Registration is open for the 5^th annual Aging Empowerment Conference: Living a Self-Determined Life!

Join InControl Wisconsin and our sponsors as we welcome international empowerment expert, Dr. Simon Duffy. We’ll learn highlights of global developments in the field of aging and discuss the movement toward self-determination and self-direction. Friday’s Advocacy Summit will be a strategic planning session focusing on Building Strong Moments for Change, in Wisconsin and beyond.

Keynote Address: Are older people still citizens?

A test of any decent society is how it respects the older generation. Are older people at the center of family and community life, or are they isolated or institutionalized? Can people set their own path, even when they need extra help, or are they forced to do what others think is best for them? While people with disabilities have demanded equal rights and self-determination, older people are often forced to accept lower standards. Dr Simon Duffy is both a philosopher and practitioner, who has worked for 30 years to develop ideas and systems to advance equal citizenship for all. Simon will explain what is happening around the world to enable people to be true citizens at any age, and whatever their needs. Simon will also explore how the idea of citizenship - which connects ancient Greece to the civil rights movement - must be central to solving the problems - and seizing the opportunities - ahead of us.

Know an older adult who would be interested in attending? Register for the conference, bring an older adult for free!

*Conference attendance is an activity that fulfills advocacy related goals for county and tribal aging units in your next three-year aging service plan!

For more information, visit :  incontrolwi.org

A recent study finds that Wisconsin's care  worker shortage continues to grow.  The report found that 1-in-5 caregiver positions in the state are unfilled.  This is up from 1-in-7 in 2016.  Inadequate wages are believed to be turning people away from the field.  Due to the shortage, facilities are cutting back services despite up growing demand for long-term care.  The low Medicaid reimbursement rate plays a big factor in  this.  Initiatives such as the WisCaregiver Career Program, which recruits, tests, and trains 3000 certified nursing assistants, are trying to address this issue.

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People often don't know where to start when it comes time to look for nursing homes or assisted living centers..  Yelp reviewers are looking at different aspects of care than the government reviews. People want to know: How homey is it? How nice is it inside? Researchers evaluated 264 Yelp reviews of California facilities and grouped them into 5 categories: the quality of staff care and staffing, physical building and setting, resident safety and security, clinical care quality and financial issues.

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Meet Tyler.  As if he isn't busy enough double majoring in Accounting and Economics at UW-Whitewater, he also self-directs all of his own supports.  He has developed a website to help others gain their independence.  Tyler encourages people not to settle and not to let the logistics stop you from achieving your dreams.  We’re so fortunate to have him as a member of the Self-Determination Network.

How are you involved with self-determination? Why did you join the SD Network?

Tyler’s involvement with self-determination is a result of him having to plan all his care needs while still going to school. He joined the SD Network in an effort to share his experiences as well as learn from others. 

Tell us some good news - what's the most exciting thing happening for you (or in Wisconsin) in terms self-determination?

Tyler shared that recently he met with an organization on campus to begin the process of looking for jobs. This involved preparing his resume and looking for careers in the area. He’s also excited that recently hired a new caregiver. 

What tip or resource would you like to share with people who want to be more self-determined?

Tyler has some great recommendations who would like to become self-determined and more independent. First, be willing to ask for help. He explains that there are several people willing to help you with your needs, you just need to reach out and ask. You’ve already taken a big step towards this by joining this network, but if you still have questions that need answering don’t be afraid to ask. Second, be willing to go outside your comfort zone. He says that he considers himself to be a very shy person, but he knew that if he wanted to pursue independence, he would need to come out of his shell a little bit. Third, h encourages people to look for resources in your area. Your local ADRC is a great place to start. Finally, make a set of goals and work to achieve those goals. Everyone is different, and what is Independence for one person may not be the same as independence for another. You should set goals for yourself and do your best to achieve those goals. He also has advice on his website www.transition2collegewi.com.

What message would you like to share with the members of the SD Network?

A message that Tyler would like to share with everyone is don’t settle. He says, “achieve you goals and dreams so you don’t have any regrets. Don’t let logistics get in the way of achieving your goals!” 

What are some of your hobbies?

When Tyler isn’t busy studying, he enjoys watching Netflix and playing board and tabletop games.

***We love hearing the views and opinions of Network members. We need to mention that the views and opinions expressed on this site are those of the person who is sharing them. They do not necessarily reflect InControl Wisconsin or any of our supporters and funders.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is requesting input to help develop a potential mode for direct provider contracting.

A direct provider contract model would allow providers to take further accountability for the cost and quality of a designated population in order to achieve better beneficiary outcomes. Such a model would have the potential to enhance the doctor-patient relationship by eliminating administrative burden for clinicians and providing increased flexibility to give the high-quality care that is most appropriate for their patients, thus improving quality while reducing expenditures.

Please submit comments to the CMS Innovation Center at DPC@cms.hhs.gov by 11:59 pm EDT, May 25, 2018.

View more details about this request for information.

Last month, AARP released its Long-Term Services & Supports State Scorecard, and Wisconsin has made the grade! The report explores how beneficial it is for people to self-direct their long-term supports, and highlights Wisconsin and the IRIS program as one of the leaders in self-direction!

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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced a notice of funding availability for Mainstream (Section 811) Vouchers. HUD will award up to $100 million in funding to public housing agencies, with remaining funding reserved for future awards.

This opportunity provides funding to assist non-elderly people with disabilities who are:

• Transitioning from institutional or other segregated settings to community living;
• At serious risk of institutionalization;
• Homeless; or
• At risk of becoming homeless.

Applications for this funding opportunity will be reviewed for capacity and experience; leveraging resources; and achieving results and program evaluation. This opportunity is reserved for public housing agencies. Extra points will be rewarded to applying agencies that partner with health and human services agencies and community-based disability organizations.

Vouchers must be used to assist non-elderly people with disabilities (ages 18 up to 62) and their families. The eligible household member does not have to be head of the household. Eligibility is determined at the time the voucher is first issued.

This funding opportunity advances community living for people with disabilities. It also encourages partnerships with health and human service agencies and community-based organizations with a demonstrated capacity to coordinate services and supports that enable people with disabilities to live independently in the community.

Applications for this funding opportunity are due by 11:59 PM ET on June 18, 2018. View the details and application instructions.

Learn more about the HUD Housing Choice Voucher Program. Email mainstreamvouchers@hud.gov with questions.

Thanks to a new law, people who handle Social security payments for those with disabilities will be more closely monitored.  The Strengthening Protections for Social Security Beneficiaries Act of 2018 imposes more oversight on representative payees who manage Social Security and Supplemental Security Income for those who need assistance.  The law prevents certain type of criminal backgrounds from being representative payees and it also prevents people who have a payee themselves from being able to be a representative for others.

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