The HCBS Quality Framework Development webinar is the second event in ACL's HCBS quality webinar series. A goal of the series is to provide a platform among internal and external stakeholders to share developments and collaborate on efforts concerning HCBS quality. The lack of an organizing framework used to analyze measurement gaps has caused difficulties in determining where resources should be allocated for future measurement development.

A new grant opportunity from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) at ACL has been announced under the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERC) Program for Technologies to Promote Exercise and Health Among People with Disabilities.

ACL published its Public Access Plan in February 2016. The purpose is to make available to the public peer-reviewed publications and scientific data arising from research funded in whole or part by ACL through the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), to the extent feasible and permitted by law and available resources. ACL has updated its Public Access Plan to include public access to scientific data component, and will begin implementing the new component October 1, 2017. The ACL Public Access Plan is intended to:

  Join the National Limb Loss Resource Center for a webinar with TSA experts titled: The Transportation Security Administration Presents--Traveling with Limb Loss.

  Wednesday, 31 May, from 1:00 – 2:30 pm ET. ACL's Office of Nutrition and Health Promotion Programs (ONHPP), in collaboration with consultant Tim McNeill, invites you to a business acumen webinar on Developing the Business Case for Outsourcing Care Management to a Community Based Organization (CBO).

  The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently announced the formation of a new federal interagency initiative to better address serious mental illness across the nation. The Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee (ISMICC) was created under the 21st Century Cures Act to foster coordination of all federal efforts related to serious mental illness. SAMHSA is responsible for managing the ISMICC.

  First-of-its-kind searchable database of low-cost programs and comprehensive “how to” guide for communities The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Community Living (ACL), and Office on Women’s Health (OWH) have launched their first website focused on helping communities to promote the oral health of older adults.

  Community-based organizations (CBO) have the experience, community knowledge, and service-delivery expertise to be valuable partners to traditional healthcare entities in the new value-based and accountable-care environment. CBO services can and should be integrated into the wider clinical paradigm to achieve person-centered, population-health goals that keep older adults and people with disabilities in their homes and communities for as long as they wish.

  Be Informed, Make a Plan, Build a Kit, Get Involved Summer is almost here. While we prepare to enjoy the warm weather, it’s important to take precautions in case extreme heat strikes. By evaluating your needs, you can plan for any heat related situation. The following steps will prepare you to handle periods of extreme heat and the associated risks:

In case you missed it, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced a three-year extension for state Medicaid programs to meet the Home- and Community-Based (HCBS) settings requirements for settings operating before March 17, 2017. States now have until March 17, 2022, to demonstrate compliance for the final rule. See the announcement from CMS.