The final report for the National Quality Forum’s (NQF) Measuring Home and Community-Based Services Quality project is now available. NQF, under a contract with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), convened a multi-stakeholder committee to develop recommendations for the prioritization of measurement opportunities to address gaps in home and community-based services (HCBS) quality measurement.

September is National Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Awareness Month. The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), one of ACL’s newest divisions, funds the NIDILRR’s Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems (SCIMS) Program. The SCIMS program was established in 1970s, and conducts research on recovery and service delivery outcomes individuals with SCI.

Please note that the comment period has been extended thru October 7th. CMS’s Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services and the Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office is seeking feedback from the public (including impacted populations, payers, policy makers, service providers, and others) on specifications and justification for quality measures currently under development and testing. The measure concepts address the following areas and/or populations:

Last month, investigators from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD), partnering with researchers from the University of New Mexico, published an article in the American Journal of Public Health entitled "Prevalence and Causes of Paralysis—United States, 2013." The article estimated and characterized the number of people living with paralysis in the United States.

Last week the National Academy of Medicine released a report, Families Caring for an Aging America, examining family caregiving for older adults.    The report is available at: http://nationalacademies.org/hmd/reports/2016/families-caring-for-an-aging-america.aspx  

Tim Talks Webinar is on Tuesday, September 27, 2016, 2:00 – 3:30 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 Community Based Organizations (CBOs) Developing Meaningful Partnerships with Hospitals.

Last month, ACL hosted a staff professional development workshop to learn about an example of a long-term services and supports system embracing person-centered thinking, planning, and practices.  The District of Columbia's No Wrong Door system has incorporated the approach throughout all aspects of home and community-based services for older adults and people with disabilities, including independent living and behavioral health services.

Corrected Registration Link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2474588731428768513 Wednesday, September 21, 2016 1pm-2pm EST Join the Amputee Coalition for a webinar to discuss various topics affecting high-level amputees including:

Last week, the Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities (ACICIEID) sent its final report to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor.

ACL’s Administration on Aging announced the release of $1,050,000 to the nationally-recognized senior advocacy organization Justice in Aging to create a new National Center on Law and Elder Rights (NCLER). The NCLER will support ACL’s ongoing efforts to protect the rights, financial security, and independence of older adults.