Long Term Services and Supports

The National Indian Council on Aging has released a toolkit dedicated to increasing awareness and knowledge of the needs of American Indian and Alaska Native persons living with disabilities. The resource is divided into sections for healthy living, education, independent living, vocational rehabilitation and employment resources, assistive technology, housing and facilities, and transportation. It includes suggestions for improving services, providing protections, and utilizing resources in local tribal communities for people with disabilities. Additional information provides overviews on federal disabilities laws, initiatives, agencies, and organizations that support work with Native individuals with disabilities and communities.

The National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices (NTG), and the Health Matters Program at the University of Illinois Chicago issued a new brief “Over Medication of Older Adults with Intellectual Disability: Risks for Brain Health”. The advisory cautions readers that arise from over medication and suggestions for steps that can be taken to prevent the over- medication of older adults.

The latest report from the AARP Public Policy Institute, "Valuing the Invaluable," examines current patterns in family caregiving, delves into the intricacies of family caregiving, and suggests measures that should be taken to tackle the financial, social, and emotional obstacles that arise when providing care for loved ones, including parents and spouses. The report offers a comprehensive analysis of recent advancements and prospective state and federal policies aimed at assisting family caregivers who play a crucial role in long term services and supports.

On Monday, February 13, 2023 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released a press release on the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to implement section 6101(a) of the Affordable Care Act. The proposed rule would require additional ownership and management information about nursing homes across the United States be disclosed. The Administrations attempts to implement the rule is part of a continued effort by the administration to improve quality of care at nursing homes.

ADvancing States is pleased to announce the release of a new report, Advancing Equity through MLTSS Programs, co-authored with Impact 120. This report highlights the numerous ways that managed long-term services and supports (MLTSS) programs can enhance state capacity to create more equitable programs for consumers. Research and interviews identified five key themes, which are explored in detail with recommendations for future action.

On February 7, 2023 the University of New Hampshire released key findings from the Annual Disability Statistics Collection. The annual report looks at national data for gaps related to people with disabilities across the states. The full compendium of data as well as supplementary data and state reports are available online, and the University of New Hampshire will be holding a virtual release for the compendium which will be recorded.

KFF released a brief “What Happens When COVID-19 Emergency Declarations End? Implications for Coverage, Costs, and Access” (January 31, 2023) that the describes the major health-related COVID-19 emergency declarations made by the federal government since January 2020, and the flexibilities resulting from the declarations. The areas covered in the brief include coverage, costs, and payment for COVID-19 testing, treatments, and vaccines; Medicaid coverage and federal match rates; and telehealth, among other provisions. According to KFF, the list does not include all federal policy and regulatory provisions made in response to COVID-19 emergency declarations.

There are several changes that may affect SNAP household’s benefit amounts over the coming months. The temporary boost to SNAP benefits put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, known as emergency allotments, will end nationwide after the February 2023 issuance. In addition, households that receive SNAP and Social Security benefits will see a decrease in their SNAP benefits because of the significant cost of living increase to Social Security benefits that took effect on Jan. 1, 2023.

Justice in Aging just released a new issue brief on the use of psychotropic medications in nursing facilities. The brief explores why reform initiatives have had limited success and the implications the use of psychotropic medications has on residents’ decision-making rights. In this installment of a series of issue briefs, Justice in Aging evaluates several proposals, and those proposals’ impacts on real-world residents.

The Commonwealth Fund has published a compilation of state successes in transforming long-term care as a resource to support policymakers. This policy guide is the result of a nine-month partnership between CSG and the Commonwealth Fund. Subject matter experts and stakeholders from Arizona, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia examine the following focus areas in long-term care: Addressing State Regulation of Long-Term Services and Supports Facilities; Optimizing American Rescue Plan Act Spending on Home- and Community-Based Services Under Medicaid; and Revitalizing the Direct Care Workforce and Supporting Family Caregivers.