Kansas

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of senior population health on a national and state-by-state basis across 34 measures of senior health. The 2017 edition is the fifth publication of this report, which continues to serve as a benchmark of senior health for individuals, community leaders, policymakers, media and public health professionals.

In recognition of a lack of reliable and robust information on the value of state managed long-term services and supports (MLTSS) nationally, this report aims to partially fill the gap with data and evidence from a survey of state agencies and a review of relevant outside research, and to also serve as a jumping off point for future study.

The report highlights the commitment of participating states toward measuring and improving the quality of their long-term services and supports (LTSS) systems that serve seniors and adults with physical disabilities.

On Wednesday, July 20, 2016, the Center for Health Care Strategies, Inc. (CHCS) published a new brief, “State Trends in the Delivery of Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports.” With support from The SCAN Foundation, seven states (Arizona, California, Kansas, Minnesota, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Texas) were selected to provide insights into current trends in both managed long-term services and supports (MLTSS) program refinement and long term services and supports (LTSS) system reform.

UnitedHealthcare Community & State released a White Paper unveiling a proposed quality framework for MLTSS programs. The framework, developed by UnitedHealthcare's National Advisory Board, extends beyond traditional clinical measures to measure the quality of the "services and supports" delivered in MTLSS, which is often most important for those accessing MLTSS benefits.

The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS), in partnership with Mathematica Policy Research and Airam Actuarial Consulting, released an issue brief on the state considerations when setting capitation rates for Medicaid Managed Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) programs. CHCS and its partners examined the considerations taken by eight states (Arizona, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin) as they established their MLTSS rates.

This year, the Older Americans Act (OAA) celebrates its 50th year—a golden jubilee for seniors and communities across the country. For this occasion, ADvancing States and Altarum Institute’s Center for Elder Care and Advanced Illness (CECAI) honor outstanding older adults who both volunteer for and benefit from the law’s programs. This booklet highlights the myriad ways that seniors make the United States a great place in which to live, work, and grow old. Email adiaz@advancingstates.org for a hard copy.

The results of the annual survey represent a snapshot of the current status of state government employees, the agencies that administer the programs, and the services that are provided. The 2015 survey revealed that states are continuing to address the same underlying challenges discussed in the previous reports.The report also includes summary tables that outline specific information about each individual state agency and LTSS program. Email adiaz@advancingstates.org to request a hard copy version.

Justice in Aging, in collaboration with the Alzheimer's Association, released a new survey of dementia training requirements in each state. The number of Alzheimer's and other dementia diagnoses is on the rise, but there is often little to no training for staff and professionals that work with these populations. This survey was conducted to identify the holes in state law and to find promising practices to inform improvements in the future. The findings are available in a five-paper series.

This is an annual report from United Cerebral Palsy that uses a set of key indicators to investigate data and outcomes of the community living standards for individuals living with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the United States. The findings from this report can inform policymakers and advocates on improvements and changes to ensure the best quality of life for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.