 Donna Harvey Testifies Before Senate Committee on the Judiciary Hearing
On June 29, Donna Harvey, Director of the Iowa Department on Aging and Treasurer of the NASUAD Board of Directors, testified at the Senate Committee on the Judiciary hearing on, "Protecting Older Americans from Financial Exploitation." The other witnesses were Mr. John A. Horn, Northern District of Georgia, U.S. Department of Justice; Ms. Lois C. Greisman, Associate Director, Division Of Marketing Practices, Bureau of Consumer Protection, U.S. Federal Trade Commission; Mr. Joseph Marquart, Member, AARP Iowa Executive Council, AARP Fraud Watch Network Volunteer; and Ms. Nancy Shaffer, State of Connecticut Long-Term Care Ombudsman.
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NASUAD State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Report
The National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) published a new report that offers data from the Long-Term Care Ombusdman Program organizational structure survey that was conducted in early 2015. This survey was conducted through one-on-one telephone interviews with each State Long-Term Care Ombudsman. Information for the survey focused on four basic topic areas: Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, management of regional/ district/ local program offices, volunteers, and comments regarding current structure. The report includes a standard organizational structure chart and a flow structure with more detailed information regarding roles and responsibilities for all fifty states and the District of Columbia.
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NASUAD, in Partnership with NCIL, Releases I&R/A Survey Report
The National Information and Referral Support Center, administered by NASUAD, in partnership with the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), shares findings from the aging and disability I&R/A field in the report The Changing Landscape of Aging and Disability Information and Referral/Assistance: 2015 Survey of Aging and Disability I&R/A Agencies. This report captures the current state of I&R/A service provision, including trends and developments, challenges and opportunities, and promising practices, through survey responses provided by representatives from state agencies on aging and disability, Area Agencies on Aging, Aging and Disability Resource Centers, Centers for Independent Living, non-profit human service organizations and national organizations. Key themes to emerge from the survey data are:
Theme 1: Funding and Sustainability are Significant Concerns among Aging and Disability I&R/A Agencies; Theme 2: Partnerships and Networks Continue to Evolve to Serve Both Older Adults and Individuals with Disabilities;
Theme 3: A Changing Environment and Expanding Roles Provide New Opportunities and Challenges for I&R/A Agencies;
Theme 4: Quality Matters to Effective I&R/A Service Delivery; and
Theme 5: The Use of Technology has Increased, but There Remains Room for Growth.
Survey findings underscore that aging and disability I&R/A agencies are operating in a time of change. In a policy, fiscal, and service delivery environment that presents both challenges and potential opportunities, aging and disability I&R/A agencies must continue to cultivate partnerships and leverage innovations that enhance and modernize the provision of I&R/A services.
Click here to view the report.
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NASUAD I&R Center Webinar: Disability & Rehabilitation Resources
The National I&R Support Center will host a webinar on Disability and Rehabilitation Resources that attendees can use to help consumers with disabilities of all ages. This webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, July 20, 2016, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.
If your agency and your partners are looking for good, evidence-based programs, tools, and materials that can help clients with disabilities, then this webinar is for you! The grantees of the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) generate a wealth of ready-to-use guides, tools, webinars, and more for everything from creating welcoming congregations to testing the accessibility of the local health club. Our presenter, Jessica Chaiken, Media and Information Services Manager, HeiTech Services, Inc. for the National Rehabilitation Information Center, will sample the diverse library of NIDILRR-funded resources that your agency can use right now to help people with disabilities live independently, and show you where to find more. This webinar is an encore presentation of a session given at the 2016 AIRS I&R Conference. Pre-registration is required for this webinar. Space is limited so make sure to register as soon as possible.
Click hereto view details and register.
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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.
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| 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.
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Medicare-Medicaid Plans and the Financial Alignment Demonstrations
On Thursday, June 23, 2016, the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) published their report, "ACAP Medicare-Medicaid Plans and the Financial Alignment Demonstrations: Innovations and Lessons," that was prepared for the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP). The report examines the experiences of 14 ACAP plans that are participating in capitated model demonstrations for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) Financial Alignment Initiative. CHCS interviewed these plans to identify how innovations have advanced under the demonstrations, as well as lessons for integrating care for dually eligible individuals. The report is intended to help guide additional health plans, as well as states, in designing effective and replicable strategies to improve care for dually eligible individuals.
Click here to view the publication.
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| Administration for Community Living |
Kathy Greenlee Announces Departure from ACL
On Wednesday, June 29, 2016, Kathy Greenlee, Administrator of the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and Assistant Secretary for Aging, announced that she will be leaving ACL at the end of July. "This has been a wonderful experience and an extremely rewarding seven years. And as I told the ACL team, I am proud of what we have done together. We have brought our communities together in a way that gives us a larger voice and more influence, and ultimately makes us more successful as advocates." Edwin Walker, who currently serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging, will assume the roles of Acting Administrator of ACL and Acting Assistant Secretary for Aging.
Greenlee was appointed by President Obama as Assistant Secretary for Aging at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and confirmed by the Senate in June 2009. "NASUAD is grateful for the dedication and hard work Kathy has put in during her tenure, especially her commitment to elder justice. She is a visionary leader and has transformed how services are provided to older adults and individuals with disabilities," said Martha Roherty, NASUAD Executive Director.
Click here to view the announcement.
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| Bureau of Labor Statistics |
Labor Force Characteristics for Persons with a Disability
On Tuesday, June 21, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) issued an Economic News Release on "Persons with a Disability: Labor Force Characteristics," which shows, among other statistics, that the unemployment rate for people with disabilities fell to 10.7% in 2015 from 12.5% in 2014. The data on persons with a disability are collected as part of the Current Population Survey (CPS), a monthly sample survey of about 60,000 households that provides statistics on employment and unemployment in the United States. The collection of data on persons with a disability is sponsored by DOL's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).
Click here to view the report.
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Mechanized Claims Processing and Information Retrieval Systems
On Monday, June 27, 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance to states concerning Advance Planning Document (APD) requirements, specifically around the conditions and standards required for receipt of enhanced funding for Mechanized Claims Processing and Information Retrieval Systems, including both Medicaid eligibility and enrollment (E&E) systems and Medicaid Management Information Systems (MMIS). This letter is part of the series of sub-regulatory guidance related to the publication of the "Mechanized Claims Processing and Information Retrieval Systems (90/10)" final rule issued on December 4, 2015. The final rule extended enhanced federal funding for Medicaid E&E systems, revised the conditions and standards state Medicaid IT systems must meet to qualify for enhanced federal funding, and supported existing requirements for modular systems development.
Click here to view the letter.
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Medicaid LTSS Expenditures Data
On Thursday, June 30, 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) posted two reports with Medicaid long term services and support (LTSS) expenditures data. The first report focuses on the most recent data available, for Fiscal Year 2014, and recent trends such as 1) an increase in LTSS provided in managed care programs and 2) increased used of newer Medicaid LTSS options authorized in the Deficit Reduction Act and the Affordable Care Act.The second report, called "Improving the Balance", provides a historical perspective, with data from FY 1981 through FY 2014. This report documents the impressive transformation of Medicaid LTSS from primarily institutional services to the present home and community-based services (HCBS) that represent 53 percent of LTSS spending. A webinar to present and discuss data from both reports will be held on Thursday, July 14 at 2:00 p.m. ET.
Click here to view the reports.
Click here to register for the webinar.
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Public Notice and Process for Medicaid Payment Rates
On Friday, June 24, 2016, the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) issued an informational bulletin to summarize procedures states must follow when making changes to provider payments under the Medicaid state plan and to emphasize the public notice content and timing requirements. The following are the three types of procedures, specific to payment changes: 1) public notice policies that pertain to all proposed changes to provider payment rates or methodologies; 2) public input process policies which apply when states reduce rates or restructure payments, and are designed to obtain input related to access to care; 3) public input process policies that are specific to changes to institutional provider payment rates. Some of the requirements are longstanding while others were codified in the "Medicaid Program: Methods for Assuring Access to Covered Medicaid Services" final rule on November 2, 2015.
Click here to view the bulletin.
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| Federal Emergency Management Agency |
Emergency Management and Preparedness Webinar Proposals
The Office of Disability Integration and Coordination (ODIC) at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) National Network, led by the Pacific ADA Center, are seeking proposals for webinar presentations. Presentations should cover issues and promising practices in emergency management inclusive of people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs that will begin in Fall 2016. The webinars will provide the opportunity for emergency managers, people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs, first responders, planners, community organizations, and other community partners to exchange knowledge and information on promising practices in inclusive emergency preparedness for the whole community. Topics have related to emergency preparedness and disaster response, recovery and mitigation, as well as accessibility and reasonable accommodation issues under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the ADA and other relevant laws. Proposals should highlight inclusive practices in emergency management, response and recovery, mitigation, as well as practices for integrating people with disabilities in emergency preparation issues. Proposals are due by Friday, July 29, 2016.
Click here to access the application.
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| Health and Human Services |
OCR Guidance and Resources for Long-Term Care Facilities
On Tuesday, June 28, 2016, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued new guidelines to assist long-term care facilities in complying with regulations by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that require facilities which are Medicare and/or Medicaid-certified to ensure their residents receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs. Through analysis of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) data and collecting information from a large sample of facilities, OCR has found long-term care facilities may be misinterpreting the MDS requirements and not referring residents who are interested in living in the community to appropriate referral sources. To address this, the new guidance provides a series of recommendations for steps that long-term care facilities can take to ensure the MDS is properly used to facilitate compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and to avoid discriminatory practices towards residents.
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House Speaker Announces Health Care Plan
On Wednesday, June 22, 2016, Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan (R-WI), released his plan for health care reform. Among the proposed changes in the plan, states would have the option to choose a block grant for the Medicaid program or a per capita cap. A block grant is a set amount of federal spending regardless of enrollment while a per capita cap adjusts for enrollment while establishing a limit on how much to reimburse states per enrollee. The plan also proposes to give states additional flexibility to adjust cost sharing and covered benefits. In addition, the plan adds a work requirement to the Medicaid program, ends the option to expand Medicaid, and phases out the increased federal match for the states that have already expanded Medicaid.
Click here to view the full plan.
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Supreme Court Declines to Hear FLSA Home Care Case
On Monday, June 27, 2016, the Supreme Court denied a petition to hear arguments regarding the Department of Labor's (DOL) Fair Labor Standards Act "home care" rule. The home care rule changed prior regulations and expanded the number and type of home and community based providers who are covered by minimum wage and overtime pay requirements. The home care rule was placed under an injunction in December of 2014 but the injunction was lifted in August 2015. DOL began selective enforcement of the rule in November 2015 and full enforcement in January 2016. The rule has remained in effect pending the appeal. The Supreme Court's decision not to review the case means that all legal options have been exhausted by plaintiffs challenging the rule and that the rule will continue to be in effect.
Click here to view DOL's statement.
Click here to view the National Association of Home Care and Hospice's statement.
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Health Policy Forum on a Revised Older Americans Act
On Tuesday, June 28, 2016, the Altarum Institute shared its blog post that focuses on Assistant Secretary for Aging, Kathy Greenlee's vision for a revised Older Americans Act (OAA). The blog follows up her statement, "We need a major revision to the Older Americans Act," at the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) spring policy conference. Her vision includes "stronger advocacy, solutions, and community-based technology."
Click here to view the full post.
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| American Academy of Nursing |
2016 Academy Policy Conference: Call for Abstracts
The American Academy of Nursing issued a call for abstracts for their 2016 Policy Conference. The 2016 Policy Conference will focus on issues surrounding health care economics and is scheduled for Thursday, October 20, 2016 to Saturday, October 22, 2016, in Washington, DC. Abstracts should demonstrate nursing contributions to health policy through translational science from efficacy to effectiveness studies, implementation and dissemination studies, comparative effectiveness research, or historical and health policy research. Quality improvement projects that inform organizational policy and systems of care are also welcomed, as are evidence-based practice projects. The deadline for submissions has been extended to Friday, July 1, 2016, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Click here to apply.
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| Center for Health Care Strategies |
State Oral Health Innovations Webinar Materials
The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) published the recording and slide deck from the webinar "State Innovations: Oral Health Integration in Statewide Delivery System and Payment Reform." This event, supported by the Washington Dental Service Foundation, explored a range of approaches to oral health integration that states are considering in the areas of: (1) Medicaid benefit design and expansion; (2) practice-level oral health reforms; and (3) statewide delivery reform models. The webinar featured innovations from two states, including the development of primary care integration models in Virginia and the incorporation of oral health into Oregon's coordinated care organization.
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| Gerontological Society of America |
World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics Call for Abstracts
The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is hosting the 2017 World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics and has issued a call for abstracts. The conference is scheduled for July 23 - 27, 2017, in San Francisco, California. Over 6,000 thought leaders, industry pioneers, scientists, researchers, and innovators from across multiple disciplines in the field of aging are expected to attend. The event is convened every four years, and the last time it was hosted in the United States was 32 years ago. This is a unique opportunity for presenters to share their work with a large national and international audience of experts in aging. Submissions are due by Friday, July 15, 2016.
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| National Council on Aging |
September is Senior Center Month
Every September, the National Council on Aging's National Institute of Senior Centers (NISC) sponsors "Senior Center Month." This year's theme is "Find Balance at Your Center". Senior Month is intended to highlight the opportunities that senior centers provide for older adults to be engaged physically, mentally, and emotionally in the community. NISC published Senior Center Month materials, including their Senior Center Month program guide to provide ideas for celebration activities. In addition, NISC is hosting their annual national conference for senior centers on Monday, September 26 to Wednesday, September 28.
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Home and Community Based Services Quality Measure Comments
The National Quality Forum (NQF) is convening a stakeholder committee to develop recommendations for the improvement of quality measurements of home and community based services (HCBS). NQF released the third interim report, "Addressing Performance Measure Gaps in Home and Community Based Services to Support Community Living: Priorities for Measure Development," to guide the changes of future quality measures. NQF encourages individuals to view the report and make comments by Friday, July 15, 2016, at 6:00 p.m. ET.
Click here to view the report and submit comments.
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National Lifespan Respite Conference Sponsorship and Exhibitors
Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities are available for the 17th National Lifespan Respite Conference. The event is hosted by the Colorado Respite Coalition, Easter Seals CO, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society - CO/WY Chapter, and the Colorado Department of Human Services, in collaboration with the ARCH National Respite Network. The conference will be held in Denver, Colorado from September 20-22, 2016. The theme is Elevate Respite, and it will challenge conference attendees to heighten awareness about the innovation and progress being made to support the nation's family caregivers. The deadline for sponsorship commitment is Tuesday, July 5, 2016, and all fees are due by Friday, July 29, 2016.
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University of New Hampshire, Kessler Foundation, Association of University Centers on Disabilities
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Webinar: nTIDE Lunch and Learn
The Employment Policy & Measurement Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (EPM-RRTC) at the University of New Hampshire, in partnership with Kessler Foundation and the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), have launched a monthly webinar. On the first Friday of every month, there will be a live broadcast via Zoom webinar to share the results of the latest nTIDE findings, based upon the Bureau of Labor statistics jobs report. Additionally, the monthly webinars will feature news and updates from the field of Disability Employment and a discussion from an invited panelist on current disability related findings and events. The next nTIDE webinar is scheduled for Friday, July 8, 2016, at 12:00 p.m ET.
Click here here to register.
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Virginia Seeks Director for Division for the Aging
The Division for the Aging within the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) is seeking a Director. The Division promotes the independence and well-being of older Virginians and supports their caregivers through leadership, advocacy, and oversight of state and community programs, and guides the Commonwealth in preparing for an aging population.
Qualifications include extensive experience in aging or human services programs administration and management; extensive experience managing diverse, geographically dispersed programs, and developing policies and objectives to accomplish goals; demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with individuals from diverse social and economic environments and groups with different needs and issues; demonstrated ability to communicate information effectively in writing and verbally; demonstrated ability to organize and manage multiple and sometimes unrelated responsibilities and to establish priorities; proficient in the use of MS Office, including Excel, PowerPoint, Publishing, Word and Outlook. Applications are due by Friday, July 15, 2016.
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Senior SNAP Enrollment Initiative
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is seeking proposals from community-based organizations for up to eight new Senior SNAP Enrollment Initiative sites. The recipients of these awards will be responsible for submitting at least 1,250 new SNAP applications on behalf of eligible older adults. These awards will be targeted to organizations already engaged in SNAP outreach and enrollment work and looking to expand to seniors, or organizations who have already engaged in benefits outreach and enrollment work with seniors and want to expand their program to include SNAP. Required Letters of Intent are due Wednesday, July 6, 2016 and full proposals are due Wednesday, August 3, 2016.
Click here to view details and apply.
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Wyoming Seeks HCBS System
The Wyoming Department of Health is seeking a contractor to provide a commercial off the shelf (COTS) system, or previously developed system that is operational and configurable, to support Wyoming's Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver Programs. The system will replace the current Electronic Medicaid Waiver System (EMWS) that is used to manage the state's five Medicaid Waiver Programs. The Agency's vision is to acquire a system that contains the functionality of the current EMWS and incorporates the functionality for medical assessments, currently housed in the Public Health Nurse Informatics System (PHNI), and functionality for provider enrollment, re-enrollment, credentialing, re-credentialing, certification, and re-certification, currently housed in the Information Management for Providers System (IMPROV). The awarded contract will include three base years beginning on January 1, 2017, or when the transition phase criteria are met. Three additional one year extensions will be available based on the vendor and system performance. Proposals will be accepted through the Public Purchase online bidding system until Monday, July 18, 2016, at 4:00 p.m. ET.
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Partnerships in Employment Systems Change
The Administration for Community Living (ACL) released the Partnerships in Employment Systems Change grant. The purpose of the funding opportunity is to encourage state partnerships and systems change efforts that will contribute to the 1) the development of policies that support competitive employment in integrated settings as the first and desired outcome for youth and young adults with developmental disabilities including intellectual disabilities; 2) the removal of systemic barriers to competitive employment in integrated settings; 3) the implementation of strategies and best practices that improve employment outcomes for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities; and 4) enhanced statewide collaborations that can facilitate the transition process from secondary to post-secondary school, or other pre-vocational settings, to complete employment in integrated settings. Eligible applicants include state and local governments, public and private institutions of higher education, independent school districts, nonprofit organizations, and public housing authorities. All applications are due by Tuesday, July 26, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
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Building the Business Capacity of Community-Based Aging and Disability Networks for Integrated Services Partnerships
The Administration for Community Living (ACL) announced two new funding opportunities that seek to expand the readiness of community-based aging and disability organizations (CBO) for contracting with integrated care entities, and prepare state agencies and CBOs to be active stakeholders and partners in the development and implementation of integrated care systems.
The Learning Collaboratives for Advanced Business Acumen Skills initiative is intended to achieve the following tasks: organize and conduct three to five topically-based action learning collaboratives to address issues such as continuous quality improvement, infrastructure and technology, generating and maintaining volume, data pooling, and more; provide targeted technical assistance to networks of CBOs; and create knowledge and capture insights through these collaboratives to incorporate into future curriculum for national dissemination.
The purpose of the Business Acumen for Disability Organizations initiative is to develop baseline knowledge about the content and infrastructure needs of CBOs through surveys and feasibility studies; and utilize a learning collaborative model to provide targeted technical assistance to up to 15 state coalitions of CBOs that seek to build their business capacity to contract with health care entities (e.g. hospitals, health systems, accountable care organizations, managed/integrated care plans).
The original closing date for both applications was Monday, July 11, 2016. ACL extended the closing date to 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 28, 2016, for both applications.
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New York Seeks HCBS Contractor
The New York State's Department of Health (DOH), Office of Health Insurance Programs, Division of Long Term Care has issued a request for proposals to hire a contractor to help the State implement their Statewide Transition Plan required under the federal HCBS Waiver Rule (CMS 2249-F/CMS 2296-F). The contractor will work to ensure that settings across all agencies serving individuals with disabilities are compliant with the new rule. This is a three-year contract to ensure compliance across the State by March 17, 2019. The contractor will assist state personnel in assessing and remediating residential and non-residential settings to ensure that they meet the requirements of the HCBS rule where Medicaid-funded home and community based services are provided under the authorities of 1915(c), 1915(k) and the 1115 waiver demonstration.
Activities will include: 1) Site visits to assess compliance; implement corrective actions plans, when necessary; and ensure that compliance has been achieved; 2) Participant and stakeholder interviews to ensure that individual's receiving Medicaid-funded HCBS are receiving person-centered care and that any modifications to settings are appropriately individualized; 3) Data collection and reporting to ensure that the State is carrying out its Statewide Transition Plan; 4) Identifying sites that will require an additional federal review called "heightened scrutiny" in order to be allowed as sites for participants in Medicaid-funded HCBS to live and/or receive services (sites that are presumed institutional); 5) Compiling evidence packages that include public comment on all sites presumed to be institutional under the rule to show that they have the characteristics and qualities of an appropriate home and community based setting; and 6) Establishing a monitoring plan and tools using the State's existing surveillance schedules and staff to ensure ongoing compliance. Submissions are due by Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. ET.
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