Registration for the 2016 HCBS Conference is Open!
Join us for the National Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Conference held in Washington, DC, August 29 - September 1. The 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. Quickly becoming the "go-to" conference for learning in the expanding field of HCBS and long-term services and supports, the Conference allows states to share best practices, present unique partnerships, and recognize the work of their peers.
The National HCBS Conference will include federal, state, and local policymakers and those who administer, manage, and deliver waiver and other HCBS programs. The Conference always sees a strong presence from U.S. Health and Human Services ranging from the Administration for Community Living including (AoA, Office of Disability, and AIDD) to CMS, HRSA, SAMHSA, Office of Developmental Disabilities, and other federal agencies.
Click here to view details and register. |
I&R Center Webinar: America's Health Rankings Senior Report, 2016
The National I&R Center is hosting a webinar on America's Senior Health Rankings Senior Report, 2016. The webinar will explore the most recent data released about senior health on a national and state-by-state basis, according to the Senior Health Rankings Report to be released by United Health Foundation. You will learn about national health improvements and challenges, senior health state rankings, and tools you can use to communicate the data. Your questions and suggestions will be welcomed. Sarah Milder, MPH, Principal Epidemiologist, Arundel Metrics, will present the information. The webinar will take place on Wednesday, June 8, 2016, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.
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Media Campaign to Spread the Word About Medicare Extra Help ProgramsThe National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) is seeking to collaborate with disability organizations that already help people with one or more of the impairments that qualify individuals for SSI. NASUAD has created several resources to distribute to individuals with disabilities to inform them of the Medicare Savings Programs that are available for people with low-income backgrounds. We are hoping that organizations might utilize these tools. Please see the document below, which provides great shortcuts and helpful resources to help you participate in this campaign. Please email Linda Nakagawa if you have any comments or questions.
Click here to view information about the campaign.
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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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Policy & Research Needs to Maximize Independence & Community Living
On October 6, 2015, a public workshop was convened by the Institute of Medicine and the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education to learn about the supports that are needed for community living and maximizing independence. The workshop included stakeholder members from the federal government, industry, academia, and nonprofit
organizations. The National Academies of Sciences,
Engineering, and Medicine published a summary of the workshop that includes the policy and research that is needed to support independent living in the community. Some of the challenges include: insufficient workforce, insufficient funding, and lack of evidence demonstrating effectiveness or value.
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Administration for Community Living
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Promising Practice on Integrated Employment from Indiana
The Administration for Community Living (ACL) has highlighted several promising practices on integrated employment on their blog. Most recently they shared a promising practice for employment benefits that is used in the state of Indiana. The practice meets the needs of the individuals, promotes integrated employment, and complies with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' home and community based services (HCBS) setting rule and the Supreme Court's Olmstead v. L.C. ruling. "LIFEDesigns serves 350 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), traumatic brain injuries, and other disabilities in the south central Indiana area. They takes a holistic approach to their work providing "wrap-around" services to meet the diverse needs of their customers." ACL is seeking information from states, providers, and advocates working on integrated employment. You can share your successes and challenges with them through email.
Click here to view the promising practice from Indiana.
Click here to view the promising practice from Colorado.
Click here to view the promising practice from Maryland.
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Disability Benefits Q&A on Facebook
Benefits.gov is hosting a live Q&A session on Facebook on the topic of disability benefits. The Q&A will take place on Thursday, June 9, 2016, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. The event will include: "Disability Benefit Experts from the U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Social Security Administration on hand to answer your questions; links to resources to help you find disability benefit information; and suggestions on how and where to apply for the assistance you need." Sign up for the event entails going to the Facebook page and choosing the "going" option under the image on the event page.
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DOL Releases Fair Labor Standards Act Final Rule
On Wednesday, May 18th, The Department of Labor (DOL) released a final regulation implementing changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act's overtime requirements. The final rule raises the salary threshold for exemption from wage and overtime requirements of employees who primarily perform executive, administrative, or professional duties. The rule will raise this threshold from $23,660 to $47,476 per year for salaried workers and is effective December 1, 2016. DOL also includes a provision to automatically update this threshold every three years.
DOL also announced that they will not enforce the new requirements for Medicaid-funded services provided to individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities who live in residential homes or facilities with 15 or fewer beds. This nonenforcement policy is effective from the rule's effective date (December 1, 2016) until the end of the HCBS Settings Transition period (March 17, 2019). NASUAD notes that the DOL nonenforcement period only applies to providers of Medicaid-funded ID/DD services, and will not apply to services for older adults, people with physical disabilities, behavioral health conditions, or traumatic brain injuries, among other groups. Similarly, the nonenforcement period does not apply to other government programs, such as OAA or state-only HCBS programs.
Click here to view more information on the rule, including links to the rule itself, factsheets, and FAQs.
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Theme for National Disability Employment Awareness Month
Every October, the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Office of Disability Employment Policy observes National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). NDEAM is a national campaign that celebrates the skills and talents of people with disabilities in the workplace. This year's theme is "#InclusionWorks," and was developed "with input from partner organizations, including those representing employers; people with disabilities and their families; and federal, state, and local agencies."
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| Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services |
Fundamentals of Protecting Seniors From Financial Exploitation Training
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, State Unit on Aging, in collaboration with the Nebraska State Bar Association Elder Law Section, is co-sponsoring a training for professionals in the aging network. Fundamentals of Protecting Seniors from Financial Exploitation will be streamed live and is free - but registration is required. The webinar will take place on Wednesday, June 22, 2016.
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| Center for Health Care Strategies |
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Webinar: State Approaches to Providing Health-Related Supportive Services Through Medicaid
The Center for Health Care Strategies, Inc. (CHCS) is hosting a webinar on state approaches to providing health-related supportive services through Medicaid. State policymakers increasingly recognize that addressing the social determinants of health is a critical component for improving outcomes and reducing health care spending for Medicaid beneficiaries. Medicaid, however, typically reimburses only for direct medical care or "enabling services" that facilitate access to care, including care coordination, interpretation, and transportation. A handful of states, are implementing innovative models that go beyond reimbursing solely for direct medical care to pay for a broader range of "non-traditional" supportive services, including housing, employment support, education and training, and environmental modifications.
This webinar, made possible by The Commonwealth Fund, explores how select states are using Medicaid to pay for supportive services within accountable care organizations, health homes, community health teams, accountable communities for health, and other value-based delivery system reforms. Oregon's Coordinated Care Organizations and Massachusetts' High-Risk Pediatric Asthma Bundled Payment Model will be highlighted. The webinar will take place on Thursday, June 12, 2016, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET.
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Webinar: Progress and Challenges in California Assisted Living
Justice in Aging is hosting a webinar on the progress and challenges of assisted living in California. Though the Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) Reform Act of 2014 made multiple improvements to California's assisted living system, assisted living in California remains hampered by out-of-date statutory provisions and an extremely limited Medicaid waiver program. This webinar will provide aging advocates and providers with an update on California's recent assisted living progress and a background on the state's ongoing challenges. Among other things, the webinar will explore California's assisted living Medicaid waiver, other funding mechanisms, challenges in integrating health care expertise into assisted living, and improvements to on-line access and monitoring. Improvements in California include increased staffing requirements, a resident's bill of rights, and a strengthened enforcement system-all provisions that California's assisted living regulators have implemented, but not all of the reform provisions have been implemented and significant problems persist. The webinar will take place on Wednesday, May 25, 2016, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET.
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| National Committee for Quality Assurance |
Webinar: Case Management Accreditation for LTSS
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) is hosting a webinar that will provide an overview of NCQA's soon-to-be released Case Management Accreditation for Long Term Services & Supports. Long-term services and supports (LTSS) help older Americans, and those with disabilities, live happier and healthier lives, providing access to services and quality care that support independence and help people remain at home longer. As the older population (age 65+) grows, the role that LTSS plays in the health care system becomes more important. Payers and partners need assurance that LTSS providers can effectively coordinate care across medical, behavioral and social services. With this in mind, NCQA will launch a new Case Management Accreditation for Long-Term Services and Supports in July. This program will provide a framework for organizations to deliver person-centered care efficiently and effectively, and to align with state and managed care organization needs. During this session attendees will learn: Rationale for program development; eligibility for participation; program benefits; standards overview; and benefits of early adoption. This webinar is recommended for organizations that coordinate LTSS services; Area Agencies on Aging; Aging and Disability Resource Centers; Centers for Independent Living; and health plans only responsible for LTSS and not medical/behavioral health benefits. The webinar will take place on Tuesday, May 31, 2016, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET.
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| National Disability Navigator Resource Collaborative |
YouTube Video Series: Health Insurance Jeopardy Round 2
Last year, the National Disability Navigator Resource Collaborative (NDNRC) released a series of videos entitled "Health Insurance Jeopardy." Last week NDNRC announced the release of a new series entitled "Health Insurance Jeopardy Round 2 - Double Jeopardy." This new video series was released over the past week and is based on their population specific fact sheets. The videos will be posted on the NDNRC YouTube channel. Check out their new story to read more about what will be covered in this new series or to watch the first video on intellectual disabilities.
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Webinar: National Disability Voter Registration: Organizing & Training
The REV UP Campaign is coordinating a National Disability Voter Registration Week to increase the political power of people with disabilities while also engaging candidates and the media to recognize the disability community. National Disability Voter Registration Week falls from July 11 - July 15 this year. To help prepare for National Disability Voter Registration Week, the REV UP Campaign is hosting an organizing webinar on Tuesday, May 24, 2016, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. The purpose of the webinar is to aid organizers across the country to hold their own voter registration events - both physically and online - to increase the number of people with disabilities who are registered to vote and ultimately the number of people with disabilities who cast their ballots on election day this November and in future elections. The webinar will be live captioned. Please submit all accommodation requests when you complete the online registration form.
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Barriers and Supports to Employment for State Vocational Rehabilitation Clients
Mathematica's Center for Studying Disability Policy is hosting a policy forum and live webinar on the topic of barriers and supports to employment for state vocational rehabilitation clients. Individuals with a disability are less likely to find and keep jobs than people without disabilities are. Some people with disabilities, however, have more success with employment than their peers do. To better understand the factors that may explain these disparities, the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) sponsored the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Individual-Level Characteristics Related to Employment Among Individuals with Disabilities (IC-RRTC) at the Kessler Foundation. Panelists for the event include: Debra Brucker, Institute on Disability, University of New Hampshire; Angie Jaszczak, Mathematica; Joe Marrone, Public Policy Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts, Boston; Frank Martin, Mathematica; and Purvi Seval, Mathematica. This event will take place on Thursday, June 9, 2016, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET.
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CFPB Seeks Assistant Director for the Office of Older Americans
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Assistant Director for the Office of Older Americans. The CFPB is seeking a proven leader in the field of older adult financial education, financial consumer protection for older adults, or a closely related field. This leadership experience may be in policy or program development, financial education, or providing direct service to older adults. Applicants should have extensive expertise in developing and scaling major projects, tools, or approaches to help older adults protect and take more control of their financial lives Strong candidates will also have experience identifying and implementing solutions to consumer financial policy issues impacting older adults, such as elder financial exploitation, financial decision-making in the context of diminished capacity, or consumer protection regulation of consumer financial products used by older adults. The position is located at the CFPB headquarters in Washington, DC. All applications must be submitted by Thursday, May 27, 2016.
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Disability & Rehabilitation Research Projects Program: Employment of People with Disabilities-Development
The Administration for Community Living released the development grant opportunity for the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Project Program (DRRP): Employment of Individuals with Disabilities. The purpose of NIDILRR's Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) which are funded through the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program, is to plan and conduct research, demonstration projects, training, and related activities, including international activities, to 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, and to improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Rehabilitation Act). Under this particular DRRP priority, applicants must propose a development project that is aimed at improving the employment outcomes of individuals with disabilities. In carrying out a development project under this program, a grantee must use knowledge and understanding gained from research to create materials, devices, systems, or methods beneficial to the target population, including design and development of protypes and processes. Please note that this will be the Funding Opportunity for field-initiated DRRP development projects in the employment domain. NIDILRR plans to make two field-initated DRRP awards in the employment domain. NIDILRR's field-initiated DRRP awards in the employment domain may include research projects, development projects, or both, depending on the ranking of applications provided by the peer review panel. All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on Tuesday, May 24, 2016.
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Rides to Wellness Demonstration & Innovative Coordinated Access Grants
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced the availability of approximately $5.3 million of funding from two programs to support the Rides to Wellness Demonstration and Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility Grants (R2W Demonstration Grants). The goal of the competitive R2W Demonstration Grants is to find and test promising, replicable public transportation healthcare access solutions that support the following goals: increased access to care, improved health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. Eligible applicants include: States, Tribes, and designated or direct recipients for funds under 49 U.S.C. 5307, 5310 or 5311. Proposers must serve as the lead agency of a local consortium that includes stakeholders from the transportation, healthcare, human service or other sectors. Members of this consortium are eligible as subrecipients. Further, proposers must demonstrate that the proposed project was planned through an inclusive process with the involvement of the transportation, healthcare and human service industries. Eligible projects must have implementation ready capital and operating projects that enhance access, such as: mobility management; health and transportation provider partnerships; technology; and other actions that drive change. These R2W Demonstration Grants will develop best practice solutions that other communities can replicate. All applications must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, May 31, 2016.
Click here to view the full posting.
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State Grants to Enhance Adult Protective Services
The Administration for Community Living (ACL) released a grant opportunity for states to enhance Adult Protective Services. This demonstration is designed to provide states funding to strengthen their APS systems statewide, to include improvement in practice, services, and data collection and reporting, as well as their technical ability to interface with ACL's National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System (NAMRS). Eligible applicants are the state government offices that administer the state's adult protective services and/or elder protective services program. Recipients of an award under this program in FY 2015 are NOT eligible to apply for funding under this opportunity. Foreign entities are not eligible to compete for, or receive, awards made under this announcement. All applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 31, 2016.
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Building the Business Capacity of Senior Nutrition Programs Learning Collaborative Grants
The National Resource Center for Nutrition and Aging has announced the availability of funding for eight (8) community-based Older Americans Act (OAA) Nutrition Programs interested in strengthening their business capacity. The first Business Acumen Learning Collaborative was announced August 2015.
The Senior Nutrition Program Business Acumen Learning Collaborative is designed to help funded OAA nutrition programs strengthen their business capacity and align service capabilities to prepare to negotiate contracts with healthcare entities, either directly or as a part of a community-based network and to help improve the sustainability of their programs. This initiative provides funding, via eight (8) $10,000 mini-grant awards, and technical assistance, both in-person and through a variety of other learning activities. Eligible applicants are OAA Nutrition Programs that currently receive funding from the Older Americans Act for Title III Part C - Nutrition Services or Title VI Grants for Native Americans to provide meals and other nutrition services to older adults in their community. The applicant organization can be either a public organization or private, non-profit organization. This initiative is funded in part by a cooperative agreement between the US Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services and Meals on Wheels America.
Interested applicants are encouraged to attend the Applicant Informational webinar on Wednesday, May 18, 2016. All requirements stated in the Request for Applications must be met in order for an application to be considered. Applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM ET on Friday, June 3, 2016.
Click here to view the full posting.
Click here to view details and register for the webinar.
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