Illinois AAA Association
Meeting Minutes
Area Agency on Aging for Lincolnland
Call to Order - Vice President Barbara
Eskildsen called the meeting to order at 12:30 p.m.
Roll Call - the following members were present: Grant
Nyhammer (01), Walter Meyers (02), Barbara Eskildsen, (03),
Joanne Thomas (04), Mike O'Donnell (05), Lynn Niewohner
(06), Julie Hubbard (07), Shana Holmes (10), John Smith
(11), Diane Slezak (13). A quorum was established. Guests
attending: Terry Steczo and Maureen Mulhull.
Minutes of the December 12, 2012 Meeting - Diane Slezak
moved approval; seconded by Joanne Thomas. Motion carried.
Treasurer's Report - The Association reviewed the report
from Treasurer Joy Paeth. Lynn Niewohner moved approval;
seconded by Joanne Thomas. Motion carried.
Resignation of the I4A President - The Association reviewed
a letter from Lynn Niewohner dated December 28, 2012,
resigning as I4A President. Julie Hubbard moved to accept
the letter of resignation; seconded by Joanne Thomas. Motion
carried.
Election of the I4A President - Julie Hubbard moved the
election of Barbara Eskildsen as I4A President; seconded by
Shana Holmes. Motion carried.
Election of I4A Vice President - Mike O'Donnell moved the
election of Joanne Thomas as I4A Vice President; seconded by
Diane Slezak. Motion carried.
OASAC Report - Diane Slezak cited the January 10, 2013 memo
from Jon Lavin, member of the OASAC Committee looking at
quality assurance for long term services and supports
provided to persons enrolled in Managed Care plans.
CCPAC Report - Joy Paeth attended the most recent CCPAC
Meeting on behalf of Joanne Thomas. In Joy's absence, the
CCPAC Report was tabled until the next I4A Meeting on March
26, 2013.
Update on Adult Protective Services - Diane Slezak and
Barbara Eskildsen presented an update on draft language for
the Adult Protective Services legislation. The Association
discussed several issues including: the proposed registry of
paid and unpaid caregivers, assessing risk levels,
prosecution of substantiated cases, obtaining clear and
convincing evidence, liability of providers and Regional
Administrative Agencies, training for elder abuse case
workers on adult protective service issues, the role of
Equip for Equality, self-determination of adults, peer
counseling, emergency housing, defining disability, Rule 51,
determining decision making capacity, and phased approach to
program implementation.
Legislative Update - Terry Steczo and Maureen Mulhull gave
an update on issues to be addressed during the spring 2013
session of the 98th Illinois General Assembly.
Legislative Committee Report - Mike O'Donnell presented
Minutes of the I4A Legislative Committee Conference Call on
January 7, 2013.
The minutes contained the following Committee recommendation
for an I4A position on the proposed adult protective
services legislation:
I4A supports a bill on adult protective services that
reaffirms the current Elder Abuse and Neglect Program's
process of investigating reports of alleged abuse and
neglect and providing services to alleged victims; and I4A
is opposed to establishing a registry of perpetrators that
would include unpaid family members.
Discussion followed.
The Legislative Committee recommended the following issues
for the I4A Advocacy Agenda for 2013:
- The role of Area Agencies on Aging in Managed Care.
- The expansion of the Elder Abuse and Neglect Program to
include Adult Protective Services for people with
disabilities between the ages of 18 and 59.
- Illinois Department on Aging appropriations for Aging
Programs and Services for FY2014.
- Enact and fund the Pharmaceutical Assistance Relief
Program with amendatory language including persons with
disabilities under the age of 65.
- Prompt state payments for Aging Programs and Services
including grant programs administered by Area Agencies on
Aging, the Elder Abuse and Neglect Program, and the
Community Care Program.
- State implementation of provisions of the federal
Affordable Care Act, including managed care for persons
dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, the expansion of
Medicaid for persons with incomes at or below 133% of the
federal poverty level, the Illinois Health Insurance
Exchange, mental health parity, and the dissemination of
evidence-based healthy aging programs and interventions.
Mike O'Donnell, Chairperson of the Legislative Committee,
moved approval of the Legislative Committee Report. The
motion came from a Committee and did not require a second.
Motion carried.
Mike O'Donnell distributed the draft 2013 update to the I4A
Fact Sheet on Services for Older Americans in Illinois. He
requested that AAAs report the most recent number of
veterans enrolled in the Veterans Independence Program.
Conference Call with Anti-Trust Attorney - The Association
spoke via telephone with Glenn Davis, Attorney with
Hepler Broom, LLC, of St. Louis, MO. Glenn Davis presented
information about compliance with anti-trust laws. Glenn
Davis proposed that I4A engage his services to develop an
Anti-Trust Compliance Policy. After the call ended, the
Association discussed the issue.
Mike O'Donnell moved that the Association authorize the I4A
President to request a proposal from Attorney Glenn Davis to
develop a draft policy on anti-trust compliance and obligate
up to $2,000 to complete the draft policy and provide annual
consultation with the Association; seconded by Grant
Nyhammer. AAAs voting in favor: 01, 02, 03, 05, 06, 07, 10,
and 13; AAAs opposed: 04, and 11. Motion carried.
John Smith moved that I4A not discuss managed care. The
motion died for lack of second.
Proposal for Collaboration on CDSMP and DSMP - Diane Slezak
presented a proposal from AgeOptions to collaborate with
other Area Agencies on Aging in pursuing grant opportunities
to disseminate the Chronic Disease Self Management Program
and the Diabetes Self Management Program statewide.
Discussion followed. The Association concurred that
AgeOptions should release a request for collaborators to all
Area Agencies on Aging in Illinois.
Fiscal Cliff Update - Mike O'Donnell reported that the
American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA) passed by Congress on
January 3, 2013 postponed federal sequestration until March
1. He reported that ATRA extends provisions of MIPPA through
FY2013 and appropriates funding for low-income Medicare
beneficiary outreach and assistance programs, including:
SHIPs, $7.5 million; AAAs, $7.5 million; ADRCs, $5 million;
and the Contract with the National Center for Benefits and
Outreach Enrollment, $5 million.
FY 2013 GRF Payments to AAAs - Mike O'Donnell urged I4A to
ask the Department on Aging on January 23 about their
strategy for making state payments to AAAs for grant
programs funded by GRF and other state funds for FY2013.
Managed Care Updates - Area Agencies on Aging provided
updates on the implementation of the Integrated Care Program
and the Medicare-Medicaid Alignment Initiative in their
respective planning and service areas. Discussion followed
on emerging roles for AAAs and the Aging Network including:
outreach, information & assistance, benefits eligibility
screening, options counseling, nutritional risk assessments
for home delivered meals, advocacy, complaint resolution,
ombudsman services, responding to grievances and appeals,
and quality assurance monitoring.
FAST - Diane Slezak reported on the development of a
Financial Abuse Specialty Team (FAST) in Cook County in
response to cases of financial exploitation of older adults
in cooperation with Elder Court Judge Patricia Banks.
Adjournment - Lynn Niewohner moved adjournment at 4:27 p.m.;
seconded by Joanne Thomas. Motion carried.
Next Meeting: March 26,
2013 at the Area Agency on Aging for LincolnLand, Springfield, IL.
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