Rebalancing the Long-Term Care System

Significant efforts are underway at both the state and national levels to "rebalance" the long-term care system to give consumers needing long-term care services more choices in where and how they receive those services. "CHOICES," "Money Follows the Person," "Nursing Home Transition and Diversion" are some of the terms being used and programs developed in rebalancing efforts. Here you will find information about these different programs, including Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC's) which are single points of entry to long-term care services being developed around the country.

Resources

Charting the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program's Role in a Modernized Long-Term Care System
This Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Strategic Directions Work Group Meeting Report, by the National Ombudsman Resource Center (NORC), prepared by the National Association of State Units on Aging (NASUA), seeks to help long-term care ombudsmen to define their role and develop coordination efforts in a new long-term care system.

ADRC Technical Resource Center
The ADRC Grant Program, a cooperative effort of the Administration on Aging (AoA) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), was developed to assist states in their efforts to create a single, coordinated system of information and access for all persons seeking long term support to minimize confusion, enhance individual choice, and support informed decision-making. The ADRC Technical Assistance Exchange (TAE) provides technical assistance through one-on-one support, semi-annual ADRC national meetings, weekly newsletters, monthly webcasts and a variety of other ways.

Money Follows the Person ToolKit
Developed by the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy, National Academy for State Health Policy and the NCB Development Corporation in 2006, this toolkit compiles information from numerous sources about nurisng home transition and Money Follows the Person (MFP) initiatives.

Nursing Facility Transition: A Resource Kit for Long-Term Care Ombudsman

This resource kit provides information and materials for ombudsman programs about nursing facility transition. It is designed to provide state ombudsmen with an easy to use reference point for basic information about state and federal nursing facility diversion and transition initiatives and to facilitate exploration of ombudsman program roles in helping residents who wish to leave the nursing facility.

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The Consumer Voice

The Consumer Voice is a national organization to improve the quality of care for long-term care consumers. Visit www.theconsumervoice.org for more information.

Save the Date

Save the date for the 2010 Consumer Voice Annual Meeting & Conference, October 19-22, in Orlando, Florida. Visit www.theconsumervoice.org for more information.

2008 NORS Data

Find data and reports on long-term care ombudsman programs. All programs efforts are summarized in the National Ombudsman Reporting System (NORS); data has been collected since 1996 and gives a good picture of the extent of ombudsman activities nationally and in every state.