Upcoming 2016 Events

• AHCA/NCAL Quality Summit – February 9 – 11, 2016
• AHCA’s ID/DD Hill Fly-In Event – March 1, 2016
• AHCA/NCAL Independent Owner Leadership Conference – March 16 – 18, 2016

2015 Health Care Observances

The 2015 AHCA/NCAL Health Care Observances Calendar can be found here.  December marks, among other observances, World AIDS Day on December 1, and National Influenza Vaccination Week December 6-12, 2015.

Mark Your Calendars – AHCA’s 2016 ID/DD Hill Fly-In Date Set!

AHCA’s Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (ID/DD) Residential Services Providers annual Hill Fly-In event will occur on Tuesday, March 1, 2016, at the AHCA offices in DC. This important event is free to attend.  Breakfast and a boxed lunch will be provided to registrants. Congressional speakers are being invited, a legislative update will be provided, and Hill visits will follow in the afternoon.  AHCA will provide one-pagers and talking points for registrants to take to the Hill.

If you would like to attend, please contact AHCA’s Senior Director of Not for Profit & Constituent Services, Dana Halvorson.  If you have any questions whatsoever, please don’t hesitate to let Dana know.  AHCA hopes to see you at this important event!

A Gift that Just Keeps Giving

Kara Larsen was the 2015 AHCA/NCAL Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (ID/DD) “Hero of the Year.” Ms. Larsen works at the Mission at West Jordan Care Center, West Jordan, Utah. The goal of West Jordan is to offer an individualized quality of life experience by providing excellent services in an advanced Eden Alternative environment. Over the years, West Jordan’s clients have changed from mainly behavioral to eighty percent (80%) non-ambulatory.  A solid 15-year veteran at West Jordan, Kara’s career began there when she was 17 years old. Today, Jeanie Pettit, Administrator of West Jordan, describes her as “extraordinary in the love and caring she brings to activity situations. She thinks out of the box, is creative and enthusiastic.”

Kara is adept at taking on an idea and following it through to completion, such as participating in the Miss Utah Wheelchair pageant, or leading other social events. She receives a lot of the credit for the success of the Eden program.  Yet, Kara’s true gift is in building relationships with clients, families, and the staff. Seems Kara is always able to rally support for her causes and fundraisers, as well as providing community volunteers for events.  Kara was recognized for her wonderful contributions at the AHCA/NCAL Annual Convention in San Antonio, TX, on Oct. 7, 2015. 

A Day for ID/DD Providers a Success

A Day for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Residential Services Providers was held on Sunday, October 4, 2015, at the 66^th AHCA/NCAL Annual Convention & Expo.  The theme for this year's session was called, “Leading the Charge for Compassionate Care: A Day for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Residential Services Providers.”  The day was packed with motivational and educational speakers. Charles Bloom (pictured), Chief Strategic Officer for the Marquis Companies/Consonus Healthcare in Milwaukie, OR, was the closing keynote speaker, and explored and examined with attendees the background of intentional culture and how it can create meaning and purpose in our work. Participants also had the opportunity to hear from other educational and top-notch speakers, including CMS.  If you have any questions about ID/DD Day, please contact AHCA's Senior Director for NFP & Constituent Services, Dana Halvorson, at dhalvorson@ahca.org.

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.

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Grassroots Advocacy

Renee Naylor, AHCA's ID/DD Committee Chair, encourages AHCA's ID/DD providers to participate in our grassroots advocacy efforts this year.  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.

Renee Naylor (pictured to the left) and AHCA’s ID/DD Committee member, Kelly Head (pictured to the right), met with Representative Kurt Schrader (D-OR-5) during AHCA’s I2015 D/DD Residential Services Providers annual Hill Fly-In event.