AHCA/NCAL Announces 2016 Award Recipients

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) recently announced the recipients for the 2016 AHCA/NCAL Awards program.  Each year, AHCA/NCAL recognizes the men and women who selflessly care for individuals in long term and post-acute care centers, ID/DD residences, and assisted living communities.  Honorees demonstrate selflessness, compassion, and strive to enhance the lives of the elderly and intellectually or developmentally disabled in their communities.

 The 2016 AHCA/NCAL Awards recipients are:

• Hero of the Year- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: John Lair, New Hope Services a division of Medicalodges, Inc., Pittsburg, KS
• Not for Profit Program of the Year: Chaparral House, Berkeley, CA
• Not for Profit Trustee Award: Robert Martin, Madison County Nursing Home, Canton, MS
• Adult Volunteer of the Year: Randy McQueen, Mercy Living Plus, Oelwein, IA
• Group Volunteer of the Year: Adopt A Senior, Jackson, NJ

• Young Adult Volunteer of the Year: Zach Severson, Good Samaritan Society, Canton, SD

The Hero of the Year award recognizes an individual who works or volunteers in an ICF/IID facility or HCBS Waiver Homes and has shown commitment and dedication to serving people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.  The Not for Profit Program of the Year award highlights a specific program that adds value to the care of individuals within a community.  The NFP Trustee of the Year Award recognizes the vital role played by members of the Board of Trustees in not for profit nursing centers.  The Volunteer of the Year program seeks to honor a young adult (under 19), an adult, and a group organization that have served in a volunteer capacity for more than one year and have made a positive contribution to residents and staff of a care center.

Award recipients will be honored at the AHCA/NCAL 67th Annual Convention in Nashville, Tennessee on October 19, 2016.

ICF/IID Reports

AHCA's Research Department has released the following June 2016 updates for use by AHCA/NCAL members:

• LTC Stats: Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IID) Standard Health Survey Report, June 2016
• LTC Stats: Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IID), June 2016

If you have any questions relating to these reports, which include important ICF/IID state and national data, please contact AHCA’s Senior Research Analyst, Kiran Sreenivas.

Aging and Down Syndrome: A Health & Well-Being Guidebook

The National Down Syndrome Society has a resource guidebook available for families, professionals, direct caregivers or anyone concerned with the general welfare of an adult with Down syndrome.  The introduction of the guidebook specifically notes that, “Adults with Down syndrome are now reaching old age on a regular basis and are commonly living into their 50s, 60s and 70s.  While there are many exciting milestones that accompany growing older, old age can also bring unexpected challenges for which adults with Down syndrome, their families and caregivers may not feel adequately prepared.  In order to enjoy all the wonderful aspects of a longer life, it is important to be proactive and learn about issues that may lie ahead.”  The full guidebook, written by the lead author of Dr. Julie Moran along with additional authors/contributors, can be found here. 

Right Around the Corner – A Day for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (ID/DD) Residential Services Providers from AHCA/NCAL

AHCA/NCAL’s constituency education program for ID/DD providers will be held on Tuesday, October 18, in Nashville, TN, and is packed with motivational and educational speakers. The keynote speaker, John O’Leary (pictured), was a curious nine-year-old boy. Playing with fire and gasoline, he created a massive explosion in his garage and was burned on 100% of his body. Given less than 1% chance of survival, John is proof of the power of the human spirit. Using his fire story as a backdrop, John will inspire you to take back your life, see the abundant possibility within your professional and personal challenges, and change the world. Participants will also have the opportunity to hear from other top-notch speakers. More information about this day can be found here. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact AHCA’s Senior Director of Not for Profit & Constituent Services, Dana Halvorson.      

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Grassroots Advocacy – Facility Visits Over Recess

Holly Jarek, AHCA's ID/DD Committee Chair, encourages AHCA's ID/DD providers to participate in our grassroots advocacy efforts in 2016.  AHCA would like to help you get facility tours and in-district meetings set up over future recess days.  Please provide your name, facility address, and email address and we will craft the invite and send it to you to send to the Congressional office.  The four brief steps for a successful facility tour visit can be found here.  Please feel free to contact Matthew Smyth and Dana Halvorson who can help you with all of the logistics.

AHCA’s ID/DD Committee members, Renee Naylor (pictured to the left) and Kelly Head (pictured to the right), met with Representative Kurt Schrader (D-OR-5) last year, during AHCA’s ID/DD Residential Services Providers annual Hill Fly-In event. 

U.S. Congressional Calendars

As you are planning your visits with members of Congress and their staff in Washington, D.C., or in your district, the Congressional calendars will be of assistance to you.  The U.S. House of Representatives calendar for the 114^th Congress, second session, can be found here.  The U.S. Senate schedule for 2016 can be found here. The dates in blue reference the times the U.S. Senate is in session.  The red dates represent when the U.S. Senate is in recess.

AHCA/NCAL Advocacy App

If you haven’t already heard about it, then we wanted to alert you to a great app that allows you to keep abreast of AHCA advocacy efforts.  Among other things, it provides important talking points, issue briefs and features that allow you to take action.  It will be useful not only to you, but serves as a great way for providers to weigh in.  You can get the app by clicking on the appropriate black box below.

 

Download our advocacy app!

   

VOR Corner

VOR is a national nonprofit organization advocating for high quality care and human rights for all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). VOR empowers its members to make and protect quality of life choices for individuals with developmental disabilities.  Founded in 1983, VOR is a national 501(c)(3) organization governed by a volunteer board of directors and funded solely by dues and donations.  VOR represents primarily individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families/guardians.  VOR advocates that the final determination of what is appropriate depends on the unique abilities and needs of the individual and desires of the family and guardians.  More information about VOR can be found here.

DDNA: Celebrating Our Past, Shaping Our Future!

You are cordially invited to the Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association’s 25^th Education Conference & Anniversary Gala!  Join us April 7-10, 2017 for DDNA’s exceptional education program in Dallas, Texas at the Hyatt Regency Reunion Tower.  The 2017 conference will be a celebration of our last 25 years and a look ahead to the next 25 years in I/DD nursing!  As the premier resource for practicing I/DD nurses, DDNA is committed to providing quality education programs that include cutting edge content with practical application. 

Who should attend: nurses and other healthcare professionals specializing in the care of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, case managers, and QDDPs. For more information or to become a member of DDNA, visit our website at: DDNA.org

We’ve Got You Covered! AHCA/NCAL Insurance Solutions Website

The American Health Care Association (AHCA) and National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) now offers a variety of comprehensive insurance programs to meet your business needs. Backed by the strength of our membership, AHCA/NCAL Insurance Solutions programs are designed with exclusive member savings and discounts for both the fully-insured or self-insured members.

The program offers health insurance options, group and voluntary benefit packages, an aggressive Stop-Loss insurance program as well as cloud based HR platforms that will help members achieve savings and greater efficiencies on HR services within your company, while also tracking and reporting on key Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements.  For more information, please contact AHCA’s Dave Kyllo at dkyllo@AHCA.org and visit the AHCA/NCAL Insurance Solutions website.  

AHCA’s State of the States Clearinghouse

AHCA members have access to key Medicaid and Medicare information through the State of the States Clearinghouse.  The AHCA State of the States Clearinghouse is a one stop shop for key Medicaid and Medicare information impacting the long term care profession.

This resource provides valuable data, including:

• Overview of the demographic landscape;
• State-specific nursing center occupancy and ownership breakouts; 
• Certificate of Need requirements for nursing centers and state licensure requirements; 
• State data on the cost of care for long term services and supports;  
• State data on the total number of Medicare enrollees; 
• Data on state Medicare Advantage plan enrollees and comparisons to the national average; 
• State and national Medicaid expenditure data;
• State Medicaid rates, costs and shortfalls;
• And other significant state-specific data related to payment structure, managed long term services and home and community based services coverage.

AHCA will continue to provide the most up-to-date information through the Clearinghouse and share new data/resources as they become available.  Also be sure to visit the AHCA Medicaid Page to learn more about the program and to access additional AHCA members-only Medicaid resources.

Articles and Resources of Interest

• Early Autism Diagnosis Key To Effective Treatment, Study Finds – disabilityscoop.com
• Regulations Broaden Who’s Covered Under ADA – disabilityscoop.com
• Autism Genes Vary, Even Among Siblings – disabilityscoop.com
• For Kids On The Spectrum, Drug May Keep Weight Gain At Bay – disabilityscoop.com
• August 4, 2016: Guardianship: Key Concepts for I&R/A Professionals – nasuad.org
• Improving Health Outcomes Through Inclusion and Participation for Persons with Disabilities – Healthy People 2020 – cdc.gov
• Three Long Term and Post-Acute Care Providers Earn Top Distinction in Quality Care – ahcancal.org
• The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Releases a Family Caregiving Report – longtermcareleader.com
• Use of telemedicine grows in long-term care settings – healthdatamanagement.com

Legislative and Agency Corner

• First-Ever National Resource Center for Self-Advocacy to Empower People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities – acl.gov
• Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities – dol.gov
• Waiting List Placements May Violate ADA – disabilityscoop.com
• Subminimum Wage Changes Catch States ‘Flat-Footed’ – disabilityscoop.com
• AHCA/NCAL Adds Name to RAISE Act Hill Letter – longtermcareleader.com
• AHCA’s Daniel Ciolek Speaking at Congressional Hill Briefing – longtermcareleader.com
• House Committee Proposes New Value-Based Payment System – longtermcareleader.com

Webinars of Interest

Stay informed and tune in to AHCA/NCAL-hosted pre-recorded and live webinars on a number of topics impacting the long term care profession. A few webinars coming up that you might find of interest are below.

• Discharge to Community: Creating Seamless Transitions
• New CMS Regulatory LTC Requirements for Food/Nutrition and Dining

In addition, The ARC has webinars coming up this year and next year that might be of interest.  More details are below.

• Promoting Collaboration Between Hospice and Palliative Care Providers and Adult Day Services for Individuals with I/DD
• Healthy Relationships and Healthy Sexuality for People with Developmental Disability
• Aging and Dementia Care for People with Intellectual Disabilities
• Transition of Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities to Adult-Systems of Care
• Social Support Networks of Aging Persons with Intellectual Disabilities

AHCA/NCAL Learning Management Website

AHCA/NCAL has recently launched a comprehensive online Learning Management System to support the training needs of its members. The website, known as ahcancalED, contains a wealth of information including educational programs, webinars, instructional videos, training courses, and other tools. It is available free to AHCA/NCAL members.

"We created ahcancalED for our members who do not have the time or budget to develop the newest in-service training," said Dr. David Gifford, AHCA/NCAL Senior Vice President of Quality and Regulatory Affairs. "Our objective also was to provide the best and latest educational tools, especially as CMS increases its regulatory requirements about staff training and competency in a number of areas. ahcancalED is designed to help individuals in our profession do a better job of caring for patients and residents and advance in their careers."

The information on ahcancalED is structured to make the online learning experience engaging, meaningful, and interactive for users. The fresh graphics and clearly defined sections within the site make it easy for users to navigate and find the information they need. The site also allows users to track their own learning progress.

Teams of experts from around the country working with AHCA/NCAL staff helped to create the content. "We will constantly be adding new programs and materials so that we can keep the site fresh and dynamic," said Gifford. "We'll continue to look for new ways the site can grow and serve our members. It's a great value-added benefit and a tangible example of our commitment to enhancing quality."

ahcancalED can be accessed at https://educate.ahcancal.org/. Suggestions for content or other site enhancements can be submitted to the ahcancalED team at educate@ahca.org. AHCA/NCAL welcomes ideas that will help improve quality and strengthen the knowledge, skills and attitudes of staff in the long term and post-acute care community.

From the Blog of Josh Linkner

Noted on the Josh Linkner blog, “To Josh Linkner, creativity and innovation are the lifeblood of all human progress. As such, he’s spent his career harnessing the power of creative disruption.  His journey has been non-traditional at every step. As the founder and CEO of four tech companies, Josh built his businesses from a blank page into a combined value of over $200 million. As a hyper-growth CEO of over 20 years, he’s used innovative approaches to topple competitors, fight through adversity, and achieve at the highest levels.”  The bio section of Linkner’s blog goes on to include that, “Josh is an internationally-recognized thought leader and top-rated keynote speaker on innovation, creativity, reinvention, and hyper-growth leadership. His keynotes are focused on not only inspiring audiences, but also sharing actionable strategies to drive meaningful outcomes.”  Read some of Linkner’s blogs below.  In addition, you can view some of his keynote speaking addresses here. 

• The Mañana Trap
• Doing Well by Doing Good
• Force Fields
• An Unlikely Business Makeover
• The Two Must-Have Beliefs of History-Makers
• Overcoming Your Inner Critic

Three Tips to Create a Memorable Experience For Your Customers

Dr. Bryan K. Williams notes, “Could it be? Is it even possible? What are the chances that every touchpoint is memorable? Each team member is engaged. All leaders act as though they are not just managers, but rather CEOs of their respective departments. Vince Lombardi famously said…. The real leaders live and breathe that philosophy. Good is never good enough. Only excellence will do.”  He goes on to note that, “It usually only takes a few minutes, but I can always tell when I’ve encountered a culture of excellence.”  The full blog version of “Three Tips to Create a Memorable Experience For Your Customers” article can be found here. 

Dr. Williams is a consultant, trainer, and author, who focuses on the areas of service excellence and organizational effectiveness.  He has spoken at numerous AHCA/NCAL events, and his passion is to serve others so they may better serve the world.  Here is a link where you can see some of Dr. Williams’ book recommendations on service, leadership and personal development.

BW Leadership Academy 2016

On November 3-4, Dr. Bryan K. Williams is introducing the first ever BW Leadership Academy in Baltimore, Maryland.  According to Dr. Williams, “the BW Leadership Academy is an experience unlike any other because it's not just about leadership ... it's about the leader. It's a unique opportunity for strong mid-managers and those who are close to becoming senior leaders. They will become completely engaged in a two-day event that strictly focuses on making the attendee the leader they are meant to be, and to grow the future generation of the leaders.”  For more information and to register for the Academy, visit www.BWLeadershipAcademy.com.

National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities

The National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) holds a monthly call or webinar concerning topics of interest to those who work in the field of aging and disability.  One of the past calls focused on resources for people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias and their caregivers.  Information about future calls, and audio recording of previous ones, can be found here.

Upcoming 2016 Events

AHCA/NCAL 67^th Annual Convention & Expo – October 16 – 19, 2016
A Day for ID/DD Providers at the AHCA/NCAL Convention – October 18, 2016
26th Alzheimer Europe Conference – October 31 – November 2, 2016

2016 Health Care Observances

The 2016 AHCA/NCAL Health Care Observances Calendar can be found here.  October 2016 marks, among other observances, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, National Dental Hygiene Month, National Physical Therapy Month and Residents’ Rights Month.