The Lead February 23, 2023
From the Desk of Angela Schnepf, President and CEO
Top Stories:
LeadingAge Illinois 2023 Public Policy Priorities
Impending Deadlines
Housing:
HUD Announces March 7 Webinar: “Understanding Broadband Mapping for HUD-Assisted Communities.”
Other:
LeadingAge Illinois Advocacy Center”
From the Desk of Angela Schnepf, President and CEO
Please join me in assisting LeadingAge National in an effort to contact members of Congress on in important national issue. CMS is poised to issue a rule imposing a federal minimum staffing mandate on nursing homes. On February 1, LeadingAge sent a letter to Congressional leaders requesting that they take legislative action to prevent the implementation of a staffing mandate without first addressing longstanding workforce and reimbursement challenges. We want to help LeadingAge amplifying this message at the national level in support of this effort. Please use LeadingAge’s Action Alert template to request that your member of Congress supports this legislative proposal. Click here to take action now.
Kindest regards,
Angela
Top Stories:
LeadingAge Illinois 2023 Public Policy Priorities
With our industry still recovering from the painful impact COVID has made and our workforce in crisis, our 2023 advocacy is critical to providing solutions for providers, staff, and most importantly residents. The 2023 LeadingAge Illinois Public Policy Priorities include, but are not limited to:
- Promote workforce development in all settings. This work includes:
o Nurse Licensure Compact
o Medication Aides
o Allowing Direct Support Persons to work in Supportive Living to provide personal care and services. (SB2341, LeadingAge Illinois Direct Support Persons (DSP) in Supportive Living Legislation).
o Amending the Health Care Worker Background Check Act to allow communities to hire individuals with certain disqualifying convictions to work in long term care without a waiver when a specific amount of time has surpassed since their conviction. (HB2453, LeadingAge Illinois Background Check Legislation. - Pass legislation to create a Continuing Care at Home program. (HB3060, LeadingAge Illinois Continuing Care at Home (CCAH) Legislation.
- Remove language from the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act prohibiting a person from being accepted for residency to an assisted living establishment if the person requires sliding scale insulin administration. (HB3172, LeadingAge Illinois Sliding Scale Insulin in Assisted Living Legislation)
- Secure a rate increase for Adult Day Services. HB3223, LeadingAge Illinois and the Illinois Adult Day Services Association (IADSA) Adult Day Rate Increase Legislation. This bill is also fully-supported by AARP and the Alzheimer’s Association.
- Pass legislation to require the Governor to establish an Assisted Living and Shared Housing Advisory Board to include provider representatives, advocates, and other stakeholders to discuss assisted living issues and rules. (SB1814, LeadingAge Illinois Assisted Living and Shared Housing Advisory Board Legislation).
- Add Resident Attendants to the list of direct care staff to provide an accurate depiction of direct care services within skilled nursing facilities.
- Advocate for our proposed revisions to the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Establishments Code.
- Defeat legislation that would change entrance fee contracts for life plan communities.
Impending Deadlines
Each week, we will keep you abreast of important deadlines.
• May 11: Scheduled end of the state and federal public health emergency.
Housing:
HUD Posts Round V COVID-19 Supplemental Payments (CSP) Request Form
HUD announced a webinar on March 7 at 1 p.m. CST titled: “2023 ConnectHomeUSA – Understanding Broadband Mapping for HUD-Assisted Communities.” During the webinar, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) staff will provide an overview of the National Broadband Map, ongoing data collection efforts, and how ConnectHomeUSA communities and other HUD-assisted organizations can ensure the map accurately reflects broadband availability in their community. The FCC’s National Broadband Map is used to identify internet service availability at individual locations nationwide, and the accuracy of the data underlying the map is essential as states and tribes receive historical levels of funding to expand broadband access in underserved communities. The National Broadband Map will also determine where this funding may be used and the FCC has a challenge process for stakeholders to verify the accuracy of the location data. HUD-assisted communities should act now to ensure accurate data is in place for their communities before the upcoming challenge deadline. Register here.
Other:
LeadingAge Illinois Advocacy Center
The 2023 Illinois General Assembly Spring Session is now in full swing over 5,200 bills introduced by legislators, with more to come. The LeadingAge Illinois public policy team will be pushing for our Board-approved public policy priorities, while also advocating for member interests by supporting legislation that brings about solutions to provider challenges, while opposing and working to stop bills that place undue burden on member settings. We will send out more information on the LeadingAge Illinois legislation as they are officially introduced. You can also view all of the bills we are tracking on the LeadingAge Illinois Legislative Tracker which is live updated on active in the LeadingAge Illinois Advocacy Center. If you have any questions, contact Jason Speaks, director of government relations.