Advancing States Inc

TO IMPROVE SYSTEMS AND SUPPORTS FOR OLDER ADULTS, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, OR THEIR CAREGIVERS.

LONG-TERM SERVICES AND SUPPORTS: ADVANCING STATES PROVIDES A VARIETY OF MEMBERSHIP SERVICES DESIGNED TO FACILITATE THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION, PROMISING PRACTICES AND POLICIES AMONG STATE AGING DISABILITY AGENCIES AND MEDICAID LONG-TERM SERVICES AND SUPPORTS PROGRAMS. MEMBERSHIP SERVICES INCLUDE TELEPHONIC AND ONSITE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT; A NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE OF INFORMATION HCBS, A WEBSITE, AN ON-LINE TRAINING CENTER, A WEEKLY ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER AND MONTHLY ALL-STATE CALLS.ADVANCING STATES HAS A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES FOCUSED ON LONG-TERM SERVICES AND SUPPORTS (LTSS) AND MLTSS PROGRAMS. THE NATIONAL CORE INDICATORS-AGING AND DISABILITIES (NCI-AD) IS AN INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO SUPPORT STATES' INTEREST IN ASSESSING THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR LTSS PROGRAMS AND DELIVERY SYSTEMS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE SERVICES FOR OLDER ADULTS AND PEOPLE WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES. NCI-AD IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN ADVANCING STATES AND THE HUMAN SERVICES RESEARCH INSTITUTE. NCI-AD ASSESSES OUTCOMES BEYOND HEALTH AND SAFETY TO ADDRESS IMPORTANT LONG-RECOGNIZED GAPS IN LTSS DATA, SUCH AS SOCIAL, COMMUNITY, AND PERSON-CENTERED GOALS.THE MLTSS INSTITUTE IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN ADVANCING STATES AND NATIONAL MEDICAID HEALTH PLANS INTENDED TO DRIVE IMPROVEMENTS IN KEY MLTSS POLICY ISSUES, FACILITATE SHARING AND LEARNING AMONG STATES, AND PROVIDE DIRECT AND INTENSIVE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO STATES AND HEALTH PLANS.IMPROVING ENROLLMENT IN SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE MEDICARE PROGRAM (MIPPA) IS A PROJECT THAT ADVANCING STATES WORKS WITH THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON AGING TO IMPROVE ENROLLMENT OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES IN PROGRAMS SPECIFICALLY FOR LOW-INCOME MEDICARE POPULATIONS BY PROVIDING GUIDANCE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF MATERIALS, DISSEMINATION STRATEGIES AND IMPROVED ENROLLMENT IN SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.THE NATIONAL CENTER ON ADVANCING PERSON-CENTERED PRACTICES AND SYSTEMS (NCAPPS) IS AN ADMINISTRATION FOR COMMUNITY LIVING (ACL) INITIATIVE TO ASSIST STATES, TRIBES AND TERRITORIES TO IMPLEMENT PERSON-CENTERED THINKING, PLANNING AND PRACTICES IN LONG-TERM SERVICES AND SUPPORTS ALIGNING WITH U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REGULATIONS. ADVANCING STATES PARTNERS WITH THE HUMAN SERVICES RESEARCH INITIATIVE (HSRI) TO PROVIDE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE TO INTEGRATE, ACROSS SYSTEMS AND PROGRAMS, RULES, REGULATIONS, POLICIES, PAYMENT SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGY TO PROMOTE PERSON-CENTERED PRACTICES.

RESOURCES CENTERS AND TRAINING: DISABILITY BUSINESS ACUMEN CENTER (BUSINESS ACUMEN) IS AN INITIATIVE TO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF DISABILITY COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO CONTRACT WITH INTEGRATED CARE AND OTHER HEALTH SECTOR ENTITIES. ADVANCING STATES IS PARTNERING WITH 10 ORGANIZATIONS TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS OF BUSINESS ACUMEN THROUGH KNOWLEDGE BUILDING, TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, A LEARNING COLLABORATIVE MODEL AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF PROMISING PRACTICES AND RESOURCES.THE NATIONAL INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SUPPORT CENTER (I&R SUPPORT CENTER) PROVIDES TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND INFORMATION RESOURCES TO BUILD CAPACITY AND PROMOTE CONTINUING DEVELOPMENT OF AGING AND DISABILITY INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SERVICES NATIONWIDE.

MEETINGS: ADVANCING STATES HOSTS TWO CONFERENCES PER YEAR. THE HOME AND COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES (HCBS) CONFERENCE BRINGS TOGETHER FEDERAL AND STATE POLICYMAKERS, ADVOCATES AND ACADEMICS FROM ACROSS THE NATION TO SHARE INNOVATIVE STATE PRACTICES AND POLICIES IN HCBS PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES. ADVANCING STATES ALSO HOSTS A SPRING MEMBER MEETING TO PROMOTE PROMISING PRACTICES AND HIGHLIGHT CHANGES IN FEDERAL POLICIES THAT IMPACT STATE PROGRAMS. THE MEMBERSHIP MEETING IS HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MANAGED LONG-TERM SERVICES AND SUPPORTS (MLTSS) SYMPOSIUM THAT PROVIDES PARTICIPANTS WITH KEY ISSUES IN MLTSS AND ADDRESSES THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES IN MANAGED CARE.

ENHANCED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: ADVANCING STATES PROVIDES ENHANCED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT UNDER SEPARATE CONTRACTS DIRECTLY WITH STATES AND/OR WITH OTHER CONSULTANCIES. ADVANCING STATES ASSISTS STATES IN PROVIDING PROGRAMMATIC, OPERATIONAL, TRAINING AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO STATES. THE LONG-TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM (OMBUDSMAN) PROVIDES SUPPORT TO SUPPORT STATE AGENCIES ON AGING WORK WITH THE STATE LONG-TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM. ADVANCING STATES PROVIDES TECHNICAL GUIDANCE TO THE STATE AGENCIES AND FACILITATES IMPROVED COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE LONG-TERM OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM AND THE STATE AGENCIES.THE MEDICAID INNOVATION ACCELERATOR PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY CENTER FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES (CMS) PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO STATES TO HELP SPUR DELIVERY SYSTEM REFORM AND INNOVATION. ADVANCING STATES WORKS WITH IBM WATSON HEALTH TO PROVIDE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE TO STATES SEEKING TO BUILD VALUE-BASED PAYMENT APPROACHES TO THEIR HCBS PROGRAMS.