Consumer Voice Happenings
- Registration is now open for the Consumer Voice Annual Conference! Register before July 22nd and save $50 with our Early Bird Rate. For more information about the conference, click here. To register, click here.
- We are now accepting nominations for the 2014 Consumer Voice Leadership Awards. These awards are a great way to recognize a long-term care consumer, long-term care ombudsman, family caregiver, citizen advocate or another individual for their advocacy on behalf of long-term care consumers. Nominations are due by Friday, July 18th. For more information about the awards, click here. If you have additional questions, contact us at info@theconsumervoice.org
- Join us on Tuesday, June 24th for the virtual kickoff of the Consumer Voice Nursing Home Staffing Public Awareness Campaign. The webinar/teleconference will include both an official launch and an educational and action component. RSVP by June 20th. For more information and to register, click here.
- The theme for this year's Residents' Rights Month is "Better Staffing: The Key to Better Care." Residents' Rights Month is an annual event designated by the Consumer Voice and celebrated in October to honor residents living in all long-term care facilities. For more information about Residents' Rights Month 2014 and for information about this year's Resident's Voice Challenge, click here.
Other Important Happenings:
- We unveiled our newly redesigned website: www.theconsumervoice.org. The website features improved graphics, greater interactivity and easier site navigation. See the sidebar to participate in Consumer Voice Website Trivia to win prizes!
- Applications are now available for the Consumer Voice's free state-based advocacy trainings. As part of our Consumers for Quality Care, No Matter Where initiative, the Consumer Voice is offering free state-based, in-person advocacy trainings for individuals and groups with the capacity to make an impact on policy and contribute to the Consumer Voice's national efforts. For more information on the trainings and how to apply, click here.
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Progress on Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations in the Senate
On June 10th, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS-Education) approved its fiscal year (FY) 2015 appropriations bill. This proposed legislation includes $10 million in funding for the President’s Elder Justice Initiative, as well as an increase of roughly $25 million for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ State Survey and Certification Program, which oversees nursing homes’ compliance with health and safety standards. The proposed legislation also includes an overall increase of $20 million for programs administered under the Administration for Community Living, but funding for Title VII programs, including funding under this title that is provided to the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, remains the same as FY 2014 levels. Although the Subcommittee has not released the full text of this appropriations bill yet, you can read a summary of the legislation here.
This bill now requires consideration by the full Senate Appropriations Committee before it can progress further. Consumer Voice will continue its advocacy to members of this important committee to advocate for full funding for the President’s Elder Justice Initiative, and increasing appropriations for CMS’s State Survey and Certification Program as well as the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. The House of Representatives has not made any progress on their own appropriations bill for Labor-HHS-Education programs, but we will continue to keep our network up-to-date with any progress made in the Congressional appropriations process.
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Consumer Voice Submits Comments on Proposed Fire Safety Requirements
On Monday, June 16, 2014, Consumer Voice submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on the agency’s proposed rule for fire safety requirements in nursing homes and in residential board and care occupancies. Consumer Voice communicated strong support for provisions in the proposed rule that would enhance the safety of residents but expressed concern over certain provisions – such as allowing 12 years for existing nursing homes greater than 7 stories to install sprinkler systems - that would endanger residents’ safety in instances of nursing home fires. To read our comments, click here. The proposed rule by CMS on this matter can be viewed here.
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Family Member and Advocate Shares Testimony to DC Council, Calls for Accurate Nursing Documentation and Oxygen Therapy Regulations
Earlier this year, Joy Nathan Stern, an individual advocate whose mother passed away due to substandard nursing home care roughly three years ago, presented to the District of Columbia Council Committee during its 2014 Health Performance Oversight and Budget Hearing. In her testimony, Ms. Stern shared the story of her mother’s passing due to a nursing home’s egregious failure to provide her mother with required oxygen therapy and the shortcomings of the D.C. Department of Health in properly investigating and penalizing the facility for this fatal mistake. Ms. Stern also discussed inaccuracies in the nursing notes kept by the facility in regards to this incident. Her full testimony can be read here.
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Consumer Voice Signs onto Letter to CMS about Implementation of Federal Regulations for HCBS Settings
Last week, the Consumer Voice signed onto a letter sent by a group of nonprofit advocacy organizations to CMS raising concerns with several issues as states are beginning the transition planning process required under the new federal regulations for HCBS settings: 1) inadequate public comment processes being proposed by some states, 2) need for public comment for HCBS provided through 1915(k) programs, and 3) inappropriateness of payment-source discrimination in provider-controlled settings. The letter requested CMS to take action to address these issues. Read the letter to CMS and the memo detailing the concerns.
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Nursing Homes: Getting Good Care There - Don't Wait! Place Your Order TODAY!
The Consumer Voice is placing an order for copies of our widely acclaimed consumer guide, Nursing Homes: Getting Good Care There on June 30! Do you have a training coming up? Want a terrific resource to share with residents, families, and staff? Have end of year funds you need to spend? The guide includes specific advocacy strategies, checklists, and information on getting good care. A “must-read” for residents, family members, and advocates. Take advantage of this opportunity to re-stock. Bulk order pricing available (orders of 25 or more). Contact Amanda Celentano at acelentano@theconsumervoice.org.
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Center for Medicare Advocacy States that CMS's Focus on QAPI Diverted Its Resources from the Nursing Home Reform Law
A recent alert from the Center for Medicare Advocacy outlined how CMS's focus on Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI) in nursing homes has diverted the agency's resources from enforcing the Nursing Home Reform Law. The alert concluded that survey agencies should focus on the core functions that no other public or private entity has authority to perform – enforcing the law that governs the provision of nursing facility care to residents. The alert stated that it is not the role of government to pay billions of dollars for nursing facility care annually and also teach facilities how to manage themselves in order to provide the care that they have contracted, and are paid, to provide. For more information, read the alert.
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Sponsor the Gazette and Recognize Your Hero!
Consumer Voice is now accepting sponsorship contributions for each weekly issue of The Gazette. See this week's sponsorship statement at the top of the Gazette, just below the masthead. As a benefit of this sponsorship, the contributor may honor, remember, or thank an individual or organization – or highlight a birthday, anniversary, a good deed, a book, publication or even a piece of legislation. We welcome the creativity of our donors.
Consumer Voice will be publishing Gazette sponsorship guidelines shortly, but in the meantime you may inquire about making a sponsorship contribution by contacting Richard Gelula at rgelula@theconsumervoice.org or by calling (202) 332-2275x209.
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Free Online Elder Abuse Training for Legal Service Providers
The Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime, in collaboration with the Access to Justice Initiative and the Elder Justice Initiative, has announced the first three modules of the free Online Elder Abuse Training for legal service providers. This free interactive web-based training program offers a variety of information, tools and resources, from interactive client scenarios to printable resources for your office. Modules are written by former Consumer Voice Board President Alison Hirschel. Access the modules here.
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Allstate Foundation "Purple Purse Challenge" Funds Domestic Violence & Financial Abuse
The Allstate Foundation has announced it is accepting applications through June 30 for organizations to join this September’s Purple Purse Challenge to get people talking about domestic violence and financial abuse.
The Foundation will select up to 200 nonprofits that provide financial empowerment services directly or indirectly to domestic violence survivors. The Challenge raises awareness and funding to end domestic violence and financial abuse through the financial empowerment of survivors. Participating nonprofits are eligible for a $1,000 grant just for getting started in the Challenge as well as other rewards and the chance to compete for $500,000 in prize funding.
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Upcoming Free Webinars from the University of Iowa School of Social Work:
Guardianship 101 in the Nursing Home Setting: What Every Social Worker Should Know, Tuesday, July 1st 1:00pm EST, Presented by Erica Wood, American Bar Association's Commission on Law and Aging
Family Conflict in the Nursing Home Setting, Wednesday, July 9th 4:00pm EST, Presented by Professor Betty Kramer, University of Wisconson, and Deirdre Downes, Director of Social Work at Jewish Home Life in New York
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In this Issue
Consumer Voice Happenings
Progress on Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations in the Senate
Consumer Voice Submits Comments on Proposed Fire Safety Requirements
Family Member and Advocate Shares Testimony to DC Council, Calls for Accurate Nursing Documentation and Oxygen Therapy Regulations
Consumer Voice Signs onto Letter to CMS About Implementation of Federal Regulations for HCBS Settings
Nursing Homes: Getting Good Care There - Don't Wait! Place Your Order TODAY!
Center for Medicare Advocacy States that CMS's Focus on QAPI Diverted Resources from Nursing Home Reform Law
Sponsor The Gazette and Recognize Your Hero!
Free Online Elder Abuse Training for Legal Service Providers
Allstate Foundation "Purple Purse Challenge" Funds Domestic Violence & Financial Abuse
Upcoming Webinars from the University of Iowa School of Social Work
Play Consumer Voice Website Trivia!
Explore our new website and win prizes! Answer the question below (and look for more trivia questions in upcoming weeks) and be the first to email the answer to info@theconsumervoice.org:
Where can you find the current and past issues of The Gazette? (Please provide the link in your answer.)
Congratulations to last week's winner: Evelyn Shaw
Calendar of Events
Friday, June 20: Implementation of Home and Community Based Services Setting Rule, 2:00pm EST, Webinar from Friday Morning Collaborative
Tuesday, June 24: Virtual Kickoff of Consumer Voice's Nursing Home Staffing Public Awareness Campaign, 2:00pm EST, Webinar/teleconference from the Consumer Voice
Tuesday, July 1: Guardianship 101 in the Nursing Home Setting: What Every Social Worker Should Know, 1:00pm EST, Webinar from the University of Iowa School of Social Work
Wednesday, July 9: Family Conflict in the Nursing Home, 4:00pm EST, Webinar from the University of Iowa School of Social Work
September 13-18, 2014: National Home & Community Based Services Conference, Arlington, VA
October: 2014 Residents' Rights Month, Better Staffing: The Key to Better Care
Monday, October 20: Discussing POLST with Persons with Early Alzheimer's Disease, 3:00pm EST, Webinar in yearly series from the National POLST Paradigm
November 15-18, 2014: Consumer Voice Annual Conference at the Hilton Crystal City in Arlington, VA Register now.
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Long-Term Care Resources & News
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