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November 27, 2018
Today is #GivingTuesday
We have two days for getting deals – Black Friday and Cyber Monday. On #GivingTuesday, we have a day for giving back. Together, people are creating a new ritual for our annual calendar. Every act of generosity counts, and each means even more when we give together. Join us in Standing for Quality Care this #GivingTuesday.
This year, you can easily double your donation to Consumer Voice!
Donate today on Facebook, and your donation will be matched by PayPal. Plus, Consumer Voice doesn't incur any transaction fees when you give on Facebook; that means we receive the full amount of your donation. (Donate ASAP! PayPal has pledged $7 million and will only match donations until that amount runs out.)
Additional ways to contribute include donations of stock, PayPal Giving Fund, and through direct charitable contributions from your IRA. Find more information about making a contribution here.
We thank you in advance for your support! Your donation is greatly appreciated and will be used to keep our advocacy going year-round.
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Thank you for your advocacy against emergency preparedness rule rollbacks!
In response to CMS's proposed rule to rollback critical emergency preparedness regulations, Consumer Voice submitted a group comment letter to CMS on Monday, November 19 that contained over 250 signatures from individuals and over 50 signatures from national and state organizations. The letter opposed the proposed revisions that would make nursing homes less ready when disaster strikes and subject residents to greater danger. In addition, we are aware that many individuals and state and local programs/organizations submitted their own comments in opposition. For instance, many local ombudsmen in Texas prepared and sent in their own comment letters and also forwarded the Consumer Voice action alert to others, who in turn, shared it with yet other people. We thank all of you who took action to express concern over the proposed changes – we are stronger together!
To read the full letter with signatures, click here. For more information on the current emergency preparedness rules and why they are important to nursing home residents, click here.
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CMS Announces Initiative to Improve Resident Safety
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) announced a three-year initiative to support better care and outcomes for nursing home residents under the Civil Money Penalty Reinvestment Program (CMPRP). The efforts aim to improve residents' quality of life by providing technical tools and assistance to nursing home staff, administrators and stakeholders. Fines collected under CMPRP are typically returned to states to fund local projects that benefit nursing home residents. CMS also uses some of these proceeds to fund similar national initiatives. CMS plans to develop work products such as staff competency assessment tools, instructional guides, training webinars and technical assistance seminars. The first toolkit in the series is available now and is designed to help nursing home caregivers and managers evaluate their own skill sets. For more information about the program, read the press release from CMS and the article in McKnight's.
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NORC Webinar on Advocating for Residents with Mental Health Needs
Long-Term Care Ombudsmen: Join NORC Tuesday, December 4th at 3:00pm ET for a webinar entitled "Advocating for Residents with Mental Health Needs: What to do When a Resident Threatens to Harm Themselves or Others." The webinar will discuss Ombudsman program advocacy for residents with mental health needs and how to respond when residents threaten to harm themselves or others.
Dr. Patrick Arbore, a nationally recognized expert in the field of elderly suicide prevention and grief services, will share warning signs, ways to promote better-informed and healthier communities, and resources and supports for Ombudsmen and residents suffering from inner loneliness, sorrow, stress, and anxiety. Following Dr. Arbore’s presentation Jamie Freschi, Illinois State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, will share her program’s policies, procedures, and tool that guides the program in responding to residents that talk about committing suicide. The webinar will conclude with a presentation from Natasha Belli, an Illinois program representative, who will share her experience working with a resident that has threatened suicide and the steps she took to support the resident.
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Second Webinar in ACL/CMS Series on Implementing the HCBS Settings Rules
Join the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and CMS for the second webinar in their three-part technical assistance series highlighting strategies and approaches states are taking to effectively implement the HCBS Settings Rule. "Promising State Strategies for Working with Providers to Meet the HCBS Settings Criteria & Promote Optimal Community Integration" will be held on Thursday, November 29th at 2:00pm ET.
Find slides from the first webinar "Innovative State Approaches to Promoting Compliance with the Federal HCBS Settings Criteria" here. Register for the third webinar in the series "After Receiving Final Statewide Transition Plan Approval: Tackling the Ongoing Systems-Change Work that Remains" on December 13th here.
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New Rural and Tribal Elder Justice Resource Guide
The US Department of Justice and Department of Agriculture hosted the first Rural and Tribal Elder Justice Summit. The Summit focused on supporting the efforts of elder justice professionals to combat elder abuse and financial exploitation in rural and tribal communities. The Rural and Tribal Elder Justice Resource Guide was created in conjunction with the event. The guide provides information and resources on gaining a better understanding of the challenges rural and tribal communities face in responding to elder abuse; promising practices, resources and tools available to rural and tribal communities; and ways to foster greater collaboration at the tribal, local, state and federal levels in order to serve elders from rural and tribal communities. Access the guide here. For more information on the Summit, read the press release.
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Jewish Federations of North America Webinar on the Money Follows the Person Program
Join the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA)'s Strategic Health Resource Center for a webinar on Thursday, November 29th at 1:00pm ET to learn how the Money Follows the Person (MFP) Medicaid Demonstration Program benefits older adults and people disabilities and JFNA's partner agencies who support them. The MFP program has helped move more than 88,000 older adults and people with disabilities out of institutions and back home, but the program is in danger of ending. Learn what you can do to advocate for the EMPOWER Care Act which would reauthorize and improve this important program. Register for the webinar here.
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New engAGED Website
engAGED: The National Resource Center for Older Adults, funded through a grant from the Administration on Aging, has created a new website - engagingolderadults.org. The website provides information, research, resources and best practices that communities across the country are using to keep older adults socially engaged. It includes resources to help older adults stay engaged and active in their communities through volunteering, arts programs, lifelong learning, honing their technical skills and participating in intergenerational activities.
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Spotlight on Resources
 Consumer Voice and the National Ombudsman Resource Center have a multitude of resources available online covering a wide range of long-term care topics. Visit the Consumer Voice and NORC websites to explore all the available resources. Check out this week's highlighted resource:
Consumer Voice & NORC Training Center
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In this Issue
Today is #GivingTuesday
Thank you for for your advocacy against emergency preparedness rule rollbacks!
CMS Announces Initiative to Improve Resident Safety
NORC Webinar on Advocating for Residents with Mental Health Needs
Second Webinar in ACL/CMS Series on Implementing the HCBS Settings Rule
New Rural and Tribal Elder Justice Resource Guide
Jewish Federations of North America Webinar on Money Follows the Person Program
New engAGED Website
Spotlight on Resources
Did You Know?
Charitable contributions made directly from your IRA annual distribution (for individuals age 70.5+) may be tax-free. Ask your financial advisor for more information.
Find more ways to contribute to Consumer Voice here.
Calendar of Events
Tuesday, November 27: Giving Tuesday
Thursday, November 29: SHRC Money Follows the Person Webinar, 1:00pm ET, Webinar from the Jewish Federations of North America
Thursday, November 29: Promising State Strategies for Working with Providers to Meet with HCBS Settings Criteria & Promote Optimial Community Integration, 2:00pm ET, Part II of ACL Webinar Series
Tuesday, December 4: Advocating for Residents with Mental Health Needs: What to do When a Resident Threatens Harming Themselves or Others, 3:00pm ET, NORC webinar for long-term care ombudsman
Thursday, December 13: After Receiving Final Statewide Transition Plan Approval: Tackling the Ongoing Systems-Change Work that Remains, 2:00pm ET, Part III of ACL Webinar Series
Join the conversation and follow us on social media!
Last Week's Most Popular Post:
Wednesday, November 21:
Consumer Voice is pleased to announce new members of the Governing Board and Leadership Council.
Last Week's Most Popular Tweet:
Thursday, Novmeber 15:
Congress has only a few weeks left to fund a critical program for people with disabilities and older adults before it ends work for 2018. Ask your members of Congress to co-sponsor the EMPOWER Care Act and call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121/202-223-3091 (TTY). #FundMFP
Long-Term Care Resources & News
Read past issues of The Voice here.
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