The House of Representatives has passed two bills relating to missing older Americans.
H.R.908 Missing Alzheimer’s Disease Patient Alert
Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA) sponsored this legislation that amends the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to reauthorize the Missing Alzheimer's Disease Patient Alert Program. The bill was received in the Senate, read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
The Missing Alzheimer’s Disease Patient Alert Program directs the Attorney General, through the Bureau of Justice Assistance and in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to award competitive grants to nonprofit organizations to assist such organizations in paying for the costs of planning, designing, establishing, and operating locally based, proactive programs to protect and locate missing patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias and other missing elderly individuals.
The legislation authorizes appropriations of $5 million for each year 2010 through 2016. The funds must be appropriated before the grants will be available.
H.R.632 National Silver Alert Act 2009
The National Silver Alert Act 2009 sponsored by Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) would encourage, enhance, and integrate Silver Alert plans throughout the United States, and authorize grants for the assistance of organizations to find missing adults. The bill was received in the Senate, read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
The legislation directs the Attorney General to: (1) establish a national Silver Alert communications network within the Department of Justice (DOJ) to assist regional and local search efforts for missing seniors; (2) assign a DOJ officer to serve as the Silver Alert Coordinator to coordinate the network with states; and (3) award grants to states for support of Silver Alert plans and the network. The bill defines "missing senior" as any individual who is reported as missing to or by a law enforcement agency and who meets state requirements for designation as a missing senior. It further directs the coordinator to: (1) establish minimum standards for the issuance and dissemination of alerts issued through the network; and (2) make available to states, local governments, law enforcement agencies, and other concerned entities network training and information.
The bill also includes the Kristen's Act Reauthorization of 2009 directing the Attorney General to make competitive grants to public agencies or nonprofit private organizations to: (1) maintain a national resource center and information clearinghouse for missing and unidentified adults; (2) maintain a national, interconnected database to track missing adults endangered due to age, diminished mental capacity, or the circumstances of disappearance, when foul play is suspected or circumstances are unknown; (3) coordinate public and private programs that locate or recover missing adults; (4) provide assistance and training to law enforcement agencies, state and local governments, and other agencies involved with missing adults; (5) provide assistance to families in locating and recovering missing adults; and (6) assist in public notification and victim advocacy related to missing adults.
These bills have been read in the Senate and assigned to committee. More information about these issues will be provided when the Senate takes action.
To read more about these bills go to http://www.thomas.gov/ and search for the bills by number.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Funding available for Social Innovators in Your Communities
Social entrepreneurs John Gardner and Marc Freedman founded Civic Ventures in the late 1990s as a think tank and an incubator, generating ideas and inventing programs to help society achieve the greatest return on experience. Civic Ventures promotes redefining the second half of life as a source of social and individual renewal. Through research, publishing, conferences, and media outreach, Civic Ventures reports on the growth of the experience movement. Through programs and consulting, Civic Ventures brings together older adults with a passion for service and helps stimulate opportunities for using their talents to advance the greater good helping America realize an experience dividend.
Civic Ventures awards the Purpose Prize and applications are currently being accepted. The Purpose Prize® provides five awards of $100,000 each to people over 60 who are taking on society’s biggest challenges. It’s for those with the passion and experience to discover new opportunities, create new programs, and make lasting change. The deadline for applications is March 5, 2009. Read more about it at http://www.purposeprize.org/
Civic Ventures awards the Purpose Prize and applications are currently being accepted. The Purpose Prize® provides five awards of $100,000 each to people over 60 who are taking on society’s biggest challenges. It’s for those with the passion and experience to discover new opportunities, create new programs, and make lasting change. The deadline for applications is March 5, 2009. Read more about it at http://www.purposeprize.org/
GAO Report Regarding Traumatic Brain Injury and the VA
Government Accountability Office Report
Released January 29, 2009
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY: Better DOD and VA Oversight Can Help Ensure More Accurate, Consistent, and Timely Decisions for the Traumatic Injury Insurance Program
In 2005, Congress created a traumatic injury insurance benefit program, known as TSGLI, to help service members with traumatic brain injury and other serious injuries with the financial burdens that they and their families face. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administers the program, in collaboration with the Department of Defense (DOD), while the branches of service are responsible for deciding service members’ claims. GAO examined (1) the TSGLI approval rate for traumatic brain injury claimants, and whether DOD and VA have assurance that claims are processed accurately, consistently, and in a timely manner and (2) any challenges service members with traumatic brain injury may have faced in accessing TSGLI benefits, and the extent to which DOD and VA have taken steps to address such challenges. GAO analyzed program data and interviewed DOD and VA officials, service members, and medical professionals.
What GAO Recommends
GAO recommends that DOD and VA (1) implement a quality assurance review process to help ensure that decisions are accurate and consistent within and across the services and (2) take steps to ensure the data required to assess the approval rate for traumatic brain injury and timeliness of the claims process are reliable and comprehensive. DOD and VA generally agreed with our recommendations.
To view the full report visit http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09108.pdf
Released January 29, 2009
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY: Better DOD and VA Oversight Can Help Ensure More Accurate, Consistent, and Timely Decisions for the Traumatic Injury Insurance Program
In 2005, Congress created a traumatic injury insurance benefit program, known as TSGLI, to help service members with traumatic brain injury and other serious injuries with the financial burdens that they and their families face. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administers the program, in collaboration with the Department of Defense (DOD), while the branches of service are responsible for deciding service members’ claims. GAO examined (1) the TSGLI approval rate for traumatic brain injury claimants, and whether DOD and VA have assurance that claims are processed accurately, consistently, and in a timely manner and (2) any challenges service members with traumatic brain injury may have faced in accessing TSGLI benefits, and the extent to which DOD and VA have taken steps to address such challenges. GAO analyzed program data and interviewed DOD and VA officials, service members, and medical professionals.
What GAO Recommends
GAO recommends that DOD and VA (1) implement a quality assurance review process to help ensure that decisions are accurate and consistent within and across the services and (2) take steps to ensure the data required to assess the approval rate for traumatic brain injury and timeliness of the claims process are reliable and comprehensive. DOD and VA generally agreed with our recommendations.
To view the full report visit http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09108.pdf
Kennedy Statement on the Role of States in Keeping Americans Healthy
EXCERPTS FROM STATEMENT BY SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY ON THE ROLE OF STATES IN KEEPING AMERICANS HEALTHY
United States Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Hearing
At a January hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) provided a statement in which he noted that the United States spends two trillion dollars a year on care, yet one in two Americans suffer from chronic diseases that decrease quality of life and increase health costs. Estimates indicate that close to 200 million Americans alive today will have a chronic illness, and that one in four dollars will soon be spent on health care.
He noted that many factors lead to chronic disease, but much of the health care expenditures associated with these conditions are preventable. “For every dollar spent on initiatives to increase physical activity, improve nutrition and prevent smoking, a total of $5.60 can be saved in health costs” his statement reported. Even though a great deal is known about the power of prevention, less than five percent of all health expenditures are spent on prevention.
The statement noted that economic, social and physical issues often make it difficult for people to make healthy choices. In response, states are exploring innovative prevention initiatives to combat the effects of chronic illness on their residents. In particular he highlighted the Massachusetts Office of Health and Human Services initiative “Mass In Motion,” a multi-faceted program that includes promoting healthy eating and physical activity, grants to cities and towns to make wellness initiatives a priority, and a new website to give residents advice on how to make healthy eating and physical activity part of their daily lives.
He went on to say that the power of prevention is an essential element of health reform and that prevention must be one of the principal pillars of overall health reform.
United States Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Hearing
At a January hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) provided a statement in which he noted that the United States spends two trillion dollars a year on care, yet one in two Americans suffer from chronic diseases that decrease quality of life and increase health costs. Estimates indicate that close to 200 million Americans alive today will have a chronic illness, and that one in four dollars will soon be spent on health care.
He noted that many factors lead to chronic disease, but much of the health care expenditures associated with these conditions are preventable. “For every dollar spent on initiatives to increase physical activity, improve nutrition and prevent smoking, a total of $5.60 can be saved in health costs” his statement reported. Even though a great deal is known about the power of prevention, less than five percent of all health expenditures are spent on prevention.
The statement noted that economic, social and physical issues often make it difficult for people to make healthy choices. In response, states are exploring innovative prevention initiatives to combat the effects of chronic illness on their residents. In particular he highlighted the Massachusetts Office of Health and Human Services initiative “Mass In Motion,” a multi-faceted program that includes promoting healthy eating and physical activity, grants to cities and towns to make wellness initiatives a priority, and a new website to give residents advice on how to make healthy eating and physical activity part of their daily lives.
He went on to say that the power of prevention is an essential element of health reform and that prevention must be one of the principal pillars of overall health reform.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Leadership Council of Aging Organizations meets
Debra Whitman, from the Senate Special Committee on Aging, addressed the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (LCAO) January 7th and urged continued advocacy for aging issues. Looking back to the 110th Congress, she noted that Elder Justice and Criminal Background Check bills had strong support and expects that both will be introduced in the 111th Congress. She also mentioned watching for reintroduction this year of legislation to increase reimbursement for volunteers, improve nursing home care, support caregivers, address the need for a larger health care workforce, improvements to Medicare and reform for long-term care.
Health care reform must include the integration of long term care she said, but cautioned not to expect a large scale revamping of long-term care as a part of the overall health care reform. She suggested that components of long-term care reform may have a chance of being included in health care reform package. She encouraged continued advocacy for the issues about which we are most concerned.
Steve McConnell from Atlantic Philanthropies also spoke to the members about the foundation and its goals. Some of the areas of focus are on aging, disadvantaged youth and human rights. The fund’s goal is to grant several billion dollars to organizations over the next 8-9 years and exhaust the fund. Atlantic Philanthropies is non-partisan but is interested in funding advocacy to influence public policy and providing support that will have a lasting effect.
In other business LCAO is planning for hill briefings in the next few months with new and returning members of Congress to garner support for aging legislative and budget priorities.
Health care reform must include the integration of long term care she said, but cautioned not to expect a large scale revamping of long-term care as a part of the overall health care reform. She suggested that components of long-term care reform may have a chance of being included in health care reform package. She encouraged continued advocacy for the issues about which we are most concerned.
Steve McConnell from Atlantic Philanthropies also spoke to the members about the foundation and its goals. Some of the areas of focus are on aging, disadvantaged youth and human rights. The fund’s goal is to grant several billion dollars to organizations over the next 8-9 years and exhaust the fund. Atlantic Philanthropies is non-partisan but is interested in funding advocacy to influence public policy and providing support that will have a lasting effect.
In other business LCAO is planning for hill briefings in the next few months with new and returning members of Congress to garner support for aging legislative and budget priorities.
Secretary of HHS confirmation process begins
Former Senator Tom Daschle appeared before the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee as a first step in the confirmation process for his appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services. In his remarks, Senator Daschle noted that the problems in our current health care system are “pervasive and corrosive.”
In referring to health care reform efforts in the 1990s he remarked that criticisms were “it took too long, the process was too opaque, the plan was too hard to understand and the change was too dramatic.” He noted that these are not good reasons for failing to act. Further, he quoted Nelson Mandela “Some things seem impossible until they are done.” Senator Daschle asserted that health care reform doesn’t have to be impossible. However, he noted that health care change must include input from the grass roots and community level and that President-elect Obama has received many suggestions from Americans at the website change.org.
In referring to health care reform efforts in the 1990s he remarked that criticisms were “it took too long, the process was too opaque, the plan was too hard to understand and the change was too dramatic.” He noted that these are not good reasons for failing to act. Further, he quoted Nelson Mandela “Some things seem impossible until they are done.” Senator Daschle asserted that health care reform doesn’t have to be impossible. However, he noted that health care change must include input from the grass roots and community level and that President-elect Obama has received many suggestions from Americans at the website change.org.
He went on to say that high value preventive care is needed and currently the US health system has experienced a failure of preventive care. In addition, studies show that every $1 of prevention results in $5.60 in savings. Disparities in health care access must be addressed as well as the shortage of primary care physicians. Having represented a rural state he mentioned that rural communities often lack sufficient health care resources. Senator Daschle affirmed that health care reform must be guided by evidence and effectiveness. Public health should be strengthened and long-term care for the elderly must be part of health care reform.
Senator Daschle mentions that cost, access and quality are the three big components of health care. He says that we need a framework that provides for more efficiency and more transparency.
Other topics discussed at the hearing included:
1. improving communication among the component agencies and offices of HHS
2. evaluation of Medicare C, Medicare generally and Medicaid to identify efficiencies
3. dental services as an essential component in health care and lack of access must be addressed
4. mental health as a part of health care reform and lack of coverage and access
5. needs of individuals with disabilities must be included in part of health care reform
6. ong-term care including care in the least restrictive environment must be included
7. more emphasis on wellness in our communities including school based programs, community based wellness programs and mental health recognizing that physical ailments are related to stress, depression, etc.
8. transportation, education, workplace issues that don’t squarely fall within HHS but are part of health care reform
9. view health care as a pyramid with primary care as a base and heart transplants and more intensive tests like MRIs at the top
10. make wellness “cool” and integrate wellness in all aspects of our lives
11. transparency from HHS in providing data
12. pay for prevention and wellness services
13. vigorous top down review of HHS to cut duplication and waste
14. take ideology out of decisions and allow scientists to conduct the science to find the new medicines and treatments
15. prevention can be intervention in chronic disease to keep the disease from progressing,
16. senior centers are in every community and could be a place to relate the prevention and compliance strategies recommended by health care providers
17. integration of health care providers in care settings
18. promote health IT
19. review Medicare part D for negotiation of drug prices and fixing the “donut hole”
20. encourage more primary care providers and start with funding primary care providers including nurses, pharmacists, therapists, etc.
21. importance of National Institutes of Health.
To view the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee confirmation hearing visit http://www.cspan.org/ and follow the links to the Daschle confirmation hearing.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Older Worker Demonstration Grants
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training Administration (ETA) announced December 19th the availability of approximately $10 million in funds for Older Worker Demonstration Grants. The grants will be awarded though a competitive process as a part of the High Growth Job Training Initiative (HGJTI).
The grants are intended to address the workforce challenges facing older individuals by developing models for talent development in regional economies that recognize older workers as a valuable labor pool and include employment and training strategies to retain and/or connect older workers to jobs in high growth, high demand industries critical to the regional economy. Grants awarded under the Older Worker Demonstration should focus on providing training and related services for individuals age 55 and older that result in employment and advancement opportunities in high growth industries and economic sectors. The proposed strategies must take place in the context of regional talent development efforts designed to contribute to a strong regional economy, and must be developed and implemented by a strategic regional partnership.
The preferred eligible applicants for this solicitation are entities that represent the local workforce investment system, but other entities may apply. It is anticipated that the number of awards will range from 10 to 13, with award amounts ranging from $750,000 to $1,000,000.
Issue Date: December 19, 2008 Closing Date: February 19, 2009
For full announcement visit: http://www.doleta.gov/grants/pdf/SGA-DFA-PY-08-06.pdf
The grants are intended to address the workforce challenges facing older individuals by developing models for talent development in regional economies that recognize older workers as a valuable labor pool and include employment and training strategies to retain and/or connect older workers to jobs in high growth, high demand industries critical to the regional economy. Grants awarded under the Older Worker Demonstration should focus on providing training and related services for individuals age 55 and older that result in employment and advancement opportunities in high growth industries and economic sectors. The proposed strategies must take place in the context of regional talent development efforts designed to contribute to a strong regional economy, and must be developed and implemented by a strategic regional partnership.
The preferred eligible applicants for this solicitation are entities that represent the local workforce investment system, but other entities may apply. It is anticipated that the number of awards will range from 10 to 13, with award amounts ranging from $750,000 to $1,000,000.
Issue Date: December 19, 2008 Closing Date: February 19, 2009
For full announcement visit: http://www.doleta.gov/grants/pdf/SGA-DFA-PY-08-06.pdf
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