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May 13, 2010 |
Vol 17, Issue 22
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Welcome to this week's edition
of the FAHSA Link!
"2010 Legislative Session-in-Review"
Presentation on FAHSA Website - More than
90 FAHSA members participated in this week's
conference call on the 2010 Legislative Session.
The
PowerPoint presentation and the
"Session in Review" bulletin are posted
on FAHSA's website. Feel free to use it as an
educational tool for your staff and board members.
Please remember that Governor Crist is still
reviewing the 301 bills that passed both chambers.
So, the final action on many of the bills included
in the PowerPoint presentation and accompanying
bulletin is still unknown.
After the call, a couple of you asked for copies of
specific bills. You may download a bill and the
related bill analysis, which is often more
informative than the bill itself, by clicking
here for the Florida Online Sunshine
website, the official website of the Florida
legislature.
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Education News
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Leadership Academy Program Rescheduled for
July 26-27 -- FAHSA plans to conduct the
2nd class of the Leadership Academy beginning on
July 26 and 27, 2010, in conjunction with FAHSA's
47th Annual Convention and Exposition in Boca
Raton. Applicants who previously applied do not
need to re-apply. Scholarship funds to cover half
of the tuition are available for those who would
like to participate. This training is a valuable
resource to develop leadership skills.
Listen to what Tim Ficker and Tina Corbett from
Cypress Cove have to say about the program by
watching a short video clip: CLICK
HERE
Please consider sending several of your employees to
this course. Registration, brochures and scholarship
forms are available on
FAHSA's website.
Join Us for Upcoming Training Opportunities:
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General News |
Health Information
Exchange Update -- The Agency for Health
Care Administration is hosting the Florida Health
Information Exchange Kickoff Meeting in partnership
with the Florida State University College of
Communication and Information. On Friday, June 4,
2010, health care providers, associations, regional
extension centers, government agencies, and other
stakeholders will have the opportunity to meet and
engage in the discussion of how to move health
information exchange forward in our state. Dr. David
Blumenthal, the National Coordinator for Health
Information Exchange, U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, will serve as the keynote
speaker.
The meeting will be held Friday, June 4 from 8:30
a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at the Florida State University
Turnbull Conference Center in Tallahassee. This
event is free; however, participants will be
responsible for their own lunch. Seating may be
limited, so click
here to RSVP for the Florida Health
Information Exchange Kickoff Meeting.
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Housing & Service Coordinator News |
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Watch Your Email for FAHSA's Medicaid Reform
Survey -- Medicaid Reform, when it happens,
will affect FAHSA members that provide affordable
housing. As the legislature proceeds with its plans
to reduce nursing home admissions through Medicaid
Reform, residents need more care and services will
be encouraged by case managers to "age in place"
with support services. The end result could be older
and frailer residents living in your buildings.
Other Housing News:
- DOE Announces $30 million to Accelerate
Weatherization Innovation
- HUD Seeks Public Comment - Please review list of
topics
- DOE: Preservation is a Tenant Benefit Under the
Weatherization Program
- New OCAF Worksheet Published
- Section 202/811 Housing Funds for Fiscal 2009
- H.R. 4868 - The Housing Preservation and Tenant
Protection Act
- Register Your Business Partners with HUD
- Weekend Reading: New Study on Multifamily
Housing Market
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Legislative News |
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Florida Gubernatorial
Candidate Alex Sink Visits Shell Point -- On
March 22, Democratic Florida Gubernatorial Candidate
Alex Sink visited Shell Point to discuss the upcoming
election for governor, field questions about her
campaign for office, and present solutions to the
financial crisis in Florida. Several hundred guests
filled the auditorium, from Shell Point residents to
local dignitaries, representing all political parties
and affiliations.
The next few months leading up to the November election
are important. You should use them to invite candidates
for higher office to discuss their plans for the state
and their positions on long-term care and senior
housing. If you are a non-profit organization, you are
obligated to give all candidates for an office the
opportunity to participate. It is their option to
attend. The important thing is that the invitation was
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Nursing Home News |
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Call Congress Now about FMAP Extension
-- Lessen Nursing Home Budget Cuts for 2010-11 -- We
are repeating AAHSA's Call to Action and requesting
that you contact members of Congress Now and ask
that they extend the Federal Medical Assistance
Percentages (FMAP) for six months. This is
especially import to Florida nursing homes. The
Florida Legislature included a provision in the
budget bill that just passed that would reduce
budget cuts for nursing homes if Congress extends
the stimulus dollars."
AAHSA's Call to Action: Want to Prevent
Medicaid Cuts in Your State? -- You can.
Right now, most states are planning budgets for
fiscal year 2011, which begin as early as July 1.
They must take into consideration the scheduled end
of the extra Medicaid funding they received under
last year's economic stimulus package. We are
concerned that states will be forced to enact steep
Medicaid cuts to keep their budgets in balance. That
is why we are urging Congress to extend the
increased federal Medicaid match for through June
30, 2011. Please
Contact Congress and tell your
legislators that this issue matters to you and the
people you serve.
For more information, contact:
Marsha Greenfield, (202) 508-9488.
Nursing Home Transparency Information Now on
AAHSA's Health Reform Hub -- The new health
reform law includes legislation known as the
Transparency Bill. The bill was created as a
response to news accounts that certain
investor-owned nursing homes were hiding the
identity of their true owners and that this behavior
was having a negative impact on quality. The law
requires the HHS Secretary to develop rules
regarding most of the provisions. You can read about
the various provisions on AAHSA's Health Reform Hub
website page by clicking
here. For more information, contact:
Evvie Munley, (202) 508-9478.
Other Nursing Home News:
- Reminder: Don't Forget to Post the Nursing
Home Guide and Watch List on May 15
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Region/Membership News
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Mother's Day Tea Held at Penney Farms -- Two
assisted living communities, Penmor Place and Beyer
House, located at Penney Farms, held special Mother's
Day Teas for their residents on Sunday, May 9, 2010 in
honor of Mother's Day.
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Preferred Business Associates News |
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 FAHSA's
Preferred Business Associates Program (PBAs)
-- A list of PBAs can be found by on the
FAHSA website
www.fahsa.org and selecting Preferred Business
Associates from the left side menu bar or clicking
on the FAHSA Preferred Business Associates Page
hyperlink. FAHSA members can also use the on-line
directory to search for PBAs by specialty.
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Career Center |
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Welcome to the Florida
Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
Career Center!
Your destination for exciting
Aging Services job opportunities and the best
resource for qualified candidates in the Florida
Aging Services Industry. Searching for a job in
Aging Services?
Looking to fill a position?
This job board is custom tailored for the Aging
Services industry, which means we attract the most
qualified professionals in Florida.Create
an Employer Account,
search resumes and post your Aging Services job now!
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Copyright 2010 -- Publication of the Florida
Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
(FAHSA).
- FAHSA Chair: Terri Cunliffe
- FAHSA President/CEO: Janegale Boyd
- Managing Editor: Gail Matillo, MPA, COS
Copyright Information: Copies of the articles and
other information in this publication may be
noncommercially reproduced for the purpose of
educational or scientific advancement. Otherwise, no
part of this publication may be reproduced or
utilized in any form or by any means, mechanical or
electronic, including photocopying, microfilm and
recording, or by any information storage and
retrieval system, without the written permission of
the editor.
Correspondence: Should be addressed to: Editor, 1812
Riggins Road, Tallahassee, FL 32308. For telephone
inquiries, call (850) 671-3700. Or E-mail FAHSA at
info@fahsa.org. © 2010 FAHSA. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this
correspondence is not intended as a substitute for
legal advice. Please discuss any information
gathered from this or any other FAHSA publications
with your legal counsel in the context of your
particular situation before implementing any new
policies or procedures.
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