LTSS Newsletter—April 2022

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) sent this bulletin at 04/22/2022 01:30 PM EDT

LTSS webinar – Caregiver Support, April 27
American Indian/Alaska Native Long-Term Services and Supports

Technical assistance for culturally competent care
April 2022
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Vaccinating people with ID/DDs against COVID-19

Ensuring people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DDs) stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines is crucial, given that population’s increased risk for severe COVID-19 illness.

To that end, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention created a webpage with tips for discussing COVID-19 vaccination with people who have ID/DDs.

Notably, the webpage includes a link to Getting a Vaccine: What to Know About Me (PDF, 173 KB, 2 pp), a fillable form to help people with ID/DDs explain:
  • How they typically respond to a medical exam
  • Their communication styles and preferences
  • Any sensory triggers and behaviors that providers should be aware of
 
     
    Improving quality of life for people with disabilities  
       
   

Person-centered care can help address many of the challenges that adults with developmental disabilities commonly face.

For information on how to address those challenges, download CMS’s report, Improving Care for Adults with Disabilities in Indian Country (PDF, 1.1 MB, 10 pp).

The report recommends:

  • Prioritizing culturally appropriate long-term services and supports
  • Hearing the voices of care recipients
  • Realizing the benefits of trauma-informed care
  • Considering the needs of family caregivers
 

 

  
 

Lifeline increases access to phone and internet service
Three Ways to Apply. Apply online. Find the online application at CheckLifeline.org. OR mail your application. Print an application from LifelineSupport.org. OR contact a phone or internet company. Find a company that provides Lifeline at LifelineSupport.org. Click "Companies Near Me."

As telehealth expands to meet the needs of tribal communities, having affordable access to phone and internet service is more important than ever.

A federal program called Lifeline provides eligible low-income households on qualifying tribal lands with a monthly discount of up to $34.25 for phone and internet service.

Download the Tribal Lifeline flyer (PDF, 179 KB, 2 pp) or the Lifeline Program Tribal Toolkit (PDF, 2.1 MB, 10 pp) to learn more.

NICOA’s storytelling project
Photo of 2 elders and the words "Share Your Story"

The National Indian Council on Aging (NICOA) invites American Indian and Alaska Native elders to share stories about experiences that shaped who they are today.

Stories may be submitted in writing via NICOA’s website or told during an interview with NICOA via Zoom. Participants will be entered into a drawing to receive a $50 Walmart gift card.

Visit NICOA’s website today for story ideas or to schedule an interview.
LinkedIn Tribal Affairs Group
 
Join the conversation on LinkedIn
Want to learn more about or discuss LTSS in Indian Country? Looking to connect with others working in the same field? Join the Tribal Affairs Group on LinkedIn.
Upcoming webinar

Caregiver Support

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Caregiving can be physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually exhausting. All caregivers require support, regardless of who they care for and whether they are paid for that work. This webinar will help us better understand how to ensure caregivers’ needs are met.

Objectives:

  • Discuss the role of caregivers at home and in long-term care facilities
  • Explore the impact of caregiver burnout, compassion fatigue, and grief
  • Highlight the need for caregivers to find balance for self-care

Please note your
location's call-in time:

8 am Hawaii
10 am Alaska
11 am Pacific
12 pm Mountain
1 pm Central
2 pm Eastern

Have questions for our presenter? Let us know before the webinar by emailing ltssinfo@kauffmaninc.com.

Register now.
Presenter
Photo of Anna Whiting Sorrell

Anna Whiting Sorrell, MPA
Subject Matter Expert
Kauffman & Associates, Inc.
Caregiver’s corner

USAging’s overview of Area Agencies on Aging

Area Agencies on Aging offer a range of services that help make it possible for families to care for elders who prefer to age in place. Notably, those services include:

  • Respite care
  • Congregate and home-delivered meals
  • Transportation services
  • Personal assistance and personal care

For a recently published overview of how Area Agencies on Aging are structured and the types of services they provide, download and share USAging’s Fast Facts (PDF, 858 KB, 4 pp).
Funding opportunities

FY 2022 AmeriCorps State and National Tribal Grants

Deadline: May 4, at 5 pm Eastern
Learn more about the FY 2022 AmeriCorps State and National Tribal Grants

AmeriCorps FY 2022 funding priorities include communities’ response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, broadband access, well-being of Veterans and military families, and environmental stewardship. Tribes and tribal organizations are encouraged to apply.

FTA Tribal Transit Program

Deadline: May 25
Learn more about the FTA Tribal Transit Program funding opportunity

Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grants are available to fund public transportation on Indian reservations. Approximately 60 grants will be awarded to tribes located in rural areas with fewer than 50,000 people.
Upcoming events

American Society on Aging webinars

The American Society on Aging (ASA) hosts webinars to promote health and improve quality of life for elders and their families. Upcoming webinars are listed below. Attendees may be eligible to receive continuing education credit.

 

Virtual National Tribal Public Health Summit

May 9–12
Register for the virtual National Tribal Public Health Summit

Sponsored by National Indian Health Board, the National Tribal Public Health Summit will feature workshops and roundtables in the following topic areas:

  • Decolonizing public health
  • COVID-19 and vaccines
  • Tribal public health infrastructure, policy, and systems
  • Climate change and environmental health
  • Health promotion and disease prevention
  • Mental and behavioral health

Alzheimer’s Foundation of America webinar

Alzheimer's Foundation of America Logo. 20 years. 2002-2022. Making a difference.

May 18, 1–3 pm Eastern
Register for the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America webinar

Plan to attend Macro-Level Cultural Consideration in Dementia Care: A Population-Based Approach.

Hosted by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA), the webinar will address social determinants of health, barriers to care, and the impact of health disparities on people living with dementia.
Send us your news

Do you have news to share about LTSS in Indian Country? Send it to ltssinfo@kauffmaninc.com, and we'll include it in a newsletter. Contact us with other comments or feedback, too.


About the newsletter

American Indian/Alaska Native Long-Term Services and Supports Solutions is published monthly by the CMS Division of Tribal Affairs to share information, funding opportunities, and resources with LTSS planners, tribal leaders, and supporters.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Indian Health Service Administration for Community Living