Division of Aging Update

For the original publication, please click here. The following is a text version of the original publication.
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October 9, 2015

At the end of September, FSSA completed its one-year No Wrong Door (NWD) planning grant period by submitting a draft three-year plan to the Administration for Community Living (ACL). The draft plan contains strategies to transform Indiana’s system of Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) into a structure that provides individuals and their families with the necessary tools to help them make informed choices about the services they may need.

Over the past year, we worked with numerous key stakeholders around the state to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the current system and create a vision of what Indiana’s NWD system should look like. Indiana’s path to that new system will be incremental and occur over a series of phases. Planning sub-groups consisting of members of each of FSSA’s divisions met regularly over the summer working on what will develop into Indiana’s full-fledged plan. Specifically, Indiana’s NWD draft plan includes the following:

• the creation of a standardized web portal for consumers to search for provider services based on geographical location (among other criteria); 
• generation of a self-assessment tool that allows consumers to complete a questionnaire and discover exactly the services for which they qualify;
• implementation of an integrated case management system to support delivery of timely, flexible, and cost-effective services, as well as improve reporting, standardize processes, and better coordinate care; 
• intensifying public outreach; 
• improving person-centered counseling; and
• establishing a NWD Governance and Administration cabinet-level body across multiple state agencies that will put processes in place to ensure meaningful input from key stakeholders into ongoing development and implementation. 

The ACL granted a one-year extension of the planning grant, giving us another year to perfect our three-year plan. We accomplished a great deal of work over the past several months and want to continue that momentum. We will be engaging stakeholders in another round of reviews of the plan beginning in 2016 in order to continue soliciting input and feedback, culminating in a fully developed three-year NWD plan ready for submission by the end of September 2016. Watch upcoming Updates for further information!

House Enrolled Act No. 1391

After much whimpering and muttering to ourselves, we emerged from our offices on October 1, 2015, after a long ten months to submit the House Enrolled Act (HEA) No. 1391 report to Indiana’s General Assembly. The 2015 General Assembly asked that we provide:

• a review of long-term services and supports (LTSS);
• an analysis of program and policy options, past policies and other states’ approaches to emerging technologies in home and community-based and institutional settings;
• an analysis of demographic trends;
• a review of Medicaid reimbursement for skilled nursing facility care; and
• an analysis of past policies and other states’ approaches to managing construction of additional skilled nursing facilities.

Deep breath and a drum roll – we are excited to take this opportunity to present you with the final report, which can found on the Division of Aging’s HEA 1391 webpage. One reviewer found the report to be, “…an excellent comprehensive overview of Indiana’s LTSS system and the issues we face…it will be an important resource for [both] legislators and policymakers.”

Did you hold a special event for Falls Prevention Awareness Day?

You could see your organization’s name in lights if you submit a video of your falls prevention program in action by November 2, 2015! The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is collecting and sharing positive images of older adults engaged in a variety of falls prevention activities for possible use in national media and fall prevention marketing materials.

Video clips may include footage from Falls Prevention Awareness Day activities, screening events, and falls prevention balance and exercise classes, as well as testimonials or interviews with older adults. For details on rules and further information, visit NCOA’s 2015 Falls Free ® Video Contest website. 
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The Division of Aging is a program of the Indiana Family & Social Services Administration. If you have questions about Aging programs and services, visit us online atwww.IN.gov/fssa/aging.