May 27

May 27,=20 2010 Vol = 17, Issue=20 = 24

Welcome to this week's edition of the = FAHSA=20 Link!

Governor Approves 60 Bills = into Law on=20 Wednesday Including Background Screening, Building = Code, and=20 Sales Tax Holiday - On Wednesday, Gov. = Charlie Crist=20 approved a total of 60 bills into law, = including HB=20 7069, by Criminal & Civil Justice Policy Council = (aligns=20 and tightens background screening requirements for=20 staff providing direct care to vulnerable persons = in the=20 Health Care Residential and Home Care Settings = including home=20 health settings, nursing homes, and assisted living=20 facilities); HB 483 by Rivera and others (provides for = the=20 "back to school sales tax holiday"); SB 846 by = Bennett=20 and others (exempts Florida from new nationwide = building code=20 requirements that require the installation of fire = sprinkler=20 systems in one and two-story homes); HB 1035 by Frishe = (provides variances for elevators from specific code = update=20 requirements related to ASME A17.1 and A17.3 code in=20 condominiums, CCRC apartments, retirement communities = or=20 multi-family residential buildings that were issued a=20 certificate of occupancy before July 1, 2008 for five = years or=20 until the elevator is replaced or requires major = modification,=20 whichever occurs first); and SB 1178 by Haridopolos = (allows=20 legislative leaders to request that legislation be = analyzed on=20 a cost-benefit or return on investment=20 basis).

Following an investigation in = September,=20 2009, the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel ran a series of = articles about background screening of persons working = with=20 vulnerable populations in Florida. As a result of = these=20 articles, HB 7069 became a high-priority of the = legislature=20 and the governor. It increases all Level 1 screening = to Level=20 2 screening. It requires that no person be employed = until the=20 screening has been completed, and it is determined = that the=20 person is qualified. This will not require existing = employees=20 to be rescreened until they otherwise come up for = rescreening=20 pursuant to existing law. It also requires all = fingerprint=20 submissions to be submitted electronically by July 1, = 2012, or=20 sooner, should an agency decide to do so by rule.=20 Please join us for FAHSA's Background = Screening=20 Webinar on July 13th at 2:00 p.m. AHCA and FDLE = staff=20 will present compliance with the new law and how it = will=20 affect our members and their=20 employees.

The signing of = HB 483=20 designates a three day "back to school sales tax = holiday,"=20 August 13-15. School supplies that are $10 or less, = and books,=20 clothing, and footwear that are $50 or less are tax = free. This=20 marks the return of the sales tax holiday after a = two-year=20 absence. Crist had asked for a 10-day sales tax = holiday but=20 the measure was scaled back before it was passed by=20 legislators. We are still waiting to hear more = on the=20 Governor's action on a few remaining FAHSA priority = bills,=20 including the budget which the Governor must act on by = May=20 = 28th.

In=20 This Issue

ALF=20 news

Education=20 News

General=20 News

Housing=20 & Service Coordinator News

Legislative=20 News

Nursing=20 Home News

Preferred=20 Business Associates News

Career=20 Center

FAHSA Quick=20 Links

Home = Page

ALF=20 Alerts

General=20 Alerts

Housing=20 Alerts

Nursing Home=20 Alerts

RC/CCRC=20 Alerts

Calendar of=20 Events

Preferred=20 Business Associates

Career=20 = Center

ALF = News

DOEA Adopts=20 New ALF Rules and Assessment - Over the = past two=20 years, the Department of Elder Affairs held workshops = and=20 hearings on proposed revisions to 58A-5 and 58A-14, = F.A.C.,=20 related to Assisted Living Facilities and Adult Family = Care=20 Homes and the Resident Health Assessment applicable = for both=20 provider types. FAHSA staff participated in all = rule=20 hearings and workshops. Revisions have been = adopted and=20 are posted on the Agency's=20 website. Please = click here=20 to read FAHSA's ALF Technical = Brief. =20 Please go to the ALF Alert=20 Page to read all of the correspondence and = postings from=20 FAHSA concerning these revisions.

FAHSA ALF=20 Alert=20 = Page

Education=20 News

CNA = Train-the-Trainer=20 Workshop Rescheduled - Due to unforeseeable=20 circumstances beyond our control, the CNA = Train-the-Trainer=20 Workshop originally scheduled for June 24, 2010, has = been=20 rescheduled for June 30, 2010. The time and = location=20 remain the same. We apologize for any inconvenience.=20

Leadership = Academy=20 Program Rescheduled for July 26-27 -- FAHSA = plans to=20 conduct the 2nd class of the Leadership Academy = beginning on=20 July 26 and 27, 2010, in conjunction with FAHSA's 47th = Annual=20 Convention and Exposition in Boca Raton. = Applicants who=20 previously applied do not need to re-apply. = Scholarship=20 funds to cover half of the tuition are available for = those who=20 would like to participate. This training is a = valuable=20 resource to develop leadership=20 skills.

Violet Breder, DON, = Winter=20 Park Towers, comments on FAHSA's Leadership Program - = click here=20 to see her testimony: (you have to join Vimeo to=20 view)

Listen to what Tim Ficker and = Tina=20 Corbett from Cypress Cove have to say about the = program by=20 watching a short video clip:   CLICK HERE

Please consider = sending=20 several of your employees to this course. = Registration,=20 brochures, and scholarship forms are available on FAHSA's=20 website.

Join Us = for=20 Upcoming Training Opportunities:

June 29 --=20 Unemployment Insurance Increases = Webinar,=20 2:00 p.m.
June 30 -- CNA=20 Train-the-Trainer, Winter Park Towers, = Orlando=20
July 13 -=20 Background Screening Webinar, 2:00=20 p.m
July 25 -- = FAHSA's=20 Strategic Visioning Workshop, Advanced=20 Leadership
July 26-27 -- FAHSA's=20 Leadership Academy, Boca Raton Resort=20
July 26-29 - FAHSA's Annual Convention = &=20 Exposition, Boca Raton Resort=20
July 29 -- = FAHSA's=20 Preceptor Training, Boca Raton Resort
August 30-September 3 -- FAHSA's Regional=20 Meetings, Health Care = Reform,=20 featuring Barbara Gay,=20 AAHSA

FAHSA Calandar=20 = Page

General=20 News

June 1 Marks = Beginning of=20 2010 Hurricane Season - BE PREPARED - = Although the=20 past few hurricane seasons have been a welcomed = reprieve, now=20 is the time to get serious and be prepared. = Please be=20 sure to take time to review and update your emergency=20 management plan now. Use your local emergency = management=20 office as a resource. If time permits, emergency = management=20 staff is often willing to participate in training = programs for=20 staff and residents. A plan is worthless unless the = contacts=20 (e.g., emergency phone numbers, suppliers of goods and = services, and evacuation alternatives) in it are = current and=20 the people who will be implementing it are familiar = with their=20 responsibilities.

In a state like = Florida,=20 it's best to be prepared for the worst case scenario=20 regardless of forecasts.
Please be sure to = download the=20 updated FAHSA 2010 Emergency Planning and Resource = Manual and=20 Appendices on FAHSA's=20 Disaster Preparedness = page.

FAHSA General Alert=20 = Page

Housing = & Service=20 Coordinator News

EIV Link Activated for Multifamily = Users=20 - Please be advised that the link to the EIV system = has been=20 activated for Multifamily users. There may be = several=20 data anomalies that are currently being experienced by = users. Until a Listserv message is issued = advising users=20 that the system is fully functional, O/As should = continue to=20 perform third party verifications as done previous to = the=20 implementation of EIV. Please document the = tenant files=20 that have been affected by this = outage.

Contract Administrators are instructed not to = issue=20 MOR Findings due to an O/A not using EIV until such = time when=20 the system becomes fully functional. You can = view the=20 RHIIP Tips Archives, under "Listserv-Multifamily RHIIP=20 Tips".

FAHSA Housing Alert=20 = Page

Legislative=20 News

Senator Gardiner and FLiCRA Region 4 = Leaders=20 Visit Village on the Green - Last week, Mary = Ellen=20 Early was a guest speaker, along with Bennett Napier, = at the=20 FLiCRA Region 4 meeting held at Village on the = Green. =20 About 60 residents attended the event. The key note = speaker=20 was Sen. Andy Gardiner. He gave an overview of = the 2010=20 Legislative Session and then spent a good bit of time = talking=20 about Medicaid Reform. He said that a few senators = will be=20 holding public hearings this summer. He also = indicated=20 that the Senate will be asking for comment on the = House=20 Medicaid reform bill. Mary Ellen took the = opportunity to=20 raise the issue about consumer choice and the problems = that=20 continuing care residents some times have with = Medicare=20 Advantage when they want to return to the nursing home = on=20 campus after hospitalization. Sen. Gardiner was = very=20 interested and asked her to call his office to set up = a=20 meeting.

Medicaid reform is very = important=20 to most FAHSA members. Please use the summer months to = meet=20 with candidates for the Florida Legislature and = incumbents=20 without opposition to discuss your organization and = what your=20 concerns are about Medicaid reform. If you don't tell = them, no=20 one else will. Go to the Secretary=20 of State's website for a list of candidates for = the state=20 legislature. For guidance on how to hold a candidates = forum,=20 check out our legislative page. Our 2010 Voter = Education=20 and Candidates Forum Tool Kit will be posted by the = end of the=20 first week of June.

Florida = TaxWatch Releases The 2010 Turkey Watch=20 Report - In a state budget fraught with = service=20 cuts, trust fund raids, and a lack of sufficient = investment in=20 important state functions such as transportation=20 infrastructure and education, Florida TaxWatch has = identified=20 more than $60 million in spending on 41 member = projects and=20 other budget provisions historically referred to as = "turkeys"=20 in the FY 2010-11 Budget. Click here=20 to read more in the Legislative Update.
Source: = Florida=20 = TaxWatch

Nursing Home=20 News

RUGs-IV to Take = Effect as=20 Originally Planned in October, CMS Announces = - The=20 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services again has = revised=20 its implementation timeline for the fourth version of = the=20 Resource Utilization Group (RUG-IV) classification = system. It=20 now plans to implement RUG-IV this Oct. 1, and not = Oct. 1,=20 2011.
Source: McKnight's Long-Term Care and = Assisted=20 Living, May 25, 2010

Other = Nursing=20 Home News:

CMS Revises=20 Implementation Timeline for RUGs IV
Advancing=20 Excellence in America's Nursing Homes Campaign = Releases 2009=20 Quarter 4 Updates for Florida
CMS Survey=20 and Certification Letter Posted: Quality of Care and = Quality=20 of Life Indicators (5/21/10)
Medical=20 Groups Challenge 'Red Flags' Rule in U.S. = Court=20

FAHSA's Nursing Home Alert=20 = Page

Preferred Business = Associates=20 News

Care Purchasing Services = endorsed Dart=20 Chart Systems as their documentation and reimbursement = technology partner -- Dart Chart Systems = offers a=20 proven charting solution for clinical documentation = with the=20 most accurate reimbursement engine in the long-term = care=20 industry. Dart Chart has identified each = specific care=20 category and the corresponding documentation = requirements that=20 impact the reimbursement fields of the MDS. Dart = Chart's=20 solution has been designed specifically to address and = offer=20 clarity and guidance for managing each of these=20 activities. In fact, results have been so = consistent=20 over their 12 years in business that they guarantee = their=20 financial results within 90 days.

Clients = that=20 utilize Dart Chart's charting solution typically = achieve the=20 following results:

> Guaranteed 10 - 20% = increase in=20 Medicare Reimbursement Revenue

> Over 98% accuracy between = Shift=20 Documentation and MDS submission

> Clients have never been = penalized or=20 had to return reimbursement revenue due to information = entered=20 / calculations performed by Dart Chart

> Over 90% shift = documentation=20 compliance

> As of 10/1/10, whether the = payment=20 system is based on RUGs III modified or RUGs IV, Dart = Chart is=20 the only solution that will calculate and optimize = results for=20 your patient population

Dart Chart = continues to be=20 actively involved in the evolution of MDS 3.0 and RUGs = IV. =20 = Their =20 financial team has created in-depth models that allow = our=20 clients to accurately project and plan for the = financial=20 impact. Dart Chart has created = additional=20 reporting mechanisms to project the impact of various=20 scenarios for October, 2010, including MDS 3.0, = Modified RUGs=20 III and RUGs=20 = IV.

If the=20 Modified RUGs III payment and RUGs IV reporting take = effect we=20 believe we have the only solution in the marketplace = that will=20 calculate and optimize results for any=20 scenario.

Please call Lila = Abrams,=20 at Care Purchasing Services 800-543-3491, to schedule = your=20 complimentary Web Demo and Financial=20 = Analysis

Brought to=20 you by Care Purchasing Services,=20 Inc.

FAHSA's=20 Preferred Business Associates Program (PBAs) = -- A=20 list of PBAs can be found by on the FAHSA website http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=3Dykvqevdab.0.0.bhstg4aab.0= &p=3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.fahsa.org%2F&id=3Dpreview and=20 selecting Preferred Business Associates from the left = side=20 menu bar or clicking on the FAHSA Preferred Business=20 Associates Page hyperlink. FAHSA members can also use = the=20 on-line directory to search for PBAs by=20 specialty.

FAHSA = Preferred=20 Business Associates=20 = Page

Career=20 Center =20

Welcome to the = Florida=20 Association of Homes and Services for the Aging Career = Center!

Your destination for = exciting Aging=20 Services job opportunities and the best resource for = qualified=20 candidates in the Florida Aging Services Industry. = Searching=20 for a job in Aging Services?

We feature various = Aging Services=20 jobs.Ready to start your job search? =

Click here to=20 find your next Aging Services job!

Looking to fill a = position? This=20 job board is custom tailored for the Aging Services = industry,=20 which means we attract the most qualified = professionals in=20 Florida.Create an Employer = Account, search resumes and post your Aging = Services job=20 now!

FAHSA Career Center Web=20 = Page

FAHSA Chair: Terri Cunliffe=20
FAHSA President/CEO: Janegale Boyd=20
Managing Editor: Gail Matillo, MPA, COS=20

Copyright Information: Copies of the = articles and=20 other information in this publication may be = noncommercially=20 reproduced for the purpose of educational or = scientific=20 advancement. Otherwise, no part of this publication = may be=20 reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, = mechanical=20 or electronic, including photocopying, microfilm and=20 recording, or by any information storage and retrieval = system,=20 without the written permission of the editor.=20

Correspondence: Should be = addressed to:=20 Editor, 1812 Riggins Road, Tallahassee, FL 32308. For=20 telephone inquiries, call (850) 671-3700. Or E-mail = FAHSA at=20 info@fahsa.org. =A9 2010 FAHSA. All rights = reserved.

Disclaimer: The=20 information contained in this correspondence is not = intended=20 as a substitute for legal advice. Please discuss any=20 information gathered from this or any other FAHSA = publications=20 with your legal counsel in the context of your = particular=20 situation before implementing any new policies or=20 procedures.