PHInational.org

Three brief stories on direct care:

_________

CMS Proposes Guidelines for State Balancing Incentive Payments Program

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a “State Medicaid Directors Letter” (pdf) on September 12 to provide guidance for establishing the State Balancing Incentive Payments Program, a provision of the Affordable Care Act.

The new program, created to serve more people in home- and community-based settings, will assist states in “transforming their long-term care systems” by:

• improving systems performance and efficiency;
• creating tools to facilitate person-centered assessment and care-planning; and
• enhancing quality measurement and oversight.

The Balancing Incentive Program offers a targeted increase in the Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP) for non-institutional long-term services and supports (LTSS) to states that undertake structural reforms to increase access to home- and community-based LTSS.

On October 7, the Friday Morning Collaborative, a coalition of national aging and disability organizations, is hosting a webinar on the Balancing Incentive Payments Program. Registration is free, but space for the webinar is limited.

_________

State Direct-Care Worker Associations to Hold Annual Meetings

The Arizona Direct Care Worker Association (ADCWA) is holding its 4th Annual Conference and Celebration in Tucson on October 5 to honor and educate certified nursing assistants, home care workers, and professional caregivers in the state. To learn more about the event and register, visit the ADCWA website.

The Florida Professional Association of Care Givers is sponsoring its 16th Annual Caregivers Convention entitled, “Building a Quality Direct Care Workforce for Tomorrow’s Demands!” The all-day educational meeting will take place in Altamonte Springs on October 20. A registration form and more information is available at the association’s website.

_________

Des Moines Register Editorializes on Better Rewards for Caregivers

The Des Moines Register published an editorial in late August arguing that to ensure an adequate supply of direct-care workers to care for aging Iowans, those workers must have better wages, health coverage, education and training, and be valued in the medical field for the critical work they perform.

The editorial also explains that worker turnover is costly to employers, Medicaid, and consumers.

_________

PHI Newsletter Survey

If you have not done so already, please take a moment to give us your feedback on the PHI Quality Care, Quality Jobs newsletter by completing this anonymous survey. Thank you to all of the subscribers who already responded.

Henry Schemper

A guest commentary by Henry Schemper, program director at the Arizona Direct Care Worker Association.

Arizona’s annual conference for direct-care workers was certainly “A Celebration of Caring.”

Our opening speaker, MaryAnne Sohloss, set the tone for our daylong event by beautifully elaborating on “The Endless Gift: Honoring the Caregiver.”

The session topics were wide-ranging and addressed subjects such as empowering the direct-care worker, wound care, and bed rest. Other sessions covered the experience of growing older as well as conflict resolution and making legislative change for professional direct-care workers.

Just in case anyone felt a bit fatigued at the noon luncheon, LaTanya Sheffield, a former Olympic hurdler, pumped up the room in her unique way by speaking of “Hurdling to New Heights.” Sheffield held the room in rapt attention by energetically pointing out the similarities between jumping hurdles in the Olympics and confronting the obstacles we all face as direct-care workers.

Shirley Maki

Prizes awarded

Prizes were given to many at both the raffle and the luncheon. The award for longevity as a direct-care worker was warmly received by Shirley Maki (left) of Sabino Care Center. The lively 82-year-old has worked in the profession for nearly 44 years.

Finally, the 2010 Professional Direct-Care Worker of the Year award went to Mary Kay Madrid of La Colina in Tucson.

Attendants respond

Positive comments abounded for the annual conference, co-hosted by the Arizona Direct Care Worker Association and the Arizona Gerontological Nurse Association.

“The response was great!” said Susie Burkholder of Carondelet Hospice, who sent a dozen workers to the conference. “Everyone enjoyed the day. I was thrilled to send all twelve of them. They are a team-oriented group and enjoy having time together without me. What a grand group of personalities in the twelve. Much laughter, I am sure.”

We will be meeting with many attendees as well as those who sponsored them and paid their way. Our goal is to make the 2011 conference as good or better. Suggestions and comments can be sent directly to henryschemper@gmail.com.

Thanks to all who gave their time and energy to honoring and celebrating Arizona’s direct-care workers.

Hank Schemper, Program Director
Arizona Direct Care Worker Association

The Arizona Direct Care Worker Association (ADCWA) will hold its annual fall conference in Tucson on September 29.

“A Celebration of Caring” (pdf) is the theme of the all-day conference, which is being co-sponsored by the Arizona Gerontological Nursing Association.

According to Henry Schemper, the ADCWA’s program director, the conference is intended to “recognize the vital contributions of professional caregivers in the lives of the elders in our state.”

Conference Agenda

The conference will cover a wide variety of topics, including:

• The dangers of bed rest
• Understanding dementia
• Compassionate communication
• Conflict resolution

Attendees will be asked to follow either the “Care Knowledge” track or the “Empowering the Caregiver” track.

Additionally, the award for the 2010 Professional Caregiver will be presented to the most outstanding caregiver of the past year.

Participants are eligible to receive up to six continuing education units (CEUs) for attending the entire conference.

For registration information, contract Henry Schemper at henryschemper@gmail.com.

– by Matthew Ozga

The Arizona Republic cited PHI research in an column about the skyrocketing demand for direct care — especially home care — and the problems that could cause for the aging Baby Boomer generation. Read the full story

Arizona state flag

A court order has been issued in one of the country’s most long-running and high-visibility Medicaid class action law suits affecting home and community-based services. Read the full story

States across the U.S. are suffering from a variety of recession-related budget woes, and, as reported by The New York Times in a front-page story last weekend (“States Slashing Social Programs for Vulnerable,” April 11), many are responding by “slicing into their social safety nets — often crippling preventive efforts that officials say would save money over time.”

At least 34 states have been forced to enact cuts that hurt their vulnerable residents, according to the Washington-based Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (“An Update on State Budget Cuts,” March 18, 2009, pdf). But the Times reports that “Perhaps nowhere have the cuts been more disruptive than in Arizona, where more than 1,000 frail elderly people are struggling without home-care aides to help with bathing, housekeeping and trips to the doctor.” Read the full story