CMS Region 10: Disability Rights in Disasters Training  

Sponsored by the Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies. This important training will cover key aspects of disability rights in disaster situations and is a valuable...
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Washington's Greatest Hits: Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Tsunamis, and More! 

Thursday, September 19 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. PT on Microsoft Teams  Join Serve Washington and subject matter experts from the Washington State Emergency...
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National Preparedness Month (NPM)  

September marks the start of the annual campaign to remind everyone that preparing for emergencies and disasters can keep them, their families, and their communities...
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From Data Elements to Quality Measures: Web-Based Training 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is offering a web-based training course that provides a high-level overview of how data elements within CMS patient/resident...
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Home Health and Hospice Providers Can Request COVID Test Kits from HHS.  

LeadingAge has received confirmation that home health and hospice agencies are eligible to request COVID test kits upon request to the Department of Health &...
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Section GG Web-Based Training Series 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is offering an updated series of web-based training courses that provide an overview of the assessment and guidance...
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HUD Posts NSPIRE Appeals Guidance 

On August 19, 2024 HUD made appeals guidance available for its NSPIRE housing inspection protocol. According to HUD, the agency has received feedback that Public...
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FEMA Seeks Feedback to Expand Public Assistance Eligibility for Aging and Disability Services Providers.  

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is seeking comments on a proposed rule to update FEMA’s Public Assistance regulations.   The Public Assistance program provides financial assistance...
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Updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 and Flu vaccine recommendations 

CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older, especially older people and those with weakened immune systems, get the updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 and Flu vaccines...
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Nurse LEAD Program- LeadingAge National

A training program to help nurse managers and team leaders acquire critical leadership and supervisory skills.  Free for LeadingAge National members.  What's Included Developed by...
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Growing Awareness of the Growing Issue Substance Abuse Among Seniors

      Substance abuse is a real and worsening problem among older Americans. The reality is that people who abused alcohol or drugs (prescription...
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CMS Releases Revised Guidance for Facility Assessment  

In a June 18 Quality, Safety & Oversight Group (QSOG) and Survey & Operations Group (SOG) QSO 24-13-NH Memo, CMS is revising the requirements for...
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2024 LTC Workforce Summit Registration 

On July 9th, the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, in partnership with the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) will co-sponsor a one-day...
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July 1 Nursing Facility Rates and PDPM 

CMS has discontinued the calculation of RUG scores, which the state has used in the past to adjust Nursing Facility Medicaid rates for acuity. CMS...
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CDC Townhall on Enhanced Barrier Precautions

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) will host a Long-Term Care Townhall on May 22 at 1 p.m. ET on enhanced barrier precautions....
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Resolution Introduced to Overturn Minimum Staffing Rule

On May 10, Representatives Michelle Fischbach (R-MN) and Greg Pence (R-IN) introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution of disapproval to overturn the final minimum...
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OIG Identifies Issues with Nursing Home-initiated Discharges

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released two reports on April 3 outlining concerns about facility-initiated discharges...
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HUD Postpones Service Coordinator Funding Deadline to May

The new deadline to apply for Service Coordinator grants is May 23, 2024. HUD’s FAQs are still forthcoming.  On April 2, HUD again postponed the...
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FY 2025 SNF PPS Rule Proposes 4.1% Increase and Increased CMP Authority

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Prospective Payment System (PPS) proposed rule was released to the Federal Register on March 28. The...
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CMS Finalizes Average 3.7% Rate Increase for MA Plans in 2025

Although under pressure from Medicare Advantage (MA) plans and some Congressional members to pay MA plans more in 2025, CMS finalized MA plan 2025 rates...
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HUD Announces 2024 Income Limits, Increase Cap.

HUD released the median family incomes and income limits for 2024. The income limits are used to define the terms “very low-income,” “low income” and...
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The state is transitioning Behavioral Health Personal Care to a new program called Community Behavioral Health Supports (CBHS).

The state is transitioning BHPC to a new program called Community Behavioral Health Supports (CBHS). CBHS services will be authorized and paid for by the...
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2024 Minimum Wage and Salary Threshold Increases

2024 Minimum Wage and Salary Threshold Increases   As of 2024, Washington state has implemented an increase in both the minimum wage and the salary...
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National Workforce Development Month

LeadingAge will kick off the month-long observance of National Workforce Development Month on Friday, September 1. We will lift up the vital work of caring...
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Candida Auris Health Alert Information Received from Washington State Department of Health (DOH)

Candida auris (C. auris) is an emerging often multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen that has caused difficult to control outbreaks in healthcare facilities outside of Washington state....
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Northwest Healthcare Response Network (NWHRN) Winter Weather Tip Sheet

The Northwest Healthcare Response Network (NWHRN) continues to work with local response partners to prepare for potential winter weather impacts. This Winter Weather Tip Sheet...
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NETEC Infection Prevention Learning Journey - On Demand

The Infection Prevention Learning Journey introduces three elements of the Hierarchy of Controls: engineering, administrative, and personal protective equipment (PPE). TARGET AUDIENCE This accredited continuing education activity...
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CMS Releases New October MDS Training Videos

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering a virtual training program that provides instruction on the updated guidance for the Skilled Nursing...
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End of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) and the 120-Day or 4-Month Rule for NARs

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted Washington State a waiver of the 120-day or 4-month rule through the end of the PHE...
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WEBINAR: Don't Wait for Disaster: Proactive Emergency Planning for Long-Term Care Centers

Don't Wait for Disaster: Proactive Emergency Planning for Long-Term Care Centers Date and Time: Thursday 6/22/2023 from 2:00-3:30 pm (PST) Description: Steven Wilder BA, CHSP,...
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Submit TODAY! Scholarship applications for 2023 are now being accepted!

LeadingAge Washington’s 2023 Scholarship  applications are now being accepted!  It is with great pleasure that LeadingAge Washington offers these scholarships to further the professional development of staff...
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Updated CMS Regulations for Emergency Preparedness (EP)

Emergency Preparedness Training and Testing Program Exemption The following information supersedes the previously issued QSO-20-41-ALL-REVISED memo for all certified providers/suppliers. CMS regulations for Emergency Preparedness (EP)...
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LeadingAge Learning HUB: Workforce, Governance, and Public Messaging Resources

Expert-Led Education at Your Fingertips The LeadingAge national Learning Hub offers a mix of learning opportunities across a wide range of topics to give aging...
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SNF Wage Equity Reporting

DSHS has released the final Wage Equity Reporting worksheet. This worksheet must be completed and submitted to the department no later than September 1, 2023....
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Emergency Preparedness Tags

Comagine Health This document provides a list of possible citations a facility could acquire for noncompliance in its visitors policy, cohorting plan and emergency preparedness...
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BOMI Facility Management Training - Hold Your Spot!

      Whether you’re an organization or an individual, BOMI’s world-renowned professional educational programs make perfect business sense. Our industry-standard designations ensure that property...
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SNF AMS Collaborative Opportunity Begins the 3rd Week of June

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HHS Releases NEW Online Cybersecurity Training Platform - Knowledge on Demand

Nursing homes and other healthcare entities have become the hottest target of cyber criminals. Now operators don’t have to just wait and wonder if bad...
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Skilled Nursing Facility Antimicrobial Stewardship Collaborative

The Washington State Department of Health is hosting an antimicrobial stewardship collaborative that will start in June and last for 1 year. The goal of...
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Information Required for Continuation of Nurse Aide Waiver

Critical information required to continue the Nurse aide waiver with CMS If you completed this survey last month, please complete this survey again.  We are...
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White House Executive Order and Fact Sheet on Caregivers

Tuesday, in a Rose Garden ceremony, the President signed an Executive Order summarizing his Administration’s caregiver actions and proposals; Katie Smith Sloan was among the...
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DOH Toolkits for Respiratory Season

As flu and other respiratory illnesses continue to rise across the nation, routine preparedness, including continuing to offer LTC residents ongoing immunizations are critical to...
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New CMS Training Modules Available on QSEP

CMS has added a new Quality in Focus tab on the CMS QSEP Training Site These are three of the most cited F-tags and are...
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CCRC/Nursing Home Wage Study – Deadline Extension for Members to May 31st

The deadline for the HCS CCRC/Nursing Home Salary & Benefits studies has been extended to May 31st for LeadingAge Washington members. Instead of conducting our...
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