Advocates

This brief shares considerations for health care organizations and government entities seeking to build effective partnerships with the individuals and communities they serve to better address their health and social needs. It draws from the experiences of two sites — Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis and the Los Angeles Department of Health Services Whole Person Care Program — that participated in the Community Partnership Pilot, a CHCS made possible by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

This issue brief reviews the distribution of provider relief funds to Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) providers based on a review of applications submitted as of November 26, 2020. Additionally, MACPAC interviewed Medicaid officials in 5 states and representatives from national provider organizations to learn more about the barriers experienced by Medicaid providers applying for provider relief funding. Read the brief to learn their findings.

On behalf of The SCAN Foundation, Manatt Health identifies federal and state Medicaid flexibilities available to state officials and other stakeholders and how those flexibilities are being deployed during COVID-19 to help ensure access to LTSS. The resource guide also highlights state policy goals in implementing regulatory flexibilities available during COVID-19.

The RRF Foundation for Aging recently released an issue brief, “Working Together to Achieve Economic Security in Later Life”, which is a first in a series of briefs highlight the foundation’s approach to grantmaking. The brief focuses on the innovative ways for older adults to achieve financial well-being and also as an invitation to others to partner with the foundation on these and other critical issues. The issue brief and social media sharing toolkit are linked to this page.

The National Council on Independent Living is seeking proposals for their Liberty, Independence, Freedom, and Equity themed 2021 conference. NCIL seeks workshops in the following tracks: Advocacy & Policy work, Independent Living 101, Core Services, Inclusion/Intersectional work, SILC. The submission deadline in March 28th 2021.

CMS is committed to continuing to take critical steps to ensure America’s healthcare facilities are prepared to respond to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency (PHE). CMS has issued a new guidance for visitation in ICF/IIDs and PRTFs during the COVID-19 PHE. The guidance provides ways an ICF/IID and PRTF can more safely facilitate in-person visitation and address the psychosocial needs of clients/residents.

On January 14, 2021 ADvancing States sent out a call for information about how states are rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine to people receiving home and community-based services and/or Older Americans Act services. Information about logistics plans, schedules, partnerships, and communications strategies were all welcomed. This resource reflects the information states sent in response to the call and will be periodically updated as we receive more information.

The most recent issue of the Journal of Gerontological Social Work, A Tribute to Rosalie Kane: Honoring Her Life and Work as Scholar, Mentor, and Social Worker in Gerontology, is dedicated to the life and work of Rosalie Kane. Rosalie helped shape much of our current thinking about long-term services and supports (LTSS). The nine articles and commentaries cover topics ranging from the importance of learning participant preferences to the role of "quality of life" measures in evaluating LTSS.

Nominations are now being accepted for HCUP’s Outstanding Article of the Year Award, which will recognize research published in peer-reviewed journals in 2020 that used the HCUP databases to explore and address healthcare research topics and issues. Work honored will demonstrate how HCUP has contributed to the healthcare services field. The nomination period will close on March 3, 2021. For complete information, please visit the HCUP-US website at www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/news/awards.jsp.

This brief by Stephen Kaye, Ph.D., published a paper setting out his analysis of mortality risk among recipients of home and community-based services. He finds that HCBS recipients between 45 and 64 years of age appear to be at greater mortality risk than the general community-resident population between 65 and 74 years of age. He concludes that this elevated mortality risk justifies increasing the vaccination priority for HCBS recipients under age 65 to equal that of the