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August 27, 2019
New Residents' Rights Door Hangers Available
Residents' rights door hangers are now available in our online store.
  The useful door hangers can be hung on residents' doors. They ask for privacy on one side and list several residents' rights on the other.
Door hangers are available in packs of 50 or 100.
Also available are "I Stand for Quality" buttons in celebration of our 2019 Residents' Rights Month theme.
Buttons are available in packs of 20, 50 and 100.
Be sure to order materials in time for Residents' Rights Month in October! Visit our online store for more useful products and resources.
 Remember, Resident's Voice Challenge entries are due on September 1st. Residents are invited to respond to this year's Residents' Rights Month theme (see prompt questions here) in the form of an essay, poem, video, photo, poster or other artwork. Find more information here.
Residents and all advocates are invited to fill out the "I Stand for Quality..." sign to share how or why you stand for quality. Take a photo with your sign and send it to info@theconsumervoice.org.
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Federal Background Checks Identify Nearly 25,600 Ineligible Job Applicants
According to an assessment of eleven states using the National Background Check Program for Long-Term Care Providers by the Office of Inspector General, Health and Human Services in 2017 and 2018, long-term care providers identified nearly 25,600 checks resulting in ineligible long-term care job applicants. The National Background Check Program for Long-Term Care Providers is meant to assist providers in identifying job applicants who are ineligible to work in the industry due to state or federal criminal histories, such as healthcare fraud or controlled substance abuse. Michigan, Minnesota, Utah and Kentucky had the highest percentages of ineligible applicants. Read the report from OIG here.
This study shows the importance of conducting comprehensive background checks on all individuals working or volunteering in a long-term care facility. The background check program studied by the OIG is voluntary and is currently being implemented in 29 states. Funds are available from CMS for all states to develop and improve their systems to conduct background checks of State and Federal criminal history records for prospective long-term care employees. Consumer Voice believes that all states should draw down funds to improve their background check systems, federal monitoring of states needs to be done to assess whether they have fully implemented the program, and all facilities should be required to run a comprehensive background check on all prospective employees. As stated by the OIG, "background checks are an important safety measure that can help protect ... [those] who rely on long-term care services each year for safe, dependable care."
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OIG Finds Emergency Preparedness and Life Safety Deficiencies in Investigation of New York Nursing Homes
An investigation by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Health and Human Services found that nursing homes in New York are lagging in emergency preparedness and life safety. The investigation analyzed 20 nursing homes out of the 621 in the state that participate in Medicare and Medicaid programs. OIG made unannounced visits to the nursing homes between January and April 2018. The investigation found deficiencies in all 20 nursing homes including 205 areas of noncompliance with life safety regulations and 219 areas of noncompliance with emergency preparedness. For more information, read the article in McKnight's.
Visit the Consumer Voice website for resources when preparing for, or in the aftermath of, an emergency event.
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How to Get the Best Possible Rate for the 2019 Consumer Voice Conference
- Register before August 31st to take advantage of the early bird registration rate
- Become a member - Members receive a discounted conference rate; Add membership directly on the conference registration form
- Bring a group - Discounts are available for groups of five or more individuals
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:
Emergency Preparedness: Questions Consumers Should Ask
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In this Issue
New Residents' Rights Door Hangers Available
Federal Background Checks Identify Nearly 25,600 Ineligible Job Applicants
OIG Finds Emergency Preparedness and Life Safety Deficiencies in Investigation of New York Nursing Homes
Spotlight on Resources
Calendar of Events
August 31: Early Bird Registration ends for 2019 Consumer Voice Conference
September 1: Resident's Voice Challenge entries due
October: Residents' Rights Month
November 3-6, 2019: Consumer Voice Annual Conference, Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, Virginia
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Wednesday, August 21:
Check out our new residents' rights door hangers!
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Monday, August 19:
Seeking Graduate Intern: This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about the inner workings of a nonprofit organization, engage in grassroots advocacy, and gain valuable member development and fundraising skills.
Long-Term Care Resources & News
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