AHCA/NCAL Announces 2016 Award Recipients

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) announced the recipients for the 2016 AHCA/NCAL Awards program last month.  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.

Compassionate Care: 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 and where to register 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 – Congressional Summer Recess is Here

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.