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September 11, 2008
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Vol 15, Issue 38
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FAHSA LINK
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Dear Erwin,
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Welcome to this week's edition of
the FAHSA Link.
FAHSA's Innovation
Exchange Corner Features "Employee Financial Health Program" - FAHSA's
Innovation Exchange Program provides members with an opportunity to share
ideas and best practices with others and to recognize their staff for
extraordinary performance. Through the FAHSA Link, we hope to encourage
more members to share what they do best and to increase awareness about
the Innovation Exchange Web site, an important but little known
resource. This month, we are showcasing "Employee Financial
Health Program", submitted by John Knox Village of Florida, Inc.
This program is a creative way of assisting employees in managing their
finances during especially difficult economic times.
The "Employee Financial Health Program" is based upon the
belief that employees who are better able to manage their money have
fewer worries and emergencies; thus allowing them to be more productive
and have less stress at work. The staff was polled to determine
interest in the program itself as well as areas of particular
concern. Using that data, it was determined that the Village would
offer a series of classes to assist employees with the identified
areas. Employees at every level were encouraged to attend.
Classes were scheduled regarding the most common areas of interest:
Credit Cards, Checking and Savings Accounts, Mortgages, Auto, How to
Budget and Invest/Retirement Planning. The classes were scheduled
one per month and were offered three times throughout the day to maximize
attendance and reach employees on all shifts. The classes lasted
thirty minutes each; time was allotted afterward for individual
questions. Handouts and tools were offered to assist employees with
their personal planning. To read more about the program, please
visit the FAHSA Innovation Exchange page
on the FAHSA Web site.
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FAHSA Regional Meeting
to Focus on Constitutional Amendments, Florida's Economy and Tax Reform -- A
representative of Florida TaxWatch will be speaking at our next Regional
Meeting Webinar on September 23, 2008 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., on a
number of timely topics including proposed constitutional amendments that
will appear on the November ballot, Florida's budget shortfall, and
probable property tax relief measures to be considered during the 2009
Legislative Session. With Amendment 5 off the November ballot, lawmakers
are sure to be exploring other tax reform ideas that will reduce property
taxes. You could be affected, so stay informed by registering now for the
Sept. 23, Regional Meeting Webinar. Attendees are eligible for two
continuing education credits.
For contact hours, please register for the workshop. If you do not need
credit, there is no need to register. As a member benefit, there is
no charge for this Webinar. You may register from the FAHSA Web
site or contact Susan Tobin at stobin@fahsa.org for Webinar
information.
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Constitutional
Amendments
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Pros and Cons of
Constitutional Amendments on League of Women Web Site -- If you are
looking for information on the six proposed constitutional amendments that
will appear on the November ballot, the League of Women Voters' Web site
contains a non-partisan summary and a list of Pros and Cons for
each. Constitutional amendment document.
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CCRC / Retirement Community News
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Survey Responses Reveal
Minimal Opposition to Public Prayer In Retirement Communities -- At the request
of a member, we recently sent out a survey to determine how retirement
communities handle a resident complaint about public prayer. The
community on whose behalf the question was asked is a faith-based
continuing care retirement community in which a resident asked the
administrator to discontinue the practice of opening meetings with a
prayer. The organization makes it very clear in its mission statement
that it is faith-based. The mission statement is in all of the
organization's marketing literature.
Eighteen members responded to the survey, 12 of which indicated that
resident council and town hall meetings start with a prayer. All but two
of those that responded affirmatively are faith-based. Three of the 12
have guidelines for public prayer or require that
it be non-sectarian. Those that do not open meetings with a
prayer are not faith-based. One respondent, who is not with a faith-based
community, starts meetings with an inspirational reading that is not
religious.
When asked if a resident ever complained about public prayer, two
respondents said a resident questioned the practice but backed off after
he or she was reminded that of the community's mission and religious
affiliation. Both communities have marketing material which
includes the community's mission statement.
We also asked AAHSA's Legal Committee to discuss this
issue. The consensus was that there is no legal mandate
to discontinue prayer before meetings. The committee did not feel
that the practice was forcing religion on the resident. Committee
members did suggest that as a concession to the resident who disapproved
of the practice, the meeting officially could be convened a
few minutes later than scheduled so that the offended resident
could arrive five minutes late and not
miss the agenda items
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Education News
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AAHSA Annual
Meeting and Exposition - AAHSA's annual meeting, One Voice, is scheduled
for October 12-15, 2008 in Philadelphia, PA. There's still time to
register by clicking on AAHSA's Web site. More
than 500 exhibitors, 250 educational programs, and an evening with the
Queen, Aretha Franklin are some of the featured highlights.
Upcoming
Educational Events:
- September 15 - FAHSA's Home and Community-Based Workshop,
Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, Jacksonville
- September 15 - Administrator and Boards of Directors
Training for HUD Communities, Hyatt Regency Jacksonville
Riverfront, Jacksonville
- September 16 & 17 - FAHSA's 25th Annual HUD and Service
Coordinator Workshop, Hyatt Regency Jacksonville
Riverfront, Jacksonville
- September 23 - FAHSA's Regional Meeting - by
Webinar, TBA
- September 26 - IMAX TRACs Audio Call
featuring Bonnie Wilpon
- October 13-16 - AAHSA's Annual Meeting and Exposition,
Pennsylvania Conference Center, Philadelphia, PA
- October 21 - Webinar:
Risk Management, NeverEvents featuring Susan Bugg and
Jan Ferguson
- October 29 & 30 - FAHSA's Board of Trustees Meeting,
The Tradewinds, St. Petersburg
- November 13 - Webinar: Bridging the Gap:
Understanding New Wireless Technology
FAHSA Calendar of Events
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General News
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Florida Senior Care Implementation on Hold -- The Agency for
Health Care Administration and the Department of Elder Affairs have placed
the implementation of the Florida Senior Care pilot program on hold while
the Agency and the Department evaluate and consider how the program's
goals and objectives can effectively be achieved. This means that
services will not begin in Area 7 (Brevard, Orange, Osceola and Seminole
counties) on December 1, 2008 as previously planned. At this time, there
is not a definitive revised implementation timeline for Florida Senior
Care and implementation activities have been put on hold.
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Home and Community-Based Services
News
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FAHSA's 2nd
Annual Home and Community-Based Workshop Scheduled - This year,
plan to attend FAHSA's HCBS Workshop on Monday, September 15, from 1:00 p.m.
to 5:00 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront Hotel in
downtown Jacksonville. Peter Notarstefano, AAHSA's Director of
HCBS, Mike Bell, The Hospice Foundation of the Florida Suncoast, Shannon
Martin, M.S.W., CMC, Aging Wisely, and Anne Menard, Agency for Health
Care Administration will present topics such as Implementing a
Comprehensive Aging in Place Strategy for Independent Residents, Pushing
the Limits of Support Services: When Does it Become Too Much of a
Good Thing?, AHCA Issues New Rules Affecting HCBS/Home Health Providers,
and Operational Issues and Challenges for HCBS Providers. Online
registration and brochure are posted on the Calendar Page of the FAHSA Web
site.
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Housing News
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AAHSA
Meets with HUD Headquarters Staff -- Yesterday, Colleen Bloom, Associate
Housing Director and Alayna Waldrum, Legislative Representative, AAHSA,
met with Janet Golrick, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multifamily
Housing in Washington, D.C. During the meeting, Colleen and Alayna
relayed a message from FAHSA. Read more on this issue in the latest
Housing News, HUD 08-13.
FAHSA HUD Alert Page
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Legislative News
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State
Reserves Tapped to Offset Budget Deficit -- This week, the
Legislative Budget Commission unanimously approved the transfer of $672
million from a state stabilization reserve fund to offset a portion of a
projected $1.47 billion budget deficit for the current fiscal year
that ends June 30, 2009. Some of the remaining shortfall is expected to
be made up with savings from a request by Governor Charlie Crist to state
agencies under his jurisdiction to cut 4 percent from each of their
operating budgets. The action is a stop-gap measure recommended by
Gov. Crist until state economists update their revenue forecast in
November. Any permanent spending cuts would require legislative approval.
The deficit in the $66 billion budget has been caused by
lower-than-expected tax and revenue collections because of the
economy. Amy Baker, the Legislature's chief economist, told the
commission the state is facing "a structural
imbalance" with spending needs increasing faster
than state revenues.
Rep. Sansom Names New House
Leaders -- Rep Ray Sansom, in-coming speaker of the
Florida House of Representatives, this week announced who will fill
his key leadership positions. Committee chairs were not appointed.
Sansom named the following Republicans to leadership positions:
Speaker Pro Tempore: Rep. Larry Cretul of
Ocala.
Rules Chairman: Rep. Bill Galvano of
Bradenton.
Rules Vice Chairman: Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff of
Fort Lauderdale.
Majority Leader: Rep. Adam Hasner of Delray
Beach.
Deputy Majority Leader: Rep. Anitare Flores of
Miami.
Majority Whip: Rep. Ron Reagan of Bradenton.
Please contact Mary Ellen Early, FAHSA's Senior Vice-president of Public
Policy, if you know any of the above House members.
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Nursing Home News
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Sanitary
Conditions For Dietary: AHCA Provides Further Clarification -- Last week a FAHSA
member asked for clarification from the Agency for Health Care
Administration regarding the revision related to sanitary conditions and
meal service. Read more on this issue in this week's Nursing Home
Alert, NH 08-32.
Other Nursing Home News:
- Medwatch
Warning
- CMS
End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Open Door Forum
- Medicare
Provider Feedback Town Hall Meeting
FAHSA
Nursing Home Alert Page
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Preferred Business Associates
News
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New Preferred Business Associate
-- The Provider/Shared Services Committee recently approved Paragon
Rehabilitation as new Preferred Business Associate (PBA).
Paragon Rehabilitation
-- based in Nashville, and partnering for over 19 years with skilled
nursing facilities, assisted living communities and retirement campus
settings, Paragon Rehab is a leading provider of contract rehabilitation
throughout the Southeast. As a stand alone division of Trilogy
Health Services, they remain a national company large enough to serve
your needs, however their structure still offers us the flexibility to
structure their therapy program in a way that meets the needs of each of
their unique customers through contract flexibility, highly experienced
rehab directors, competitive pricing and long term customer relationships
which make their programs feel like they are "in-house".
Please contact Lesley Vogels at (813) 909-0275 or e-mail her at lvogels@paragon-rehab.com.
For more information about Paragon Rehabilitation please go to their Web
site at www.paragonrehab.com.
Hunt Insurance -- Communicating the Value of Benefits -- In 1977, the
Mel Brooks comedy "High Anxiety" swept across the nation's
movie screens. Revolving around characters in the Psychoneurotic
Institute for the Very, Very Nervous, the film
had America laughing.
A shade more than three decades later, high anxiety once again is
sweeping across America. Unfortunately, today the nervousness is no
laughing matter. It is, in fact, extremely real.
With economic indicators ominously pointing to an oncoming-if not already
present-recession, fear of layoffs and other effects of a stalled economy
permeate everywhere, from office suites to manufacturing plants.
The uncertainty is just one factor eating away at morale. Raises
and bonuses may have to be put on hold. Incentive compensation can
be affected. Staff cuts may require employees to perform duties to
which they're not accustomed (and duties that they may believe are
beneath them). Eventually, the outlook will brighten, and economic
activity will swing back in the positive direction.
To read the entire story, please click HERE.
Tips for your work, home, and
life-brought to you by the insurance, risk management and healthcare
specialists at Hunt Insurance Group, LLC.
 FAHSA's Preferred Business Associates Program
(PBAs) -- A list of PBAs can be found by on the
FAHSA Web site www.fahsa.org and
selecting Preferred Business Associates from the left side menu bar or
clicking on the FAHSA Preferred Business Associates Page hyperlink. FAHSA
members can also use the on-line directory to search for PBAs by
specialty.
FAHSA Preferred Business Associates Page
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Job-Mart
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FAHSA is pleased to provide
an opportunity for you to advertise your "position wanted" or
"position available" through the FAHSA Link newsletter
and on our Web Page.
FAHSA members
may use the Job Mart services at no charge. A nominal fee of $25 will be
charged to nonmembers.
Your Job
Mart advertisement will be displayed on our Web site for approximately
three months. The FAHSA Link is published weekly and distributed
to our membership which is comprised of nursing homes, CCRCs, HUD
housing, assisted living facilities, independent living facilities and
companies/firms.
To
reserve advertisement space in our Job Mart program, please complete the application and fax it to FAHSA at
(850) 671-3790 or E-mail Erin Steele at esteele@fahsa.org
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Copyright
2008 -- Publication of the Florida Association of Homes and Services for
the Aging (FAHSA).
- FAHSA
Chair: Alma Ballard
- FAHSA
President/CEO: Janegale Boyd
- Managing
Editor: Gail Matillo
Copyright Information: Copies of the articles and other
information in this publication may be noncommercially reproduced for the
purpose of educational or scientific advancement. Otherwise, no part of this
publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means,
mechanical or electronic, including photocopying, microfilm and
recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without
the written permission of the editor.
Correspondence:
Should be addressed to: Editor, 1812 Riggins Road, Tallahassee, FL 32308.
For telephone inquiries, call (850) 671-3700. Or E-mail FAHSA at info@fahsa.org. © 2008 FAHSA. All rights
reserved.
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this correspondence is not intended as a
substitute for legal advice. Please discuss any information gathered from
this or any other FAHSA publications with your legal counsel in the
context of your particular situation before implementing any new policies
or procedures.
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