Articles and Resources of Interest

• Study: MMR Vaccine Doesn’t Increase Autism Risk – disabilityscoop.com
• Some States Pay Doctors More to Treat Medicaid Patients – disabilityscoop.com

Legislative and Agency Corner

• Obama administration seeks public comment on proposed rules to implement the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act – dol.gov
• Feds Call For Greater Inclusion In Preschools – disabilityscoop.com
• Funding Opportunity Announcement for the Community Interoperability and Health Information Exchange Cooperative Agreement Program – healthit.gov
• Long-Term Services and Supports Policy Brief – whitehouseconferenceonaging.gov
• Top 10 Tips to Know if You Get a Letter from the IRS – irs.gov
• Understanding Memory Loss: What To Do When You Have Trouble Remembering – nia.nih.gov
• Exercise and Physical Activity: Alzheimer's Caregiving Tips – nia.nih.gov

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.  

Is Customer Service Really Just Common Sense?

According to Dr. Bryan K. Williams, “At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter what you know, it’s what you do that counts.  I can have all the common sense in the world, but if I don’t use it, then it’s meaningless.  Both line employees and leaders must understand their roles in turning common sense into common action.”  Dr. Williams goes on to note at the end of the blog that, “In my mind, the only thing ‘common’ about customer service is that everyone appreciates being valued.  Help. Serve. Assist. Escort. Greet. Follow-Up. Exceed. Recognize. Honor.  Hardwire these words into your subconscious so that service excellence is not just common sense, but is commonly done.”  The full blog version of the “Is Customer Service Really Just Common Sense?” 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.

National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities

The National Association of Sates United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) holds monthly calls concerning topics of interest to those who work in the field of aging and disability the first Thursday of every month at 3pm EST.  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 2015 Events

• VOR’s Annual Conference – June 7, 2015
• VOR's Congressional Initiative – week of June 8, 2015 
• NASDDDS 2015 Directors Forum & Mid-Year Conference – June 10-12, 2015
• AHCA’s Congressional Briefing – June 15 and 16, 2015
• Global Summit on Innovations and Health in IDD – July 27-29, 2015

2015 Health Care Observances

The 2015 AHCA/NCAL Health Care Observances Calendar can be found here.  June marks, among other observances, Cataract Awareness Month and National Safety Month.