Friday, August 28, 2015

DO YOU HAVE A SUBSCRIPTION TO CREATIVE FORECASTING?

I need someone to review my proposed ceu's!  You will be using 6 Creative Forecast magazines to complete these Ceu's.  You will receive these ceu's free of charge--so the first one to contact me is in!
Jane

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Check out Diana's Newsletter!

s

Diana's Newsletter to Read!

Check out Noteworthy!

NOTEWORTHY

Activity Professionals, take a look at Jane E. Anderson’s NCCAP approved  program based on my book!

STUDENT'S PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING AND JOURNAL!!!! THANK YOU!

Proposed Revisions to the Federal Nursing Home Regulations Now Published & Available for Comment

     The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has  published its proposed revisions to the current regulations  for nursing homes participating in the Medicare and/or Medicaid programs. This proposed rule is available to view at the Federal Register website. Activity professionals, state/local activity associations along with other healthcare professionals,  will be able to submit formal comments on the rule from now until September 14th, 2015 through the Federal Register site. 
 
     CMS first announced  in 2012 that it would be revising the Requirements of Participation for nursing homes in the future.  NCCAP and other agencies as well as other interested parties submitted recommendations to the agency on ways the current rules could be updated and strengthened.

     NCCAP is still reviewing the proposed revisions to the Requirements of Participation and will be formulating an official statement in the upcoming weeks to submit to CMS.
Initial thoughts include:
     ~Have NCCAP named specifically rather than “recognized accrediting body”, as NCCAP has been the National accrediting body for activity professionals across the United States and now several other countries for the last 30 years.
     ~Requiring a High School diploma or GED
     ~Having the  MEPAP course named specifically rather than “state approved course” as the MEPAP course has been the standard across the country and is available to all 50 states for the past 20+ years.
 
For your convenience – here is the section discussing the qualifications of the activity professional:
”We received stakeholder input on the requirements for the director of a facility activities program and considered, but did not modify the requirements for the director of the activities program. However, we are soliciting comments on the current requirements to determine if they remain appropriate and, if not, what the evidence is for changing the current requirements for this position and what stakeholders would recommend as minimum requirements for this position.”
 
     The Requirements of Participation set critical standards for the quality of life and quality of care for nursing home residents. It is imperative that CMS receive feedback from NCCAP certified activity professionals like yourselves on the proposed revisions to ensure that any changes to the existing regulations would benefit and strengthen the profession. NCCAP will keep you abreast of any additional information and tools to help you advocate on this important matter! 

ADDRESSES: In commenting, please refer to file code CMS-3260-P.
 
You may submit comments
1. Electronically.
     ~You may submit electronic comments on this regulation to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the "Submit a comment" instructions.
2. By regular mail.
     ~You may mail written comments to the following address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-3260-P, P.O. Box 8010, Baltimore, MD 21244. Please allow sufficient time for mailed comments to be received before the close of the comment period.
 3. By express or overnight mail.
     ~You may send written comments to the following address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-3260-P, Mail Stop C4-26-05, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.