Washington

The affordability of private pay services is an important component of LTSS system performance. This Insight on the Issues presents data on private pay affordability for every state and more than 400 markets in the U.S. There is wide variation in affordability between states and markets. Private pay nursing home care is not affordable for middle-income families. While less costly than nursing homes, home health care is still unaffordable for middle-income older people at typical levels of use.

This web link is an online, searchable menu of policies and programs -each with a rating based on strength of evidence for factors that can help make communities healthier places to live, learn, work and play. Each of the policies, such as increased alcohol taxes, for example, and programs, such as early childhood interventions, included in What Works for Health is given evidence rating to help guide users toward choosing proven strategies.

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) is the largest source of federally-funded employment and training services. WIA allows states to apply for waivers of WIA regulations to provide greater flexibility in serving the needs of local populations. The Department of Labor approved more than 750 state-requested waivers of statutory and regulatory requirements between 2008-2010. This report evaluates selected waivers during the time period to examine the possible effects of waiver implementation.

The Senate Finance Committee asked GAO to analyze states' requirements and practices for assessing the financial eligibility of applicants for Medicaid long-term care coverage. This report presents findings on the extent to which states (1) require documentation on assets from applicants, (2) obtain information from third parties to verify applicants' assets, and (3) obtain information about applicants' assets that could be used to implement eligibility-related DRA provisions.

Published for the past 18 years, the Across the States series was developed to help inform policy discussions among public and private sector leaders in long-term services and supports throughout the U.S. Across the States 2012 presents comparable state-level and national data for more than 140 indicators, drawn together from a wide variety of sources into a single reference. This publication presents up-to-date data and is displayed in easy-to-use maps, graphics, tables, and state profiles.

A competitive grant opportunity designed to assist individuals at risk of nursing home placement & spend down to Medicaid to enable them to continue to live in their community. The initiative encourages the Aging Services Network to modernize and transform funding from the OAA, or other non-Medicaid sources, into flexible consumer-directed service dollars. The grants complement CMS's Money Follows the Person to reach older adults before they enter a nursing home & supports rebalancing efforts.

This report covers the issues of eldercare and the workplace. It identifies discrimination in the workplace encountered by workers with eldercare responsibilities as an emerging trend and highlights the limited protections for working caregivers. The report calls for developing public and private solutions to ensure that workers with eldercare responsibilities receive equal employment opportunity and are protected from workplace discrimination.

This document sets forth the State of West Virginia's plan on aging in accordance with Older Americans Act requirements. The plan describes the mission and strategies of West Virginia's State Unit on Aging (SUA) to coordinate services for older adults. The Plan contains information on aging demographics, the mission for the duration of the plan, and sets out goals to empower older adults to be more independent, promote wellness, and expand home and community-based services.

This document sets forth the State of Washington's plan on aging in accordance with Older Americans Act requirements. The plan describes the mission and strategies of Washington's State Unit on Aging (SUA) to coordinate services for older adults. The Plan contains information on aging demographics, the mission for the duration of the plan, and sets out goals to empower older adults to be more independent, promote wellness, and expand home and community-based services.

This report serves as a follow-up to the 1995 Institute on Medicine (IOM) report which argued for an ombudsman program to address the quality of care in long-term institutional settings. This study investigates the role and effectiveness of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs (LTCOPs) in improving care. Surveys with all states/territories reveal new findings on the structure of the program in different states as well as their own perceived effectiveness. Comprehensive data and analysis.