Safety

The Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) has released an Informational Bulletin stressing the pivotal role of worker registries in mitigating the nationwide shortage of direct support workers, particularly within Medicaid-covered home and community-based services (HCBS). The bulletin underscores that these registries, serving as a vital link between service recipients and qualified workers, can significantly improve beneficiary access to essential services. Emphasizing the importance of balancing safety concerns with beneficiary choice, CMS encourages states to educate both workers and beneficiaries about the voluntary or mandatory nature of registry participation....

Adult Protective Services (APS) programs promote the safety, independence, and quality-of-life for vulnerable adults who are, or are in danger of, being abused, neglected by self or others, or financially exploited, and who are unable to protect themselves. APS is a social service program authorized by law in every state to receive and investigate reports of elder or vulnerable adult maltreatment and to intervene to protect the victims to the extent possible. Section topics in this fact sheet include: What is APS?; Reporting Elder/Vulnerable Adult Abuse; What does APS Do?; Client Protections; and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

As part of the continuing efforts under President Biden’s initiative to improve nursing home transparency, safety and quality, and accountability, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced new actions to reduce the inappropriate use of antipsychotic medications and to bring greater transparency about nursing home citations to families. Beginning this month, CMS will conduct targeted, off-site audits to determine whether nursing homes are accurately assessing and coding individuals with a schizophrenia diagnosis.

President Biden has announced a set of reforms, developed and implemented through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to improve the safety and quality of nursing home care. The reforms are intended to ensure the following: Every nursing home provides a sufficient number of staff who are adequately trained to provide high-quality care; Poorly performing nursing homes are held accountable for improper and unsafe care and immediately improve their services or are cut off from taxpayer dollars; and The public has better information about nursing home conditions so that they can find the best available options.

The Administration for Community Living (ACL), joined the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the HHS Office of Civil Rights to produce a report on ensuring beneficiary health and safety in group homes through state implementation of comprehensive compliance oversight. This report serves as a resource for states to use as a part of efforts to ensure that all group homes are safe and healthy places for people with disabilities.