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March 27, 2018
Spending Bill for Remainder of 2018
Congress has passed and the President has signed a $1.3 trillion spending bill to fund the federal government through September 2018.
The good news is that the bill provides increased funding for Title VII of the Older Americans Act. The Ombudsman Program and Elder Abuse Prevention would receive an additional $1 million, while there would be $2 million more for Adult Protective Services and the Elder Justice Initiative. The OAA Title III B Home and Community-Based Supportive Services was the big winner with a gain of about $35 million. For more information, see NASUAD's FY18 Budget Chart: Key HHS Programs Serving Seniors and Persons with Disabilities.
Sadly, the Money Follows the Person Program was not included in the spending bill. This is a blow to many aging and disability rights organizations, and certainly for individuals in nursing facilities and institutions who would like to return to the community. Advocates will look for other legislative opportunities to extend and fund MFP.
Consumer Voice thanks all of you who joined us in telling members of Congress to increase funding for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program and continue MFP. The fact that the LTCOP was given more money, not less, is a significant victory in this challenging environment.
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Free Webinar - When Nursing Homes Close: Hear from Pilot States
Based on our 2016 study of nursing home closures, Consumer Voice has been working with two pilot states, Tennessee and Michigan, as they review their closure processes for ways to improve the transition of residents.
Join us for a webinar Wednesday, April 18th at 2pm ET to hear from representatives from each state about their experiences over the past year as they developed mission statements, clarified roles of the different state agencies, created a written process, and developed tools for addressing transfer trauma.
Representatives from each team will discuss:
- The benefits of a coordinated state relocation team with a written closure process;
- Obstacles the team faced and how they overcame those obstacles; and
- How the newly coordinated team and written manual provided a different closure experience.
For more resources on nursing home closures, please visit our website. Register for the webinar here.
Presenters:
- Dr. Cynthia Rudder, Researcher and Trainer; Founder and Former Executive Director, Long Term Care Community Coalition
- Lauren Meeker, Tennessee State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, Tennessee Commision on Aging and Disability
- Dennis Temple, Director of PASSR, Older Adult Services, and Disaster Mental Health Services; Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
- Salli Pung, Michigan State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, Michigan Elder Justice Initiative
- Stephen Gobbo, Esq., Deputy Director, Bureau of Community & Health Systems, Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
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Older Americans Month Materials Available
Materials are now available to prepare for Older Americans Month in May. This year's theme is Engage at Every Age. Visit oam.acl.gov for promotional materials, activity ideas, and resources to help you celebrate.
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New Nursing Home Discharge Fact Sheet
A new fact sheet on nursing home discharges is now available from Consumer Voice and NORC. This fact sheet was developed for long-term care consumers to inform them about their rights regarding involuntary discharges. This fact sheet can also be used in training by and for Ombudsman program representatives, as well as for members of resident and family councils, facility-in-service training, and community education.
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Webinar on Trauma-Informed Care
Join the National Alzheimer's and Dementia Resource Center for a webinar on Tuesday, April 10 at 1pm ET entitled "Trauma Informed Care for People Living with Dementia." Trauma-informed care can be used to assist people living with the effects of trauma as they navigate other aspects of life, including living with dementia and caring for someone who has dementia. During this webinar, presenters will discuss principles of trauma-informed care as they apply to dementia in veterans and Holocaust survivors. They will also present resources for applying trauma-informed care principles in various settings. Register here.
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Webinar on Advance Care Planning to Reduce Risk of Abuse
Join the National Center on Law & Elder Rights on Wednesday, April 18th at 2:00pm ET for a webinar entitled "Drafting Advance Planning Documents to Reduce the Risk of Abuse and Exploitation." Drafting advance planning documents in a manner that reduces risk of abuse and exploitation is a critical component of care planning and a way for attorneys to provide counsel to older adults. This webinar will discuss approaches for working with clients to select lower-risk agents, tools to document and communicate health care values, and tips for drafting documents to reduce the risk of exploitation. Register here.
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Spotlight on Resources
The Consumer Voice and the National Ombudsman Resource Center (NORC) have a multitude of resources available online covering a wide range of long-term care topics. Visit the Consumer Voice website and the NORC website to explore all the available resources. Take a look at this week's highlighted resource:
Training materials - Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation & Misappropriation of Property - Newly updated educational and training materials are available on the Consumer Voice website.
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In this Issue
Spending Bill for Remainder of 2018
Free Webinar - When Nursing Homes Close: Hear from Pilot States
Older Americans Month Materials Available
New Nursing Home Discharge Fact Sheet
Webinar on Trauma-Informed Care
Webinar on Advance Care Planning to Reduce Risk of Abuse
Spotlight on Resources
Get started planning for Residents' Rights Month in October. Visit our website for information and resources.
Calendar of Events
April 8-14: National Crime Victims' Rights Week
Tuesday, April 10: Trauma-Informed Care for People Living with Dementia, 1:00pm ET, Webinar from the National Alzheimer's and Dementia Resource Center
April 15-21: National Volunteer Week
Wednesday, April 18: When Nursing Homes Close: Hear from Pilot States, 2:00pm ET, Consumer Voice webinar
Wednesday, April 18: Drafting Advance Planning Documents to Reduce the Risk of Abuse or Exploitation, 2:00pm ET, Webinar from the National Center on Law & Elder Rights
May: Older Americans Month
October: Residents' Rights Month, Speak Up: Know Your Rights and How to Use Them
October 22-24: Consumer Voice Annual Conference, Alexandria, Virginia
Join the conversation and follow us on social media!
Last Week's Most Popular Post:
Tuesday, March 20:
Tell Congress to increase funding for the Ombudsman Program!
Last Week's Most Popular Tweet:
Wednesday, March 21:
MN Governor Mark Dayton & other lawmakers introduced bipartisan legislation to protect seniors from elder abuse.
Long-Term Care Resources & News
Read past issues of The Voice here.
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