WALA News for July 16, 2008

  1. DQA Background Check Reminder
  2. Volunteer Ombudsman Program is ending
  3. DFHS is now officially DHS (Department of Health Services)
  4. IRIS - a new alternative to Managed Care
  5. Early Bird Discounts on Upcoming WALA events!
  6. Expansion of Family Care
  7. 1st Annual Joel Marino Charity Golf Outing
  8. HFS 83 Update

1. DQA Background Check Reminder

It is a Mandatory Requirement to Submit Four - Year Renewal of Licensee Background Check regardless of when a DQA regulated entity last submitted an application for licensure, certification or registration, if an entity wishes the license approval to continue, the license holder or legal representative submit the completed forms for the required four-year renewal process. Failure to comply with any provision of background information gathering requirements subjects entities to certain sanctions, including denial, revocation, non-renewal, or suspension of regulatory approval.

All license holders/legal representatives must have complied with the requirements by June 30, 2008, however only half of all license holders/legal representatives have complied. Those who have not may get citied if this compliance is not taken care of immediately.

Access the DQA Regulated Entity Background Check Process web page to obtain the necessary forms for the Existing License Holder Four-Year Renewal Background Check Process. See DQA Memo 08-015 for more information.

2. Volunteer Ombudsman Program is ending

From Letter received by Heather Bruemmer, Executive Director/State Ombudsman, State of Wisconsin Board on Aging and Long Term Care:

It is with no small measure of disappointment that the Board on Aging and Long Term Care (BOALTC) announces that the Volunteer Ombudsman Program for Assisted Living will be ending July 31st, 2008.

In early 2007, the Volunteer Ombudsman Program began a project to expand services into the Assisted Living arena, enlisting Volunteer Ombudsmen to make visit in Community Based Residential Facilities (CBRF). This expansion included the hiring of an additional Volunteer Coordinator in a project position for 18 months to recruit, screen and place up to 36 CBRF Volunteer Ombudsmen into selected individual facilities.

The 18 months has come to an end and due to the lack of continuing funding, we are not able to continue this project position. The project has realized many accomplishments and has seen the same success as the Volunteer Program's nursing home counterpart. As an agency, the BOALTC will be conducting legislative advocacy to ensure that the achievements of this project are not lost. The BOALTC will be seeking authorization and funding to renew the Volunteer Ombudsman Program - Assisted Living in the future. I encourage you to contact your legislator to advocate for the program's importance and continuance.

3. DFHS is now officially DHS (Department of Health Services)

The Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS) is now officially known as the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS). Other Important Changes include:

4. IRIS - a new alternative to Managed Care

This new program is called IRIS, which stands for "Include, Respect, I Self-Direct." Consumers who are eligible for publicly funded long-term care on or after July 1, 2008 in counties where Family Care is operating will now have another choice when deciding which program will best meet their needs. Please see Memo DLTC Info Memo Series 2008-06.

5. Early Bird Discounts on Upcoming WALA events!

WALA offers Early Bird discounts on all WALA events. Some Early Bird deadlines are:

For more information on these and other WALA events, go to www.ewala.org or contact WALA at 608/288-0246.

6. Expansion of Family Care

The Joint Finance Committee has approved by passive review expansion of the Family Care program to Jefferson County and St. Croix County in September of this year.

7. 1st Annual Joel Marino Charity Golf Outing

Long time WALA member Lou Marino recently lost his son Joel in an unsolved murder in Madison and on his behalf, we spread the word about this following Golf Outing:

The 1st annual Joel Marino Charity Golf Outing that will be taking place on September 13th. Yahara Hills Golf Course in Madison is willing to close down 36 holes for the outing. We are planning on doing a 4 man scramble shotgun start so that every 4 person team will finish at approximately the same time. After golf we will be having a pig roast dinner at Reverend Jim's Roadhouse which is right down the street from the golf course. During dinner we will be giving out prizes for golf as well as having an auction to raise money for Joel's charity. The cost for this event will depend on the number of people that attend. The golf course has allowed us to have up to 80 four person teams participate so we can have up to 320 people in attendance. If you don't want to golf but would like to attend the dinner and auction that would be great as well. Please get your teams of four together and come out for a fun day of golf and to raise money for Joel's charity.

Please feel free to forward this email to as many people as possible so that we can get a good turnout. Please respond to Ryan Rohde at ryan.rohde@spectrumbrands.com or 608/220-1934 on or before July 15th that would be greatly appreciated.

8. HFS 83 Update

All comments and testimony made at the December hearings have been reviewed by DHS and are now back in legal review. We have been informed that the next version may be available yet this summer. Notes on the comments made to DHS on the HFS 83 Rewrite will be posted soon and there will be a link to those comments on the WALA website.

 

 

 


WALA