in an administrative, consultative, or supervisory capacity preferably in the field of aging; or an equivalent combination of training and experience. A Master's degree in one of the fields referenced above may be substituted for one year of the required experience. All applications must be submitted by Monday, March 7, 2016, at 5:00 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. 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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Evidence-Based Falls Prevention Programs Financed Solely by 2016 Prevention and Health Funds
The Administration on Aging (AoA) within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) forecasts the possible availability of Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 funds to make two-year grants to approximately 8 entities to bring to scale and sustain evidence-based falls prevention programs that will reduce the number of falls, fear of falling, and fall-related injuries in older adults and older adults with disabilities. Goal 1: Significantly increase the number of older adults and older adults with disabilities at risk of falls who participate in evidence-based community programs to reduce falls and falls risks; and Goal 2: Implement innovative funding arrangements (e.g. contracts with integrated health care systems) to support community-based falls prevention programs beyond the grant period, while embedding the programs into an integrated, sustainable evidence-based prevention program network.
Eligible organizations are as following: State governments,
Small businesses, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Individuals, City or township governments,
County governments, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education,
Private institutions of higher education, Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility". For profit organizations other than small businesses, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, and Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments). All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, April 6, 2016.
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Empowering Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities through Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Programs
The Administration on Aging (AoA) within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) forecasts the possible availability of Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 funds to make two-year grants to approximately 8 entities to bring to scale and sustain evidence-based programs that empower older adults and adults with disabilities to better manage their chronic conditions. Goal 1: Significantly increase the number of older adults and adults with disabilities who participate in evidence-based self-management programs to empower them to better manage their chronic conditions; and Goal 2: Implement innovative funding arrangements (e.g. contracts with integrated health care systems) to support the CDSME programs beyond the grant period, while embedding the programs into an integrated, sustainable evidence-based prevention program network.
Eligible organizations are as following: Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility," Independent school districts, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), for profit organizations other than small businesses, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, special district governments, city or township governments, state governments, county governments, public and State controlled institutions of higher education, small businesses, and Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized). All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, April 6, 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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