![Text Box: "Funding for this conference was made possible [in part] by No. 90AM2690 from the Administration on Aging. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. "
Coordinated by the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center,
NCCNHR: The National Consumer Voice for Quality LTC](NORC_Spring_Conf_Agenda_2007_files/image001.gif)
Sara Hunt, Consultant, NORC & NASOP
ANNUAL STATE LONG-TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN NATIONAL TRAINING CONFERENCE 2007
CONFERENCE AGENDA
April 21 - 24, 2007
Doubletree Hotel – Little Rock
Little Rock, Arkansas
Broadening Spectrums:
Sharpening Skills, Knowledge & Association at The Rock
Saturday, April 21
7:45 am Continental Breakfast - provided for those registered for "new" State Ombudsman Orientation
8:00 - 12:00 Orientation for New State LTC Ombudsmen (SLTCO) Salon A
An introductory session for “new” SLTCO regarding the challenges of State Ombudsman Program management. If you still feel “new” or have less than two years as a SLTCO, feel free to attend.
Facilitator:
Julia Meashey, Ombudsman Specialist, NORC, NCCNHR, Washington, DC
Resource People:
Elma Holder, Consultant & NCCNHR Founder, Yukon, OK
Lori Smetanka, Director, National LTC Ombudsman Resource Center (NORC), National Citizens' Coalition for Nursing Home Reform (NCCNHR), Washington, DC
Beverley Laubert, Ohio State Ombudsman, President of the National Association of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs (NASOP)
Mark Miller, Senior Program Associate for Elder Rights, National Association of State Units on Aging (NASUA), Washington, DC
1:45 - 2:45 Opening Session: Sharpening Ombudsman Skills & Knowledge Salon B
1:45 - 2:15 Welcomes and Official Greetings
Lori Smetanka, Director, National LTC Ombudsman Resource Center, NCCNHR, Washington, DC
Kathie Gately, State Ombudsman, AR Division of Aging & Adult Services, Little Rock, AR
Herb Sanderson, Director, AR Division of Aging & Adult Services, Little Rock, AR (invited)
Saturday, April 21 (continued)
John Selig, Director, Department of Health & Human Services, Little Rock, AR (invited)
2:15 - 3:15 Broadening Spectrums: State Program Successes – Part I
A fast paced time of sharing accomplishments, small or large. EVERY state will have an opportunity to contribute with a five minute microphone limit. Begin honing your message, be prepared to listen carefully and quickly shift gears in this session. Use the remainder of the conference to follow-up with more in-depth dialogue regarding topics of interest.
Facilitator: Kay Panelli, State Ombudsman, Nevada
Time Keeper: Sondra Everhart, State Ombudsman, New Mexico
3:15 – 3:30 Break
3:30 – 4:25 Roundtable Discussions Salon B
Roundtable discussions offer an informal exchange of information with the opportunity for questions. Some tables will be devoted to certain topics. A few extra tables will be provided for individuals who want to discuss other topics related to ombudsman program management.
· Ombudsman Involvement in Facility Bankruptcies
Facilitator: Becky Kurtz, State Ombudsman, Georgia
Resource Person: Lori Smetanka, NORC Director
· Ombudsmen in Home Care
Facilitator: George Potaracke, State Ombudsman, Wisconsin
Resource Person: Mark Miller, NASUA
· The Role of the Ombudsman in the Resident Satisfaction Survey
Facilitator: Marty Haase, State Ombudsman, New York
Resource Person: Beverley Laubert, State Ombudsman, Ohio
· Conservatorship/Guardianship
Facilitator: Sarah Slocum, State Ombudsman, Michigan
Resource Person: Hester Bryant, Legal Advocate, FL SLTCOP
· Criminal Offenders Living in Long-Term Care Facilities
Facilitator: Esther Houser, State Ombudsman, Oklahoma
4:30 – 5:30 Broadening Spectrums: State Program Successes – Part II
A continuation of Part I with sharing from additional states.
Facilitator: Kathie Gately, State Ombudsman, Arkansas
6:00 Meet in front lobby for Dinner on the Arkansas Queen
Pre-registration required (address any questions to Kathie Gately).
Sunday, April 22
8:00 - 8:30 Continental Breakfast Salon B
8:30 - 10:00 Workgroups of NASOP Committees Salon B
Semi-annual work group meetings of SLTCO. Discuss recommendations and develop action plans for follow-up.
Systems Advocacy
Chair: Esther Houser, State Ombudsman, Oklahoma
Training
Chair: Linda Sadden, State Ombudsman, Louisiana
Program Effectiveness
Chair: Sarah Slocum, State Ombudsman, Michigan
Appropriations and Fund Development
Chair: George Potaracke, State Ombudsman, Wisconsin
Data
Chair: Joe Rodrigues, State Ombudsman, California
Federal Legislation and Rulemaking
Chair: Becky Kurtz, State Ombudsman, Georgia
10:00 - 10:15 Break
10:15 - 11:30 Systems Advocacy Report and Dialogue with NASOP Members Salon B
Systems Advocacy Committee report on special project and discussion. Dialogue about future activities for NASOP.
11:45 - 1:00 Lunch Salon B
1:15 - 4:30 Meetings for SLTCO and for SLTCO Program Staff
State Long-Term Care Ombudsmen
· 1:15 – 4:30 NASOP Membership Meeting
Updates and status reports; discussion of program management issues; information exchange
Sunday, April 22 (continued)
State Ombudsman Program Staff
· 1:00 – 2:30 Session I for State Ombudsman Program Staff Palisades
Ombudsman Volunteer Management: A State Level Perspective
Learn how state programs approach volunteer management issues such as recruitment, screening, training, and retention. Successful strategies including policies and procedures, training requirements, and management tips will be provided.
Presenters:
Julia Meashey, Ombudsman Specialist, NORC, Washington, DC
Kathie Gately, Arkansas State Ombudsman
Judy Hughes, Certified Volunteer Ombudsman Coordinator, Arkansas
· 3:00 – 4:30 Session II for State Ombudsman Program Staff Palisades
Monitoring Local Ombudsman Programs
This session will present 2 models for monitoring local ombudsman programs. Monitoring tools will be provided and tips/strategies for making the most out of your monitoring visits will be discussed. This session is applicable to states where local ombudsmen are state employees and function on a regional or local level.
Presenters:
Jeni Coyne, Program Manager, Georgia State Ombudsman Program
Heather Bruemmer, Ombudsman Services Supervisor, Wisconsin State Ombudsman Program
4:45 – 5:30 National Issues Dialogue Salon B
Janet Wells, Director of Public Policy, NCCNHR, Washington, DC
Brian Lindberg, NASOP Consultant & Executive Director, Consumer Coalition for Quality Health Care, Washington, DC
Monday, April 23
7:45 - 8:15 Continental Breakfast Salons A, B, & C
8:15 – 8:30 Welcome to Special Guests & Tips for Sessions Salons A, B, & C
8:30 - 10:00 Forensic Investigation of Nursing Home Deaths & Ombudsman Involvement in Death Review Committees
This session will explore the topics of forensic investigation in nursing home deaths and the ombudsman’s role with death review committees. This session will discuss the forensic markers that advocates should be concerned about, determining when and how to get a medical examiner involved, and what steps advocates might take to get similar legislation in their states. A responder panel of Ombudsmen will share advocacy experiences followed by a facilitated question and answer dialogue.
Moderator: Louise Ryan, State Ombudsman, Washington
Presenter: Mark Malcolm, Pulaski County Coroner’s Office, Little Rock, AR
Responders:
Louise Ryan, State Ombudsman, Washington
Joe Rodrigues, State Ombudsman, California
10:00 - 10:30 Break
10:30 - 12:00 Advocacy in the Assisted Living Arena Salons A, B, & C
As states push into Medicaid waiver programs, how do we ensure that quality in these settings recognizes residents’ rights and excellence in care provision? This session will focus on advocacy strategies for addressing systemic issues such as staffing, discharge planning, medication administration, laws and regulations. Model state laws and effective advocacy strategies will be discussed. Strategic issues arising in states with Medicaid waivers will be included.
Moderator: Jeanne Yordi, State Ombudsman, Iowa
Presenter: Jeff Crollard, Legal Counsel to the WA SLTCOP, Crollard Kahn Weise & Clapham, PLLC, Bellevue, WA
12:00 - 1:30 Luncheon
12:45 - 1:15 – Luncheon Keynote: Dr. David Lipschitz Salon D
Breaking the Rules of Aging
Do you understand the aging process? Have myths about aging distorted your perspective? Tune in to a lively, engaging speaker who continually shatters the medical misconceptions about aging. A renowned Arkansas geriatrician, Dr. David Lipschitz, is recognized as one of the premier experts in this field. Dr. Lipshitz – a native of Johannesburg, South Africa – joined the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in 1978 and began conducting research into the effects of aging on nutrition and on the blood and bone marrow. He has received long-standing grant support from the National Institute on Aging. He has a compelling way of challenging physicians’ and other people’s perceptions of aging.
1:45 - 3:15 Choices for Independence Salons A, B & C
Now is a crucial time in long-term care systems change, and the aging network is poised to continue to play a leadership role in shaping the emerging system. Listen to the latest information on the national perspective and new opportunities for collaboration and resources. Consider how the national dialogue may affect options for consumer choice in your state. Discuss potential areas for collaborative relationships between the Aging Disability Resource Centers and the Ombudsman Program and the Ombudsman role in the larger network on aging.
Presenters:
Frank Burns, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Center for Wellness and Community Based Care and Director, Office of Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs, Administration on Aging, Washington, DC
Sue Wheaton, Ombudsman Program Specialist-Liaison, DHHS, Administration on Aging, Washington, DC
3:15 - 3:45 Break
3:45 -5:15 Admission Contracts – Advocacy Strategies to Protect Consumers
This session will focus on what to look for in admission contracts and how to advocate for consumers when there are illegal or questionable clauses, such as arbitration clauses. Discuss the impact of these types of provisions on consumers and how ombudsmen intervention may help consumers avoid entering into questionable agreements. Learn tips and strategies for advocacy.
Moderator: Dale Watson, State Ombudsman, South Carolina
Presenters:
Jeff Crollard, Legal Counsel to the WA SLTCOP, Crollard Kahn Weise & Clapham, PLLC, Bellevue, WA
Toby Edelman, Attorney, Center for Medicare Advocacy, Washington, DC
6:00 – 7:30 Arkansas State Ombudsman Program Reception Salon D
Sponsored by AARP, Arkansas Area Agency on Aging Association, and Arkansas Advocates for Nursing Home Residents
Tuesday, April 24
7:30 - 8:00 Continental Breakfast Salons B & C
8:00 - 9:45 The Ombudsman’s Role in Long-Term Care Facility Closures Salons B & C
Receive an update on dialogue between national advocates and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services about special focus facilities and nursing home closures. Explore the array of issues that arise when a nursing home or assisted living facility announces it will be closing or is forced to close. Learn approaches that SLTCOPs have used to equip local ombudsmen to assist residents during facility closures. Gain tips and suggestions for working with residents and families.
Moderator: Toby Edelman, Attorney, Center for Medicare Advocacy, Washington, DC
Presenters:
Sarah Slocum, State Ombudsman, Michigan
Jeanne Yordi, State Ombudsman, Iowa
9:45 - 10:15 Break
10:15 - 11:45 Advancing Excellence: Encouraging Consumer Involvement in Quality Discussions
Six months into this campaign, what are ombudsmen seeing? What are ombudsman programs doing to promote consumer involvement in identifying excellence in care? Exchange information and gain an update on State Ombudsman Programs involvement in this campaign. Some SLTCOPs on the leading edge will share tips and strategies including how they have involved families and residents in discussions around this latest quality initiative. Gain ideas to take home!
Moderator: Janet Wells, NCCNHR Director of Public Policy, Washington, DC
Presenters:
Elma Holder, Consultant & NCCNHR Founder, Yukon, OK
Carol Compas, Nursing Home Quality Indicator Project Manager, Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care, Little Rock, AR
Patricia Bayliss, State Ombudsman, Maryland
11:45 - 12:15 Conference Summary and Closing
Special Thanks to:
The Administration on Aging for their continued support of Ombudsman Resource Center activities including this Annual Conference for all State Ombudsmen. We also appreciate the support of our host the Arkansas State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.
And, many thanks to the Conference Planning Committee:
Beverley Laubert, OH State Ombudsman
Mary McKenna, MA State Ombudsman
Dale Watson, SC State Ombudsman
Jeni Coyne, Program Manager, GA SLTCOP
Kathie Gately, AR State Ombudsman
Mark Miller, National Association of State Units on Aging
Linda Sadden, LA State Ombudsman
Louise Ryan, WA State Ombudsman
Sara Hunt, Consultant, NORC & NASOP