NEW YORK STATE PACE ALLIANCE INC

NYSPA'S ACTIVITIES CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING:1. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND TRAINING. NYSPA WILL CONDUCT JOINT TRAINING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ON EMERGING OPERATIONAL ISSUES AND ASSIST IN COORDINATING SUCH PROGRAMS USING VOLUNTEERS AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS AS TRAINERS. NYSPA'S MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS WILL CONDUCT SEMINARS AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT THE PACE MODEL OF CARE AND EDUCATE PROVIDERS ON THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME PACE PROVIDERS. EMPHASIS WILL BE ON PROGRAMS SHARING 'BEST PRACTICES' IN CLINICAL AND GERIATRIC CARE FOR THE VERY FRAIL ELDERLY POPULATION SUFFERING FROM MULTIPLE CHRONIC CONDITIONS. IN THE EVENT THAT OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE TRAINING, SESSION FEES WILL BE CHARGED TO PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS BUT ONLY TO THE EXTENT NECESSARY TO COVER CONSULTANT FEES. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ACTIVITY IS TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT PACE PROGRAMS IN THE COMMUNITY AND TO ASSIST NYSPA MEMBERS IN EXPANDING THEIR ABILITY TO SUCCESSFULLY OPERATE A PACE PROGRAM AND PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY PARTICIPANT CARE.2. ADVOCACY AND LOBBYING. NYSPA MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS WILL MAINTAIN COMMUNICATION WITH LOCAL NEW YORK LEGISLATORS TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT PACE PROGRAMS AND THEIR BENEFITS TO THE LOCAL ELDER COMMUNITY AND THEIR FAMILIES. ADVOCACY EFFORTS WILL INCLUDE MEETINGS WITH LEGISLATORS TO PROVIDE BACKGROUND ON HOW PACE PROGRAMS OPERATE, THE VALUE OF SUCH PROGRAMS IN SERVING PERSONS THAT ARE DULLY ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID, AND HOW THEY CAN PROMOTE COST SAVINGS TO THE STATE OF NEW YORK (NYSPA MAY ENGAGE A CONTRACT LOBBYIST TO ASSIST IN ADVOCACY EFFORTS AS NEEDED). ADVOCACY ON THE VALUE OF PACE PROGRAMS WILL INCLUDE EDUCATIONAL MEETINGS WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATORS TO ALERT LEGISLATORS TO ISSUES WHICH MAY IMPACT THE CARE OF THE ELDERLY. NYSPA'S ADVOCACY EFFORTS SEEK TO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF PACE ACCREDITED PROVIDERS TO ENABLE A LARGER POPULATIONS OF ELIGIBLE ELDERS TO SELECT A PACE PROVIDER RATHER THAN INSTITUTIONALIZED CARE IN A NURSING HOME. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ACTIVITY IS TO ADVANCE PUBLIC POLICY POSITIONS SUPPORTIVE OF PACE, INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PACE ACCREDITED PROVIDERS IN NEW YORK STATE, AND ADVOCATE FOR REGULATORY INTERPRETATIONS THAT PROMOTE QUALITY OF CARE FOR PACE PARTICIPANTS.3. MEMBER MEETINGS, FORUMS AND SEMINARS. UPON ACCEPTANCE OF ITS APPLICATION FOR RECOGNITION BY THE NATIONAL PACE ASSOCIATION ("NPA"), NYSPA WILL HOLD SEMI-ANNUAL MEMBER MEETINGS CONCURRENTLY WITH THE NPA'S ANNUAL MEETING AND ANNUAL SPRING LEGISLATIVE FORUM. 4. LIAISON BETWEEN NYSPA MEMBERS AND GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES. NYSPA'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL KEEP MEMBERS INFORMED OF EMERGING POLICY AND PROGRAM ISSUES RELATED TO OVERSIGHT AND REGULATION OF PACE PROGRAMS WITH NEW YORK STATE AGENCIES. NYSPA WILL ARRANGE FOR QUARTERLY LUNCHEON MEETINGS BETWEEN MEMBERS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF STATE AGENCIES TO EDUCATE ITS MEMBERS ON NEW REGULATORY PROVISIONS AND TO PROVIDE FOR A FORUM TO BRING EMERGING ISSUES TO THE STATE REGULATOR'S ATTENTION. ADDITIONALLY, NYSPA'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL MAINTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES INVOLVING THE REGIONAL STAFF RESPONSIBLE FOR PACE OVERSIGHT AT THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES ("CMS"). NYSPA WILL PARTICIPATE IN CMS ACTIVITIES AS NECESSARY AND CONSISTENT WITH NEW REGULATORY PROVISIONS PROMULGATED BY CMS IN THE FUTURE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ACTIVITY IS TO FACILITATE AND OPEN THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN NYSPA MEMBERS AND GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES INVOLVED IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF PACE PROGRAMS.5. MEMBER SUPPORT SERVICES AND PUBLICATIONS. NYSPA WILL PROVIDE SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE TO MEMBERS SEEKING TO ENHANCE THEIR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE CONDUCTED AT LOCAL COMMUNITY CENTERS, AREA AGING AGENCIES AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WITH A FOCUS ON ELDER CARE. THE INTENT OF SUCH OUTREACH IS TO COMMUNICATE TO SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS HOW PACE PROGRAMS OPERATE AND THE VALUE OF SUCH PROGRAMS IN SERVING THE DUALLY ELIGIBLE MEDICARE AND MEDICAID POPULATION. THESE EFFORTS ARE DESIGNED TO PUBLICIZE THE AVAILABILITY OF PACE AS A COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM THAT SERVES AS A COST EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE TO INSTITUTIONAL CARE. NYSA WILL ASSIST ITS MEMBERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE ABILITY OF SENIORS TO AGE SAFELY IN THEIR HOMES THROUGH IN-HOME ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY ENROLLMENT IN A PACE PROGRAM. FAMILIES WILL BE MADE AWARE OF PROGRAMS, SUCH AS ADULT DAY CARE TO PROVIDE BOTH CLINICAL AND HEALTH MONITORING AND SOCIALIZATION THROUGH TRANSPORTATION TO A PACE CENTER. EXPLANATORY EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL FOR DISTRIBUTION TO NYSPA MEMBERS HAS BEEN PRODUCED. FURTHERMORE, NYSPA WILL ASSIST ITS MEMBERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLICATIONS AND SUBMISSION OF ARTICLES TO RELEVANT HEALTHCARE AND SOCIAL SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS TO BE PUBLISHED IN NEWSLETTERS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ACTIVITY IS TO ASSIST MEMBERS WITH THE SUCCESSFUL OPERATION OF PACE PROGRAMS AND TO INCREASE THE VISIBILITY OF PACE PROGRAMS IN THE COMMUNITY.