The Lead July 27, 2023
From the Desk of Angela Schnepf, President and CEO
A wide range of actions are needed to successfully address the aging services sector’s unrelenting and well-documented workforce challenges–and many of those actions must happen in Congress. That’s why LeadingAge, in cooperation with the Congressional 21st Century Long-Term Care Caucus, invited members to share their experiences with Hill staff last week in the Workforce Challenges and Solutions in Aging Services Congressional briefing. Read more about the briefing in this article.
Kindest regards,
Angela
Top Stories:
LeadingAge Illinois Contacts Senator Durbin on Appropriations
LeadingAge Illinois sent a letter this week to U.S. Senator Richard Durbin on an appropriations request. In the letter, we called on Senator Durbin and U.S. Congress to fund and re-direct federal workforce training programs such as Job Corps and American Job Centers within the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment & Training Administration to offer specializations in senior care
Life Plan Communities:
LeadingAge CCaH July Meeting Recording Available
If you were unable to join the LeadingAge National Continuing Care at Home (CCaH) July meeting, you can now view the recording here. This month’s meeting featured a robust discussion on the care coordination/ consultative care only model, led by Cole Naughton with AV Powell.
Assisted Living
LeadingAge Illinois Meets with JCAR Co-Chair on Assisted Living Rules
LeadingAge Illinois recently met with both Co-Chairs of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAT): Senator Bill Cunningham (D-18th District; Chicago), Senate President Pro Tempore and State Representative Ryan Spain (R-73rd District; Peoria), Deputy Republican Leader on our strong concerns on a number of areas in the rule changes proposed by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for assisted living. These proposed rules are before the committee for their summer meetings.
Our concerns included:
- The tripling of fines and fees.
- The elimination of the provider opportunity to file a statement of dispute.
- Allowing citations for “potential of harm” which we feel is a very broad and general statement that is not defined and left for surveyor interpretation.
With assistance from legal counsel, we have sent letters to IDPH and JCAR expressing our concerns. We plan to meet with JCAR and IDPH again next week. We were successful in delaying JCAR actions on the rules in their June and July meetings. They are on the agenda for the August meeting.
Nursing/Rehabilitation
CMP Funds Update
The federal government has announced they have haulted CMP funds. This is of great concern to LeadingAge Illinois. We asked the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for an update on 2023 CMP funds. The balance of the CMP fund, as of July 25, 2023, is $23,922,071.00. There is $2,000,000.00 in an emergency reserve fund. Last year, the Department spent $212,537.76 of CMP funds. The balance in 2021 was $23,889,751.00. We will continue to advocate for the release of CMP funds for the intended usage.
Housing
Register for LeadingAge HUD NSPIRE Training and Reception with REAC Deputy Assistant Secretary Ash Sheriff
Join LeadingAge and LeadingAge DC with HUD’s Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) on July 27 for an in-person training on HUD’s new housing inspection protocol under NSPIRE, followed by a networking reception. Hosted at the LeadingAge headquarters in Washington, DC, this LeadingAge event will help prepare HUD-assisted senior housing providers for the major new NSPIRE implementation, which will change HUD’s housing inspection standards, scoring, and administrative rules effective October 1, 2023. More information is available here.
Other
Value First: What Would You Do With $10,000? 1
Value First is running the 5-Star Sweepstakes and your organization could win one of five $10,000 prizes. What would you do with $10,000? Maybe replace aging equipment or throw a staff party. The choice will be yours if you win one of the five grand prizes. Participating in the drawing is simple:
- Members currently utilizing the Value First food program can enter by submitting the online form at www.value1stonline.com/drawing-form-page
- Members that are not currently utilizing the Value First food program can enter by submitting the online form at www.value1stonline.com/drawing-form-page along with submitting one month of food purchase data so Value First can run a cost analysis.
No purchase is necessary. You can find a link to the contest rules at www.value1stonline.com/drawing-form-page
If you have questions on participating, please reach out to Terry Romin at 630.789.0574. All entries and required data for new members must be received between July 1, 2023 and October 31, 2023.
Value First is a group purchasing organization owned by LeadingAge and twenty-five of its state affiliates. As a LeadingAge member benefit, Value First is focused on the needs of senior living communities by providing choices, solutions and savings on food, medical, environmental and office supplies including capital equipment. For more information, visit www.value1stonline.com or call 855.659.1450.
Now Available! Newly Updated LeadingAge Clinical Procedures Manual
The 22nd Edition of the award-winning LeadingAge Clinical Procedure Manual is now available. A must-have tool for providers, this manual can be used to ensure your staff is performing clinical procedures properly, consistently, and reliability each and every time.
From activities of daily living to clinical tasks to safety and wound care, the manual covers a wide range of procedures that home and community-based and other providers deliver every day. View the Table of Contents to understand the vast scope of procedures covered in this manual.
Discounted rates are available for LeadingAge members and bulk orders. Quantities of 5 or more are eligible for a 10% discount off rates. For additional information about hard copies, contact: sales@LeadingAge.org. For additional information on digital access to the Clinical Procedure Manual, please contact Drew Callahan with Elsevier directly via email at d.callahan@elsevier.com or by phone at 720-695-1337.
To learn more or purchase, visit LeadingAge.org/CPM to place your order, and your copy of the 22nd edition will be on its way!
Check-out LeadingAge Illinois’ New Workforce Solutions Hub
Looking for Workforce Resources? Visit the new and improved, LeadingAge Illinois Workforce Solutions site, where you can find everything you need in an easy Workforce Solutions Toolkit format. The Toolkit is designed to provide members with resources like assessments, presentations, and activities to help recruit and retain staff as well as to foster a culture of team member engagement, resulting in increased staff retention and improved workplace productivity. This toolkit is based on quality improvement and performance excellence principles and is organized around five core principles of team member engagement:
1. Welcoming a Team Member to an Organization
2. Introducing an Organization’s Culture
3. Leveraging an Organization’s Mission, Vision, & Value
4. Addressing Career Pathways & Role Specific Challenges
5. Fostering Teamwork & Building Relationships
Check the Workforce Solutions site often, for updates. It’s LeadingAge Illinois members’ one-stop workforce solutions hub.
Did You Know? By joining the Illinois Aging Services Network (ILASN) – in partnership with LeadingAge Illinois – your organization benefits from guidance with payor contracts. In 2022, ILASN helped organizations recover revenue as much as $100,000 for individual senior living communities!
Join us at our upcoming FREE educational webinar on August 1 at noon CST to learn more. Email arlene.jaroscak@shcare.net for all the details!