Patti's Blog - Advocate for Elders, People with Disabilities and Their Families

JOB POSTING - PEKD & Associates Is HIRING!!

 

PEKD & Associates has TWO positions that they are looking to fill immediately.   

 

Book Keeper/Paralegal

We are hiring a paralegal/book keeper for a very busy estate planning, elder law, and disability rights law firm.  

The job includes but is not limited to, working with excel, outlook, quick books, time slips, and maybe other computer software programs.

The ideal candidate will be a self-starter, be able to multi-task, and be comfortable working for a diverse group of clientele. The ability to follow up with clients and other 3^rd parties consistently will be required.  Experience drafting documents in word (some from templates, others not so much), probate court forms and pleadings, including annual accounts would be ideal, but not needed as training will be provided.

Please send your resume and your salary and hour requirements to the email address below. Any need or desire for working remotely should be addressed as well.   The position has immediate availability.

Patricia E. Kefalas Dudek & Associates
30445 Northwestern Highway, Suite 310
Farmington Hills, MI 48334

[email protected]

 

Administrative Assistant - Full Time

Duties include but are not limited to updating the attorney’s calendar, meeting and greeting clients, scheduling all appointments, coordinating with other staff, answering the phones, running errands. Must be an independent worker, organized and comfortable interacting with a diverse group of clients in a fast paced small law office.

If interested please send resume, and salary requirements to the address or email below.  Any need or desire for working remotely should be addressed as well.   The position has immediate availability.

 

Patricia E. Kefalas Dudek
30445 Northwestern Highway, Suite 310
Farmington Hills, MI 48334

[email protected]

 

 

 

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Make Your Health System Truly Person-Centered - Center for Consumer Engagement in Health Innovation

Dear Partners,

While person-centered care is always a top priority for health systems, now more than ever it is essential that systems stay connected to the people they serve. To help guide that process, the Center and the Health Care Transformation Task Force (HCTTF) have developed a new web-based change package to serve as a guide for health systems working to develop meaningful person-centered engagement structures at the organizational level.

The online tool, Organizational-Level Consumer Engagement: A Guide to Implementing and Sustaining Successful Strategies, provides a blueprint for implementing organization-level consumer engagement strategies. This is part of an ongoing, collaborative project between the Center and the HCTTF funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

 

Check Out the Change Packet

 

The guide follows a previously released case study report, Organizational-Level Consumer Engagement: What It Takes, which studied the engagement strategies at three large health systems – HRHCare, Trinity Health and Children’s Mercy Kansas City. 

We hope you find this information helpful in your work to create a health system that is centered on the people it serves. As always, if you have any comments or questions, please feel free to email us or reach out on Twitter.

Sincerely,

Ann Hwang, MD
Director, Center for Consumer Engagement in Health Innovation

 

 

 

 

Leading Trust & Estate and Elder Lawyers to be recognized in ad in Michigan Blue (Fall 2020 issue)

 

 

Download Mi_twe.elder_mi.blue_oct.nov2020

 

 

 

 

Election 2020: Where Trump and Biden Stand on Mental Health and Substance Use Issues

 

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, half of Americans report that their mental health has been negatively impacted due to related stress and worry. Many are, or will be, struggling with mental health challenges due to anxiety, social isolation, loss of loved ones, and job losses – potentially leading to increased mental health care needs over the long term.

A new issue brief examines where President Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden stand on key aspects of the nation’s mental health and substance use challenges. Key points include:

• Opioid epidemic. President Trump declared a national public health emergency in 2017 and has renewed it repeatedly since then. His proposed 2021 budget would decrease total funding to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and to Medicaid, the nation’s largest payer for mental health services and main contributor for substance use disorder services. Vice President Biden’s campaign website features a five-point plan to address the opioid crisis that would increase access to services, curb unnecessary opioid prescriptions, and hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for their role in the crisis.
• Suicide prevention. Both candidates’ suicide prevention plans focus on veterans, with President Trump creating a task force to tackle the issue and proposing to boost the Veterans Administration (VA) budget for suicide prevention. Vice President Biden proposes to expand and strengthen veterans’ mental health programs inside and outside the VA, as well as strengthen programs aimed at reducing suicide among LGBTQ teenagers.
• Mental health parity. Vice President Biden’s campaign vows to redouble efforts to enforce existing mental health parity laws and expand funding for mental health, but has not offered specific plans. President Trump’s campaign website does not address mental health parity. His administration is seeking to overturn the Affordable Care Act, which would substantially limit the scope of parity rules.
• Mental health workforce. Neither candidate specifically addresses mental health workforce shortages on their campaign websites. However, President Trump’s 2021 budget proposal includes a 24% increase for behavior health workforce development programs, and Vice President Biden’s education plan would double the number of psychologists, counselors and other mental health professionals in schools.

The brief draws on each candidates’ campaign website, news coverage, public statements and budget proposals. It is part of KFF’s ongoing efforts to provide useful information related to the health policy issues relevant for the 2020 elections, including policy analysis, polling, and journalism. Find more on our Election 2020 resource page.

KFF also has compiled state-specific data on mental health and substance use on more than 20 indicators, with mental health state fact sheets available profiling each state, as well as an updated look at how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting Americans’ mental health.

 

Filling the need for trusted information on national health issues, KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation) is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, California.

 

Contact: Chris Lee | (202) 654-1403 | [email protected] kff.org | kaiserhealthnews.org Connect with us:

 

 

 

 

New Issue: Elder Justice Newsletter Highlights "No Harm" Deficiencies

 

 

 

Greetings,

Below is a link to our latest Elder Justice Newsletter, published jointly with the Center for Medicare Advocacy. Substandard care and insufficient staffing are widespread and serious problems that have been in the news all too often lately.

The nursing home industry has complained for decades that facilities don’t get enough money to hire more staff and that basic safety standards are too “burdensome.” But why do facilities take in new residents if they can’t – or won’t – hire sufficient staff? Why do companies buy and operate facilities if they are not committed to at least meeting (if not exceeding) the standards of care which they are paid to provide?

In the Elder Justice Newsletter, we highlight citations, including deficiencies related to abuse, neglect, and substandard care, that have been identified as not causing any resident harm. The goal of this brief newsletter is to shed light on the issue of so-called “no harm” deficiencies, which typically result in no fine or penalty to the nursing home. Do YOU think these deficiencies caused “no harm”?

If you believe that nursing homes should be held accountable for substandard care, please take a moment to visit our Action Alert Center and send a free message to your political leaders - it CAN make a difference! If you would like to join our news alert list, please visit https://nursinghome411.org/join. Feel free to email us at [email protected] if you have any questions. 

https://nursinghome411.org/elder-justice-no-harm-newsletter-volume-2-issue-12/.

 

 

Long Term Care Community Coalition
www.nursinghome411.org
One Penn Plaza, Suite 6252
New York, NY 10119
United States

 

 

 

 

Justice in Aging Opposes the President’s Efforts to Undermine the Social Security System

 

 

Last weekend President Trump issued, among other actions, a memorandum deferring employee payroll taxes from August through the end of 2020, denying Social Security billions of dollars that would have otherwise gone to the program. This action puts Social Security – and the millions of older adults and people with disabilities who rely on the program – at significant and serious risk of losing some or all of the benefits they rely on if this type of policy were expanded or continued.  

Social Security is a vital program, with more than 61 million Americans receiving benefits through Social Security’s retirement, survivors, and disability insurance programs. It lifts over 21 million people, including over 14 million seniors, out of poverty. Payroll taxes are the primary source of revenue for Social Security, and this dedicated revenue, which can only be used to pay benefits and associated administrative costs, ensures that the program can pay benefits to current and future beneficiaries. 

Attempts to starve the program of revenue through schemes like this payroll tax deferral are dangerous to the endurance and effectiveness of the program for all of us. The vast majority of Americans support paying taxes to ensure that Social Security continues to thrive. The president’s efforts to undermine the program through this payroll tax deferral threaten the economic security of millions of people, now and in the future. 

In addition to taking critical funds from Social Security, this action does not help those struggling as a result of the pandemic. Payroll tax cuts are an ineffective way to provide economic stimulus, especially to lower-wage workers, and will do absolutely nothing to support the millions of people who are unemployed. It also does little to support older adults, who are most at risk, or communities of color, including the Black and Latino communities that have been disproportionately harmed by the pandemic. 

At a time when people in this country are falling behind on their rent and mortgage, losing their jobs, attempting to care for children who cannot attend school in person, being confined in long-term care facilities with no access to their loved ones, and falling ill and even dying, we could do far more and far better. Expanding the crucial programs that support us, like Social Security, would be a better first step.

 

 

 

PEKD August 2020 Newsletter

 

Click below to read the PEKD & Associates' August 2020 newsletter.  

PEKD August 2020 Newsletter

 

Click below to download the PEKD & Associates' August 2020 newsletter

Download August 2020 Newsletter

 

Click below for all recent issues of the PEKD & Associates newsletters.

Newsletter Archive

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to the New Generations!

 

 

 

Welcome to the New Generations!

A Note from Leanne Clark-Shirley, PhD Dear Readers, On behalf of the American Society on Aging, I am excited to invite you to visit our new publications platform, Generations. This is your new, one-stop site to find each of the publications for which ASA has always been known.   Generations offers more than our print publications could. Articles and posts are now easily sharable, and more interactive. Visit to listen to our new podcast, Generations Bylines, where we lift ideas off of the page and bring the voice of authors to our members. Over time, we’ll be working on integrating graphics, sound, animation, and artistic expression to complement the rich narrative you’ve come to expect. Amid this change, we want you to know that we remain committed to bringing timely news, in-depth research, and thoughtful perspectives to ASA’s members. As we launch this new site, we’re pleased to release the Summer 2020 Generations Journal, and the July-August edition of Generations Today (formerly titled Aging Today). Guest-edited by Alisha Sanders of LeadingAge, the Journal explores the critical topic of housing—a topic made all the more pressing by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read Sanders’ piece, Housing: Often Overlooked but a Critical Pillar for Older Adults, to learn how housing policies and programs intersect with equity across the life course. Jennifer Molinsky and Christopher Herbert offer an especially thorough look at older adults’ housing circumstances in Can the Nation’s Housing Support a Population Seeking to Age in Place? In Generations Today, David Lindeman sets an agenda for work to be done in The promise of technology for older adults: ephemeral or essential? And don’t miss Kathy Greenlee’s fact-check on Overcoming the 'silver tsunami.’ On behalf of everyone who worked on Generations, we can’t wait for you to visit and explore the new site. We want your feedback as we finalize its design and functionality, so please spend some time looking around, and tell us what you think in a short survey linked on the site.  We look forward to connecting with you in this new virtual world! Regards, Leanne Clark-Shirley, PhD Vice President, Programs & Thought Leadership

 

 

 

 

The Arc of Oakland County News & Updates 8-17-20

 

VIRTUAL Run Challenge Tom Kendziorski, The Arc of Oakland County's Executive Director, hung up his running shoes a few years ago and passed the baton to Kevin Knoblock, a Special Education Teacher, who has continued in the tradition of running and raising money for The Arc of Oakland County! We are grateful for Kevin's enthusiasm to continue our Annual Run Challenge! The 2020 Brooksie Way Half Marathon will be a VIRTUAL race this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will take place on Sunday, September 27. Go outside & join us! Run any distance on the same day as the race and post your picture on our Facebook page! WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!  Please consider pledging a donation to The Arc of Oakland County to support programs and services for children and adults with disabilities in our community. The Run Challenge postcards have been mailed out and will be delivered soon. You can also donate directly online securely through PayPal at https://www.thearcoakland.org/events-fundraising/tom%e2%80%99s-marathon-challenge/.

 

Webinars For Returning to School Michigan Alliance for Families is offering the following upcoming seminars around important back to school issues for families with children with special needs. Don't miss your opportunity to participate in these important information sessions! August 19: Strategies for Supporting Your Child's Learning at Home   Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and universal strategies for use in the home and to assist in their child's transition back to school. Session One: PBIS Overview and Routines 3pm-4pm.  Registration: https://miblsimtss.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_o39CPbQ4QLyblPdIGXk3Yw August 20: Return to School Conversations  A conversation on being an effective advocate for your child when so much is different and changing often. 12pm-1pm.  Webinar Registration: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1090940243759286284?source=website August 27: Return to School Conversations  Students returning to school this year will need to speak up for themselves in new ways; tools and advice for youth with disabilities and those who support them. 12pm-1pm.  Webinar Registration: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1090940243759286284?source=website August 27: Sharing Our Strengths and Struggles  Virtual support chats for Michigan parents of children/youth with a disability 3pm-4:30pm.  Registration Required: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1090940243759286284?source=website September 2: Strategies for Supporting Your Child's Learning at Home  Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and universal strategies for use in the home and to assist in their child's transition back to school. Session Two: PBIS and Expectations 3pm-4pm. Registration: https://miblsimtss.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_o39CPbQ4QLyblPdIGXk3Yw September 16: Strategies for Supporting Your Child's Learning at Home   Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and universal strategies for use in the home and to assist in their child's transition back to school. Session Three: PBIS and Teach, Remind, Reward 3pm-4pm. Registration: https://miblsimtss.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_o39CPbQ4QLyblPdIGXk3Yw

 

 

The Arc of Oakland County, 1641 West Big Beaver Road, Troy, MI 48084

 

 

Center for Public Representation - Public charge rule now back in effect in nearly every state

 

 

Court limits the geographic scope of the injunction stopping the public charge rule to NY, CT, and VT Yesterday, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals partially stayed the nationwide temporary injunction issued by a district court in New York last month against the Department of Homeland Security’s discriminatory public charge rule. That decision had halted the rule for the duration of the national public health emergency declared by the Trump Administration. This new decision means the rule is now back in effect nationwide, except in the states of New York, Connecticut, and Vermont.   The public charge rule puts in place a new test for people who are applying for visas or green cards. It looks at people’s health, including whether they have a disability, and whether they have used or might one day use public benefits, including Medicaid-funded home and community-based services on which many people with disabilities rely. Several courts have already found the rule illegally discriminates against people with disabilities.   The rule’s implementation had initially been stopped by several federal courts that found that the rule was likely illegal and issued preliminary injunctions. However, earlier this year, the US Supreme Court decided to stay the nationwide injunction and a statewide injunction in Illinois, allowing the rule to go into effect nationwide while litigation is ongoing. The Court decided in April not to modify or lift its stay in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, but did state that lower courts could consider the issue, leading to last month’s injunction and yesterday’s partial stay.   CPR and other disability organizations have filed several amicus briefs in the litigation, detailing the discrimination disabled immigrants may face as a result of the rule. The amicus briefs and the latest on the litigation efforts can be found here. We will continue to monitor the litigation and remain committed to our fight to stop this harmful rule.   A fact sheet reviewing the basics of the rule and its impact on people with disabilities can be found here and we also have a more in-depth explainer, detailing the rule and the lawsuits challenging it. Additional background information on the rule, resources, and media can be found on our website.   The needs of all disabled people must be met during the COVID-19 crisis. Negotiations on the next COVID-19 bill have stalled and while President Trump took some executive actions over the weekend, none of those included disability priorities.   Senators have left DC for their home states but we need to keep pushing them to come to an agreement on the relief bill so please contact them and tell them #WhatWeNeed! You can find more information on our advocacy page, including call and email scripts and sample tweets, and can directly email your Senators using our portal here.

 

Share Tweet Forward If you are interested in updates about our fight to protect Medicaid, sign up for alerts  or follow us on Facebook.  The Center for Public Representation relies on your support to protect the rights of people with disabilities. Donate Today.