Oregon

In 2017, ADvancing States administered a survey of state agencies that deliver LTSS, including aging and disability agencies as well as Medicaid programs, regarding the significant policy, fiscal, and operational issues occurring within each state. During the survey, we collected detailed information about the structure of agencies, the supports provided, and the populations served by state programs.

This guide highlights the work of State Units on Aging and Area Agencies on Aging who engage and include the LGBT community in their planning and services. It includes an extensive list of tools and resources to assist with outreach to LGBT communities, data collection, needs assessments, writing LGBT-inclusive planning goals and objectives, and suggested organizational best practices for LGBT-inclusive planning.

The National Association of State Budget Officers has a semi-annual report, with data gathered from all 50 state budget offices, that provides a narrative analysis of the fiscal condition of the states and data summaries of state general fund revenues, expenditures, and balances. The spring edition of the survey of the states details governors' proposed budgets.

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.

IMPAQ International and AARP Foundation recently released an issue brief titled “Addressing Food Insecurity in Primary Care: Models for Patient Screening and Referral.” Recognizing the importance of food security on health and health care outcomes for older adults, the issue brief describes ways in which health systems have implemented food security screening and referral processes, including partnering with community organizations for referrals, and key factors in their success.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Community First Choice (CFC) Final Report to Congress. This CFC benefit allows states the option of adding home and community-based attendant services and supports to their State plans. The CFC report is required by the Affordable Care Act. The findings from four states that have implemented the Community First Choice benefit -- California, Montana, Maryland, and Oregon-- are described in the report

The National Council on Disability (NCD) released a new report on implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and disabilities. This is the second of three reports on the subject. This report includes a review of the literature that studies the impact of ACA implementation on people with disabilities, qualitative interviews with key informants from ten states, an analysis of the ACA implementation choices seen in many states, and recommendations for future research on this topic.

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.