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Become a Better Leader in 2008
How? Find out when you join AAHSA on Jan. 16 in New Orleans for our 2008 Leadership Summit There, world-renowned leadership expert Marshall Goldsmith will spend the day helping you and your team discover how you can reach the next phase of greatness in your leadership. You'll also get the chance to connect with your peers and explore the vibrant and thriving "Big Easy." Time is running out. Register now before it's too late. Contact: Essie Charles, (888) 508-9441.
See the event brochure.
Register now.


Housing Trust Fund Legislation Introduced in the Senate
Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) recently introduced S. 2523, to establish a National Housing Trust Fund. If passed, this bill would establish a dedicated funding source for affordable housing production, preservation and rehabilitation for an estimated 1.5 million affordable homes over the next 10 years. At least 75 percent of the funds would be used for housing for individuals and families that earn less than 30 percent of an area's median income. The House already passed an almost identical version of the bill, and we support the Senate passage of it, too. Contact: Alayna Waldrum, (202) 508-9476.
Learn more about the National Housing Trust Fund Campaign.


Final IRS Form 990 Reflects Our Recommendations
The New Form 990, which AAHSA members must file every year with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), incorporates many of the changes we recommended to the IRS last year. The IRS released the core Form 990 as well as the Schedules A-R, but instructions for the core form and schedules will be released throughout 2008. The new Form 990 will be used in 2009 for filings covering the 2008 tax year. Contacts: Jennifer Hilliard, (202) 508-9444 or Cory Kallheim, (202) 558-5691.
See the final Form 990 and schedules.

AAHSA Releases New Life Safety Code Update
The Nursing Home Life Safety Code Section on AAHSA's Web site includes a new update clarifying 2000 Life Safety Code requirements related to unprotected openings in corridor walls in nursing facilities. AAHSA's life safety consultant prepared the update and CMS officials reviewed it. Contact: Evvie Munley, (202) 508-9478.
Read the update.

CMS Hosts MDS 3.0 Implementation Timeline and Special Open Door Forum
On Jan. 24 from 1 to 3 p.m., Eastern Time, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will hold a Special Open Door Forum to report the findings of a five-year CMS Nursing Home Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Validation Study. Registration for the forum is required before 2 p.m. on Jan. 22. AAHSA will post the most recent MDS 3.0 draft on our Web site prior to the forum. The MDS 3.0 is scheduled to begin implementation on Oct. 1, 2009. Contact: Karyn Downie, (202) 508-9410.
Register for the forum.
View the MDS 3.0 implementation timeline.

Appropriate Use of Anti-Depressants by Nursing Home Residents
As discussed in a statement recently issued by the Long-Term Care Professional Leadership Council, nursing homes must ensure that depressed residents get the medication they need while also guarding against the indiscriminate use of antidepressants to treat individual symptoms that may be unrelated to depression. The statement also pointed out that no medication is risk-free and cautions that nursing homes must actively monitor residents taking antidepressants against potentially serious adverse effects. The statement recommends training both nursing home and survey agency staff on anti-depressant use in nursing homes. The council's members include the American Medical Directors Association, the American College of Health Care Administrators, the American College of Consultant Pharmacists and the National Association of Directors of Nursing Administration in Long-Term Care. Contact: Evvie Munley, (202) 508-9478.
Read the statement.

3,200 Covenant signers! Have you signed yet?

New Quality First Guidelines Now Available
This month, AAHSA Quality First will release new guidelines every week to help you move forward on your journey to put quality first. This week's guidelines focus on developing partnerships and implementing evidence-based practices to improve your work for older adults. Use them to expand on the quality characteristics laid out in the Aging-Services Providers' Checklist for AAHSA Quality First. Contact: Bruce Rosenthal, (202) 508-9499.
View all of the available Guidelines.

Check out the Most Popular Tools and the Top Viewed Resources on the Quality First Web site.


Report Features 2007 Housing News Wrap-Up
In the latest issue of our Housing Report, you'll find news about fiscal year 2008 appropriations, a new Senate trust fund bill, the latest Emergency Capital Repair grants and HAC's Environmental Review Guide. There's also our U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) management update and call for your organization's AAHSA Quality First success story. Contact: Alayna Waldrum, (202) 508-9476.
Read the report.

New Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Report
Get the latest information on funding for Older Americans Act programs for fiscal year 2008, regulatory developments, state activities and research and trends information helpful to your marketing in our HCBS Report. Contact: Peter Notarstefano, (202) 508-9406.
Read the report.

New IAHSA Blog Helps You Connect and Create Community Across Borders
There's no doubt about it. The world is getting smaller and more of its aging-services providers are facing similar challenges and opportunities in their work for older adults. That's why the International Association of Homes and Services for the Ageing (IAHSA) started the Global Ageing Network blog. Read it to learn more about your peers around the world and discover how your work together can help us transform the obstacles of today into opportunities for tomorrow. Contact: Alysha Liljeqvist, (202) 508-9468.
Read the blog.

Opportunity to Participate in a CMS Post-Acute Care Assessment Instrument Demonstration
If you are located in one of ten geographic regions selected by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), you may volunteer to participate in the demonstration of the Medicare Continuity Assessment Record and Evaluation (CARE) tool. These regions include: Boston; Chicago; Dallas; Lakeland/Tampa, Fla.; Lincoln, Neb.; Louisville, Kentucky; Rapid City, South Dakota; Rochester, New York; San Francisco/Bay Area, Calif.; and Seattle/Tacoma, Wash.. Skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, inpatient rehabilitation facilities and long-term care hospitals are eligible to participate in the demonstration. Those that participate will use the tool to assess patients during their post-acute care stays. Contact: Karyn Downie, (202) 508-9410.
Apply for the demonstration.
Learn more about the demonstration.

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New Opportunities Available on AAHSA's JobMart
Several career opportunities in aging services are now available and listed on Job Mart. Take a look. Pass along the news. If you have a job to post, consider using AAHSA Job Mart. Contact: Phillip Blackmon, (202) 508-9404.
Download the form to post a job.
Visit the AAHSA JobMart.

Jobs posted in the past week (Dec. 14 - Jan. 3) are:

Administrator
Administrator - St. Petersburg, Fla.

CEO/President/Executive Director
Chief Executive Officer - East Texas

Marketing/Sales/Business Office
Sales/Marketing Rep. - Pittsboro, N.C.
Marketing Counselor - Newport News, Va.
Marketing Counselor - Newport News, Va.
Sales Counselor - Seattle, Wash.
Marketing Assistant - Des Moines, Wash.
Sales Director - Pasadena, Calif.

Other
Corporate Director of Operations - Springfield, Ohio


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American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
2519 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20008
phone 202.783.2242, fax 202.783.2255