title: Responding to the 2015 CMS Proposed Rule Changes for LTC Facilities: A Call to Redouble Efforts to Prepare Students and Practitioners for Nursing Homes.
abstract: In July of 2015, the Federal Register published for public comment proposed rule changes for nursing homes certified to receive Medicare and/or Medicaid. If the final rules are similar to the proposed rules, they will represent the largest change in federal rules governing nursing homes since the Nursing Home Reform Act which was part of OBRA 1987. The proposed changes have the potential to enhance the quality of care and quality of life of nursing home residents. Many of the proposed changes would directly affect the practice of social work and would likely expand the role for nursing home social workers. This article discusses the role that members of the National Nursing Home Social Work Network (NNHSW Network) played in developing and submitting a response to CMS. The article provides the context for the publication of the proposed rules, describes the process used by the NNHSW Network to develop and build support for comments on these rules, and also includes the actual comments submitted to CMS. Social work education programs and continuing education programs throughout the country will continue to have an important role to play in helping to prepare social work students and practitioners for a career in long-term care.
authors.affiliation: a School of Social Work and Iowa Geriatric Education Center , University of Iowa , Iowa City , Iowa , USA.
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bern-Klug
authors.affiliation: b Geriatric Consultant , Marriotsville , Maryland , USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Connolly
authors.affiliation: c CUNY Graduate Center , New York , New York , USA.
authors.forename: Deirdre
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Downes
authors.affiliation: d School of Social Work , University of Missouri , Columbia , Missouri , USA.
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Galambos
authors.affiliation: e School of Social Work , University of Maryland Baltimore County , Baltimore , Maryland , USA.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kusmaul
authors.affiliation: f School of Public Health and Long Term Care Resource Center , University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , Minnesota , USA.
authors.forename: Rosalie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kane
authors.affiliation: g Paige Ahead Healthcare Education & Consulting, LLC , Tucson , Arizona , USA.
authors.forename: Paige
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hector
authors.affiliation: h Nursing Home Social Work Consultant , Boston , Massachusetts , USA.
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Beaulieu
mesh_terms: D014487:Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S. / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D002568:Certification / Q000379:methods; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D012947:Social Work / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: Nursing facilities; Person-Centered; Policy; Regulations; Staffing