AHCA/NCAL 68th Annual Convention & Expo Next Month!

Be sure to register today for the AHCA/NCAL 68th Annual Convention & Expo!  Advance registration ends September 21.  The Convention & Expo is a great value for our members and consists of four days of unparalleled education, national speakers, networking and special events. We host an Expo Hall packed with all the best products and services for long term and post-acute care professionals.  When registering, make sure to get your tickets for the Gala Dinner & Show with the Grammy-Award winning Huey Lewis and the News.  We hope you join us for a night you won't forget!  Register today!

AHCA/NCAL Announces 2017 Award Recipients

AHCA/NCAL recently announced the recipients for the 2017 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, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (ID/DD) residences, and assisted living communities.  Honorees demonstrate selflessness, compassion, and strive to enhance the lives of seniors and individuals with disabilities in their communities.

The 2017 AHCA/NCAL Awards recipients are:

• Hero of the Year- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Cathy Gray, Cedarcrest Center for Children with Disabilities, Keene, N.H.
• Not for Profit Program of the Year: Trinity Oaks Health and Rehab Life Enrichment, Trinity Oaks Health and Rehab, Salisbury, N.C.
• Not for Profit Trustee Award: Peter Miesburger, Maine Veterans’ Home, Augusta, Maine
• Adult Volunteer of the Year: Mike Howard, Harlan Health and Rehabilitation Center, Ky.
• Group Volunteer of the Year: Bryant Parkview Care Center Auxiliary, Bryant Parkview Care Center, Bryant, S.D.
• Young Adult Volunteer of the Year: Luke Flippo, Diversicare of Amory, Amory, Miss.

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 ID/DD.

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 Not for Profit Trustee award honors a not for profit trustee committed to faithfully carrying out functions of the board and dedicated to improving the lives of frail and vulnerable individuals.

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 68th Annual Convention in Las Vegas on October 18, 2017.

Maryruth Butler Named 2017 Champion of Quality Award Recipient

AHCA/NCAL announced Maryruth Butler, MBA, NHA, RCA, as the 2017 recipient of the Mary K. Ousley Champion of Quality Award for her national impact on quality in long term and post-acute care.

Since 2001, Butler has served as the Executive Director of Kindred Nursing and Rehabilitation-Mountain Valley in Kellogg, Idaho, which provides skilled nursing and rehabilitation care for patients and residents.  Under Butler’s leadership, Mountain Valley has been recognized with numerous achievements.  Through AHCA/NCAL’s National Quality Award Program, the center achieved three progressive levels of awards – Bronze, Silver, and Gold – in 2005, 2007, and 2011, respectively.  In 2016, Mountain Valley was the first nursing center to receive the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s highest Presidential honor for sustainable excellence.  For eight consecutive years, the center has also achieved an overall five-star rating, the highest possible rating through CMS’ Five-Star Quality Rating System.

As a licensed Residential Care Administrator, Butler currently teaches a Residential Care/Assisted Living Administrator course through the Idaho Health Care Association, and conducts presentations across the country on topics such as the Baldrige Performance Excellence Framework and quality improvement.

AHCA/NCAL presents the Mary K. Ousley Champion of Quality Award to an individual or organization that has made a significant national contribution to advancing quality performance in the long term care field. Recipients must consistently advocate for quality approaches and demonstrate the ability to educate and advocate for a system’s approach to quality improvement. Recipients also display leadership in the development, promotion, and implementation of quality improvement initiatives that have resulted in measurable improvements in the quality of care and quality of life for individuals in long term care.

In 2011, the Friend of Quality Award was renamed the Mary K. Ousley Champion of Quality Award to honor the ongoing legacy and commitment to quality care demonstrated by its namesake, Mary Ousley, a licensed nursing center administrator and nurse who has dedicated her life to quality improvement programs in long term care.  Butler will be presented with the award at AHCA/NCAL’s 68th Annual Convention and Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, October 15-18, 2017.

Implications of the ABLE Act for State Medicaid Programs

According to a September 7, 2017, email update from Medicaid.gov, “the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is providing guidance to states on how to treat ‘ABLE’ accounts in Medicaid financial eligibility determinations.  The Stephen Beck, Jr., Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2014 (the ABLE Act), enacted in 2015, created a program under which people with disabilities can save money for their disability-related expenses in tax-advantaged accounts.  Because disability can serve as a basis for Medicaid eligibility, many individuals who apply for Medicaid on the basis of having a disability may be interested in opening an ABLE account, and this letter provides guidance to states on the treatment of funds in, contributions to, and distributions from an ABLE account for purposes of Medicaid eligibility.”  The letter is available here.  AHCA supported the passage of the ABLE Act in Congress.    

CMS Delay of Compliance with HCBS Setting Rule

On May 9, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released an Informational Bulletin extending the timeline for compliance with the Medicaid home and community-based settings rule.  CMS indicates that states should continue progress with their statewide transition plan to be approved by March 17, 2019, but the agency is extending the transition period for states to demonstrate compliance with the settings criteria by 3 years to March 17, 2022.  For assisted living communities and other providers of home and community-based services, this extension provides relief as they work with states to ensure they meet the criteria for a home and community-based setting.  More guidance about the rule can be found here.

September is National Preparedness Month - Informative Emergency Preparedness Resources Are Available

September 2017 marks, among other observances, National Preparedness Month.  National Preparedness Month will focus on planning, with an overarching theme “Disasters Don’t Plan Ahead. You Can.” The goal of this month is to increase the overall number of individuals, families, and communities that engage in preparedness actions at home, work, businesses, school, and places of worship. 

That being said, it is important to note that Emergency Preparedness Final Rule was released on Friday, September 16, 2016.  The rule impacts skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IIDs), but does not apply to assisted living providers.  On June 2, 2017, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released the Emergency Preparedness Interpretive Guidance (IG), which can be found here.  AHCA members are highly encouraged to look through the IG.  Providers will need to comply with the final rule by November 2017.  Click here for a summary AHCA put together of the IG for your use. 

That being said, AHCA has several informative emergency preparedness resources that you might be interested in.  AHCA has an Emergency Preparedness Final Rule Webinar Series that can be found here.  In addition, there will be educational sessions around emergency preparedness at the AHCA/NCAL National Convention in Las Vegas, including one on Monday, October 16, 2017, at 3pm entitled “A Case Study in the Use of Human Patient Simulator Technology to Enhance Emergency Preparedness Exercises within Long Term Care Facilities.” More details on this session can be found here.  Another session that you might find of interest will occur on Tuesday, October 17, at 10am in the Mandalay Bay Ballroom L entitled, “Overview and Discussion of the New Emergency Preparedness Requirements.” More information can be found here on this particular session.  Please contact Erin Prendergast (SNF Providers) or Dana Halvorson (ICF/IID Providers) with any questions.

Finally, on Tuesday, September 26, there will be a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region II Preparedness Webinar Planning for Seniors from 12 - 1pm ET.  Participants will learn, among other things, about tools and information available that can assist older adults and their caregivers when an emergency strikes.  You can register here for this free webinar event.     

ICF/IID Reports

AHCA's Research Department has released the following June 2017 updates for use by AHCA/NCAL members:

• LTC Stats: Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IID) Standard Health Survey Report, June 2017
• LTC Stats: Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IID), Facility and Resident Characteristics, June 2017

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.

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 2017.  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-Halladay (pictured to the right), met with Representative Kurt Schrader (D-OR-5), 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 115^th Congress, first session, can be found here.  The tentative U.S. Senate schedule for 2017 can be found here.

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.

2017 Pediatric Complex Care Association Conference

The Pediatric Complex Care Association is pleased to announce that registration for its annual educational conference in Philadelphia November 8-10, 2017 is now open. 

The conference brings together providers of care for children with medical complexity that include physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, nursing home administrators, pediatric therapists, social workers, and educators.  Conference highlights this year include a keynote address by Rick Guidotti, an internationally known photographer speaking on “Positive Exposure: Seeing Beyond Diagnosis and sessions on leading generational diversity, infection prevention teams, augmentative technology, sensory environments and behavioral intervention. 

For further information on the conference and to register, please click here or contact pat@pediatricomplexcare.org.  For more information about the Pediatric Complex Care Association or to become a member, visit their website pediatriccomplexcare.org.  

2018 DDNA Conference

Join DDNA next year in sunny Orlando, Florida - March 22-25, 2018!  The 26th Annual Education Conference will be held at the Orlando World Marriott Center Resort!  All ID/DD healthcare professionals and ID/DD advocates are welcome to attend!  Sponsors and exhibitors also welcome!  More information can be found on DDNA’s website: www.ddna.org or contact DDNA at: conference@ddna.org.

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.  For more information about the DDNA or to become a member, visit their 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

• Get Involved with the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program! – longtermcareleader.com
• New Quality Award Examiner Webinar Now Available! – longtermcareleader.com
• Get Your Job Vacancies on Google’s New Search Engine Through the AHCA/NCAL Long Term Care Career Center – longtermcareleader.com
• Delivering the Universal Language of Music Through Mood Media – longtermcareleader.com
• Midlife cardiovascular risk factors may increase chances of dementia – nih.gov
• Serotonin Loss May Drive Cognitive Decline – Medscape.com
• Retinal Imaging Device May Offer Insight Into Alzheimer's – Medscape.com
• The State of Obesity – stateofobesity.org  

Legislative and Agency Corner

• Congress Returns for Busy September – longtermcareleader.com
• Report to Congress: Young Adults and Transitioning Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder – hhs.gov
• National Research Summit on Care, Services and Supports for Persons with Dementia and Their Caregivers: Pre-Summit Activities – aspe.hhs.gov
• The ABLE Act: A Tool for Financial Stability and Employment Outcomes National Online Dialogue – epolicyworks.org
• Feds Clarify New Rule For Special Needs Trusts – disabilityscoop.com
• States Get Guidance On ABLE Accounts, Medicaid Eligibility – disabilityscoop.com
• Court Weighs Justice Department Role In ADA Enforcement – disabilityscoop.com
• Rental Market Unkind To Those With Developmental Disabilities – disabilityscoop.com
• Feds Award Millions For Autism Research – disabilityscoop.com

AHCA/NCAL Learning Management Website

AHCA/NCAL has 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.

Webinars of Interest

Stay informed and tune in to ahcancalED for several pre-recorded and live webinars on topics impacting the long-term care profession.  Webinars coming up that might be of interest are below.  

• Quality Initiative Series Webinar on Customer Satisfaction
• 2017 HUD Updates on Residential Care Facilities Asset Management

You also might be interested in an AADMD Virtual Grand Rounds Aging in Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities webinar, which can be viewed here.  The ARC has also has webinars this year that might be of interest.  Finally, in October, there will be a State of the Science: Advances at the Intersection of Aging and Long-Term Disability webinar series hosted with support from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research and the National Council on Aging.  More details on this webinar series, including how to register, can be found here.  

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.

• 7 Powerful Lessons from Ancient Japanese Wisdom
• Planting Seeds
• How One Pizza Delivery Inspired the Nation
• Four Powerful Questions
• Here’s What Happened When a Brilliant Entrepreneur Got Ticked  
• A Life-Changing 2.97%

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 2017 Events

• 68th Annual AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo in Las Vegas – October 14-18, 2017
• ID/DD Day at the AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo – October 17, 2017

2017 Health Care Observances

October 2017 marks, among other observances, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, National Dental Hygiene Month, Residents’ Rights Month and National Physical Therapy Month.  The full 2017 health care related observances calendar can be found here.