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Applications are closing next week for free technical assistance through the end of September 2024. The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) works with human service agencies to create action plans and connections with subject matter experts. NCAPPS offers free technical assistance to states that are experiencing challenges implementing person-centered planning in compliance with the Home and Community-Based Services Final Rule requirements. Applications are due by July 9th, 2024.

New data from USAging shows that existing shortages in the caregiving workforce have grown during the COVID-19 pandemic and make it difficult for older adults to age well in their homes. This new report from USAging reveals that many AAAs and their direct care provider partners across the country are facing workforce shortages hindering their ability to provide home and community-based services to older adults.

CMS released an update to the COVID-19 Vaccines Toolkit that was released on 10/28/20 and first updated on 11/23/20. This update includes more information on vaccine administration reimbursement and outlines a streamlined review process available to states looking to quickly adjust vaccine administration reimbursement rates in state plans. The toolkit also provides more clarification on managed care network adequacy and the phased distribution and administration approved COVID-19 vaccines.

NCOA and Health Management Associates (HMA) have released a new report detailing eight strategies and approaches to expand funding for evidence-based health programs. NCOA and HMA reviewed five states and one city- California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, New York City, and Washington- with community-based organizations that have strong partnerships with Medicaid agencies and managed-care organizations.

This compendium includes select information on waiver capacity and waiting list management. The compendium highlights over 200 approved Section 1915(c) and Section 1115 waivers across all 50 states and DC. As an accompaniment to this compendium, MACPAC has also released an issue brief. This issue brief includes a description of the waiver analysis conducted in the compendium. It also features information from stakeholder interviews.

This issue brief is the first publication from the Aging and Disabilities Technology Workgroup. The paper seeks to define key IT terms for agency staff and explain how they relate to the technology that is currently used in aging and disabilities services as well as emerging opportunities in the field.

The Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services released a report that profiled the 10 states with the greatest change in Long-Term Services and Support (LTSS) system balancing. The report highlights characteristics of the 10 states and compares their change in LTSS system balancing with other states and provides a national overview on LTSS system balancing. State profiles consist of characteristics and strategies states utilized in their progress towards rebalancing their LTSS systems.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) examined states’ needs assessment processes for provision of long-term services and supports. GAO studied six states that differed in the following ways: assessment tools in use, participation in federal initiatives, HCBS delivery systems, and geographic location. GAO also reviewed federal requirements and documents and interviewed CMS officials and stakeholders.

This is a technical report about the supports and services that people with IDD receive through the State IDD agency. In addition to the report, there are state profiles, which describe status and trends for each state in the country, and a chart gallery, which is an interactive tool to view detailed data by state, year, and funding authority. Topics include ICF/IID and Medicaid Waiver recipients, expenditures and expenditures per person from 1977 to 2015.

This report reviews federal health and housing policies, noting the barriers created that seniors with clinically-driven housing insecurity must navigate. It also reviews a series of initiatives that ACAP members are undertaking to address housing as a social determinant for this vulnerable population, with examples from California, Ohio, and North Carolina.