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July 5, 2023
In this Issue:
- Virtual Rally for Safe Staffing Standards
- Consumer Voice Submits Comments to CMS Supporting Increased Access to High-Quality HCBS
- Research Study Seeks to Hear from Disabled People of Color Who Have Lived in a Nursing Home
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Virtual Rally for Safe Staffing Standards
 Join us with AFL-CIO and SEIU on Thursday, July 13 at 2:00pm ET for a virtual rally to let the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) know that a strong federal staffing standard is the only way to end the long-term care crisis in our country. Together, we'll shed light on the nursing home staffing crisis through stories of workers, residents and families, allies and elected officials, and learn ways to speak directly to CMS and express our united support of a federal staffing standard.
Nursing home workers, residents and allies have spent decades fighting for a staffing standard. Decades of understaffing have spread workers thin, putting our nation's 1.2 million nursing home residents at risk — at some facilities, nursing home workers are forced to care for 20, 30 or even 40 residents at a time.
We no longer accept this as status quo. A federal mandate for a strong national staffing standard in nursing homes will save lives and is overdue.
CMS is gearing up to release a proposed rule that would establish the first ever federal staffing standard for nursing homes. This standard will lay the foundation for improving care and care jobs, and holding nursing home corporations accountable for actions — or inactions — that prioritize profits over people.
RSVP today to receive instructions on how to join the livestream on July 13!
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Consumer Voice Submits Comments to CMS Supporting Increased Access to High-Quality HCBS
Last week, Consumer Voice submitted comments and suggestions to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) supporting the proposed “Medicaid Program; Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services” rule. Consumer Voice strongly supports the goal of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to increase access to high-quality Medicaid-funded Home and Community Based Services (HCBS). We agree with CMS's multifaceted approach to achieve this goal, particularly the steps supporting the workforce, creating quality measures, increasing transparency and accountability in HCBS spending, and implementing a grievance program for recipients of Medicaid Fee for Service (FFS). Our comments focused mainly on the HCBS provisions within the NPRM. Consumer Voice strongly supports increasing access to high-quality HCBS services for older adults and people with disabilities, as well as the adoption of measures to improve job quality for direct care workers.
Read our full comments.
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Research Study Seeks to Hear from Disabled People of Color Who Have Lived in a Nursing Home
The Community Living Equity Center, part of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management and Lurie Institute for Disability Policy at Brandeis University, is seeking disabled people of color who have lived in nursing homes or other institutions to share their experiences. Brandeis University is doing a research study to learn about barriers in access to Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services faced by disabled people of color. They are interested in learning about factors that contributed to institutional placement, supports that assisted with transitioning back to the community, and the cultural and linguistic appropriateness of services and supports. If you are interested in participating, contact Kim The, Senior Research Associate at the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy, at hcbsaccess@brandeis.edu or 781-736-8165.
Learn more about the project.
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