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Register Today for the 2016 HCBS Conference!
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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Presentation Materials from I&R/A Guardianship Webinar Available
The National I&R Support Center recently hosted a webinar to train attendees on the basics of guardianship, and the presentation materials are now available on the NASUAD website. Guardianship is a key but complicated issue that aging and disability I&R/A specialists address in their work with consumers, family members, and caregivers. This training covered the basics of guardianship including the process of becoming a guardian, responsibilities of the guardian, the difference between guardianship and powers of attorney and a discussion on when a guardianship may be necessary. To help I&R/A specialists gain more insight into guardianship issues, the presenter, Kim Grier, Adult Guardianship Specialist, Georgia Department of Human Services, shared her expertise on this topic.
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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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Recommendations for Data Collection of Family Support Services
The Family Support Research and Training Center (FSRTC) and the National Council on Aging (NCOA) published the report "Recommendations to Improve Data Collection to Monitor, Track, and Evaluate State Approaches to Family Support Services." The report identifies three indicators to monitor, track, and evaluate family support services: demographics of the caregiving situation, the impact on families, and indicators to assess family support at the state level. It also details recommendations for improvements that could be made to individual national and state datasets. The recommendations are intended to aid researchers and policymakers in improving family support services nationwide.
Click here to view the report.
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Administration for Community Living
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Public Comment on Guidance for State Plans on Aging
The Administration for Community Living (ACL) seeks public comment on the template to be used to prepare the information collection requirements contained in the Program Instruction entitled "Guidance for the Development and Submission of State Plans on Aging, State Plan Amendments and the Intrastate Funding Formula." Each State Unit on Aging is required to develop a State Plan on Aging using guidance published in this annual Program Instruction in order to be eligible to receive a formula grant under Section 307(a) of the Older Americans Act (OAA).
ACL is also seeking comments specific to the included targeting guidance that aims to ensure maximum inclusion of all populations of seniors, including older American Indians, LGBT seniors, and Holocaust survivors living in the United States, and other isolated groups of older adults. Comments are requested on the extent to which the direction provided is sufficient for states to fully assess the existence of, and develop plans for serving, these individuals and their families. If commenters believe the proposed direction is insufficient, it is requested that the commenters include the specific guidance desired as well as the practical means and data available to implement the guidance, direction, and requirements for states. Comments should be submitted to Greg.Link@acl.hhs.gov by Monday, August 22, 2016.
Click here to view the notice in the Federal Register.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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National Study of Long-Term Care Providers Questionnaire
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) began the third wave of the National Study of Long-Term Care Providers (NSLTCP). NCHS is requesting that directors or administrators of an adult day services center or assisted living/residential care community that receives a "2016 Adult Day Services Center Questionnaire" or a "2016 Residential Care Community Questionnaire" packet, complete and submit the questionnaire online over a safe and secure network, or by mailing a completed hard copy version of the questionnaire that is included in the questionnaire packet. The questionnaires will take an average of 30 minutes to complete.
The biennial National Study of Long-Term Care Providers (NSLTCP), is an initiative to monitor trends in the major sectors of paid, regulated long-term care services providers. NSLTCP includes surveys of adult day services centers, home health agencies, hospices, nursing homes, and assisted living and similar residential care communities. This study aims to help policymakers, health care planners, and providers better understand, plan for, and serve the future long-term care needs of the older population and younger adults with disabilities.
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Independence at Home Demonstration Year 2 Results
On Tuesday, August 9, 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released results from the second performance year of the Independence at Home Demonstration. The demonstration began in 2012 and was extended through September 30, 2017. Its objective is to provide chronically ill patients with a range of primary care services in the home setting. Medical practices led by physicians or nurse practitioners tailor primary care home visits to the needs of beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions and functional limitations. The demonstration also tests whether home-based care can reduce the need for hospitalization, improve patient and caregiver satisfaction, lead to better health for beneficiaries, and lower Medicare costs. In the second performance year, 15 practices participated in the demonstration and 10,484 beneficiaries were enrolled. The performance analysis found that participating practices saved over $10 million in the second performance year and also recorded improvements in quality measures.
Click here to view the press release.
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Proposed Rule for Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)
On Thursday, August 11, 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule (CMS-4168-P) to revise and update the requirements for the Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) under the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The proposed rule is the first major update to the PACE program in a decade, and addresses several program elements including: application and waiver procedures, sanctions, enforcement actions and termination, administrative requirements, PACE services, participant rights, quality assessment and performance improvement, participant enrollment and disenrollment, payment, federal and state monitoring, data collection, record maintenance, and reporting.
The proposed changes are intended to provide greater operational flexibility, remove redundancies and outdated information, and codify existing practice. The rule proposes to strengthen protections for beneficiaries and provide administrative flexibility and regulatory relief for PACE organizations. For example, CMS is proposing a more flexible approach to the composition of the interdisciplinary team that is central to the coordinated care participants receive from PACE organizations; team members would be able to participate in more aspects of a participant's care than is currently the case. Another flexibility would allow non-physician primary care practitioners to provide some services in the place of primary care physicians. Additional proposed beneficiary protections include, for instance, proposing changes to sanctions, enforcement actions, and terminations to strengthen CMS' ability to hold PACE organizations accountable.
The proposed rule will be published at the Office of the Federal Register on August 16, 2016, and public comments are due on Monday, October 17, 2016 after a 60-day comment period.
Click here to view the proposed rule.
Click here to view a fact sheet.
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Regulations to Implement ADA Amendments Act
The Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a final rule to amend the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations in order to incorporate statutory changes to the ADA set forth in the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, which took effect on January 1, 2009. Congress enacted the ADA Amendments Act to restore the understanding that the definition of "disability" shall be broadly construed and applied without extensive analysis. Congress intended that the focus of cases brought under the ADA should be whether covered entities have complied with their statutory obligations not to discriminate based on disability. In this final rule, the DOJ added new sections to its title II and title III ADA regulations to set forth the proper meaning and interpretation of the definition of "disability" and to make related changes required by the ADA Amendments Act in other sections of the regulations.
Click here to view final rule.
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Guidance on Section 511 of WIOA
On July 27, 2016, the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) released guidance regarding implementation of Section 511 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Section 511 limits the ability of employers to pay a subminimum wage to workers with disabilities under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The guidance includes information about requirements for all workers that are paid a subminimum wage as well as provisions that apply to workers aged 24 and younger, including transition services, vocational rehabilitation, and career counseling.
Click here to view the bulletin.
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National Institute on Aging
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Go4Life Month in September
The National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is hosting "Go4Life Month" in September. Go4Life is a federal campaign based on research showing that exercise can help prevent many chronic conditions and disabilities associated with aging. The National Institute on Aging aims to involve individuals, families, communities, and organizations in the campaign. They encourage organizations to host an exercise event for older adults during the month of September; tip sheets and event planning assistance are available on the Go4Life website.
Click here to view more information.
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Webinar: True Help Claiming Power to Improve Your Relationships
Allsup is hosting the webinar "True Help Claiming Power to Improve Your Relationships" as part of their series designed to empower individuals living with chronic illness and disabilities, veterans and military families. The webinar is designed to help participants improve their relationships with friends, family, and service providers. The program features the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the Colon Cancer Alliance, No Family Left Behind, and Allsup Veteran Disability Appeals ServiceŽ. The event is scheduled for Thursday, August 18, 2016, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET.
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| Center for Health Care Strategies |
Webinar: Rate-Setting Strategies to Advance Medicaid Managed LTSS Goals
The Center for Health Care Strategies, Inc. (CHCS) is hosting a webinar that will highlight state approaches for using rate-setting to advance managed long term services and supports (MLTSS) program goals, including: 1) helping more people to live in the community; and 2) adjusting risk appropriately based on MLTSS cost drivers, including functional status. Representatives from Tennessee and Wisconsin will share their experiences in refining MLTSS rate-setting approaches to achieve strategic goals. The presentation will draw from the soon-to-be released "Medicaid Managed Long-Term Services and Supports Rate Setting Resource Center" developed by CHCS, Mathematica Policy Research, and Airam Actuarial Consulting through support from West Health Policy Center. The session is scheduled for Tuesday, August 16, 2016, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET.
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| Health Management Associates |
Webinar: Physician Perspectives on Using Telemedicine to Address the Shortage of Mental Health Providers
Health Management Associates (HMA) is hosting the webinar "Physician Perspectives on Using Telemedicine to Address the Shortage of Mental Health Providers." HMA physicians, an internist and psychiatrist, will discuss the impact that telemedicine and other technologies can have on improving access and care for vulnerable mental health populations. The session will also outline the most important elements of a telemedicine program with a special emphasis on the needs of patients and perspectives of the interdisciplinary teams serving them. The webinar is scheduled for Thursday, August 25, 2016, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET.
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| National Alzheimer's and Dementia Resource Center |
Webinar: Faith-Related Dementia Programs
The National Alzheimer's and Dementia Resource Center (NADRC) will present a webinar entitled "Examples of Developing and Implementing Faith-Related Dementia Programs." Participates will learn about two faith-related programs for people with dementia and their caregivers- Alzheimer's Orange County Interfaith Outreach Program in Orange County, California and the Respite Ministry in Montgomery, Alabama. The webinar is scheduled for Tuesday, August 23, 2016, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.
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Helping Workers Keep Their Jobs After an Injury, Illness, or Disability
The Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work (SAW/RTW) Policy Collaborative of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy and Mathematica's Center for Studying Disability Policy is hosting the policy forum and webinar "Helping Workers Keep Their Jobs After an Injury, Illness, or Disability." The session will provide policy recommendations intended to improve the SAW/RTW outcomes for workers who experience injury, illness, or disability. Presenters will discuss 1) steps states can take to help workers keep their jobs after injury, illness, or disability; 2) adapting a successful workers' compensation initiative to off-the-job cases; 3) and behavioral interventions designed to promote SAW/RTW. The event can be watched online or in person at Mathematica's office in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, September 13, 2016, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET.
Click here to register.
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Mid-America Regional Council Seeks Director of Aging and Adult Services
The Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) in Kansas City, Missouri is seeking a Director of Aging and Adult Services. The director will play a key role in helping to advance the vision that all adults in the Kansas City region have access to resources and networks to support a high quality of life. The director will play a visible, active role in the broader community and state initiatives to strengthen and develop new services and systems, and will provide central leadership in internal efforts to develop and deploy a strategy for assessing and reorganizing services to older adults. At the same time, the director will be responsible for all aspects of planning and managing the effectiveness and statutory compliance of ongoing programs. In addition, MARC's Aging and Adult Services Department will support the Communities for All Ages initiative in cooperation with MARC's Community Development Department, which coordinates a variety of related local and regional planning efforts. Applications should be submitted by Friday, August 19, 2016.
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TMG Seeks IRIS Consultant
TMG is seeking a full-time IRIS consultant in Green Lake County, Marquette County or Waushara County, Wisconsin to partner with individuals enrolled in the IRIS program to identify their long-term care goals and find creative ways to achieve them. IRIS consultants are responsible for providing program orientation to new participants at which time participants will learn of their rights and responsibilities as someone enrolled in the program. The consultants are also responsible for working with participants to explore a broad view of the person's life, including goals, important relationships, connections with the local community, interest in employment, awareness of the Self-Directed Personal Care option, and back-up support plans. Consultants will assist participants in identifying personal outcomes and ensure those outcomes are being met on an ongoing basis. It is required that all orientation and planning activities are documented, and the consultant must research community resources and natural supports that will fit with the individual outcomes of each participant. IRIS consultants will have to operate within their defined budgets and be a liaison between the Fiscal Employer Agency and the IRIS Consultant Agency. Applications are due by Wednesday, August 31, 2016.
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Native American Independent Living Demonstration Project
The Administration for Community Living (ACL), Independent Living Administration (ILA), announced a new funding opportunity that intends to 1) gain an increased understanding of service needs of Native Americans with disabilities living in Indian Country; 2) improve cultural competence in regards to the needs of specific tribal organizations targeted by current (Centers for Independent Living) CIL grantees; and 3) capture lessons learned and best practices for outreach and service delivery for Native Americans with disabilities, a traditionally under-served population. To achieve these goals, ACL is seeking applications from existing CIL grantees to develop capacity and demonstrate how to provide the five CIL core services in Indian Country. The grant application is due by Tuesday, August 16, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
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NADTC Innovations in Accessible Mobility Grant Opportunity
The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) announced a new grant opportunity intended to support program innovations that increase accessible transportation options for older adults and people with disabilities living in the community and maximize the utilization of Section 5310 and other federal funding investments. Local and regional private nonprofit or government organizations are eligible to apply for this funding opportunity.Grants of up to $50,000 each will be awarded to as many as six communities for a twelve month period. Applications are due by Friday, August 26, 2016.
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Benefits Enrollment Center Grants Serving Hard-to-Reach Populations
The Center for Benefits Access at the National Council on Aging (NCOA) is seeking qualified organizations to become Benefits Enrollment Centers (BECs) serving hard-to-reach low-income Medicare beneficiaries. BECs use person-centered strategies in a coordinated, community-wide approach to find and enroll Medicare beneficiaries-both seniors aged 65+ years and adults living with disabilities - who have limited income and resources into available benefits, with the primary focus being on the following five core benefit programs: Medicare Part D Extra Help (or Low-Income Subsidy, LIS), Medicare Savings Programs (MSP), Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps), and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
Agencies will serve specific hard-to-reach populations, such as people residing in rural areas, members of native tribes, people of color, members of the LGBT community, those with limited English proficiency (LEP), those recently released from incarceration, or veterans. BECs serving specific populations must be able to provide application assistance for a minimum of 500 people for all of the benefits for which they are eligible during an 11-month period. Applicants are encouraged to complete a notice of intent by Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. ET, and applications are due Friday, September 9, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. ET.
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AARP Social Security Innovation Challenge
AARP is launching an Innovation Challenge to identify policy solutions to strengthen economic security for American workers and retirees by achieving Social Security solvency and maintaining benefit adequacy for future generations. Through the Challenge, scholars and researchers from a range of perspectives and sectors are invited to submit their best ideas for creating a strong Social Security system for the coming decades. Applicants are encouraged to consider macro trends (e.g., in the workforce, income, wealth, savings rates, life expectancy, fertility rates, marital status) and to take an innovative look at policy options that address these trends. Up to five successful applicants will be selected to further develop the policy innovation and will deliver a detailed policy paper on one or more specific policy innovation(s) to strengthen Social Security's solvency and/or adequacy. Additionally, AARP will work with The Urban Institute to assess the financial and distributional impact of the policy proposals developed by the successful applicants.The notice of intent is due Wednesday, August 31, 2016, and the application for funding is due Friday, September 30, 2016.
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Community-Based Palliative Care Delivery for Adult Patients with Advanced Illnesses and their Caregivers
The Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) posted a notice of an upcoming funding opportunity to: a) support care planning for adult patients with advanced illnesses over time that is consistent with the goals and preferences of adult patients and their caregivers, and b) support the delivery of coordinated, community-based palliative care that effectively implements those care plans. PCORI seeks to fund multiple, large, multi-site, community-based comparative effectiveness research (CER) studies to generate evidence in support of this goal. The funding announcement will be released in August 2016. The deadline for Letters of Intent (LOI) is Wednesday, September 14, 2016.
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