2. The Campaign receives generous gift from the family of an assisted living resident who died from neglect�-The Campaign has received an extremely generous donation from the family of Mildred Hadley.  Ms. Hadley, who had mild dementia, was a resident of an adult foster care facility in East Lansing.  Tragically, due to a lack of supervision, she wandered out of her facility on a frigid night in December 2005, and froze to death.  Ms. Hadley�s family is determined to help prevent similar tragedies and eager to support the Campaign in its efforts.  The Campaign is indebted to Ms. Hadley�s families and pleased to use these funds to expand our education and advocacy efforts.  Stay tuned in future newsletters for information about how the Campaign is working with Ms. Hadley�s family to provide better information to other families about crucial aspects of their loved one�s care in assisted living facilities. 

          The Campaign is also deeply grateful to the following individuals and organizations who have donated to the Campaign since Thanksgiving:        

Peter Acho, Kenneth G. Aurand, Doris Austerberry, Michelle Carpenter, Dennis Cavanaugh, J. Herbert Cox, Beth Ferguson, Barbara J. Fielder, Sharon K. Fredericks, Galloway & Collens, P.C., Gull Lake Ladies Retirement Home (Steve & Becky Bakken), Margaret Lanphear Hayes, Helen Hicks, Lois Hitchcock, Sara Hunt, Monika Jackson, Mary Katsarelas, Nora Kwilas, Mary Lepiors, Barbara Lewis, Perralene Madison, Madeline V. Marker, Michael R. Miller, Linda Phillips, Marjorie Powell, Eva Redwine, Andrea Sheridan, Lois Stegman, Natalie Sunshine, Lauren A. Swanson, John P. Ternes, Ardith Thompson  Lillian Toomey, Bernand J. Trompeter, Aldo Vagnozzi, Elaine Weingarten,and James L. Wrobel.   Your donations make our work possible!

3. Federal government releases names of very troubled �Special Focus Facilities� across the country--The federal government has released the names of all Special Focus Facilities (SFF) across the country.  These �underperforming� facilities are selected in each state for additional scrutiny based on a numeric formula that takes into account the number of citations the facility receives, the number of revisits surveyors (nursing home inspectors) must make before nursing homes correct problems, and the number of substantiated complaints.  Once a facility is selected as an SFF, state survey agencies must conduct twice the number of standard surveys and apply progressive enforcement until the nursing home either (a) significantly improves and is no longer identified as an SFF, (b) is granted additional time due to promising developments, or (c) is terminated from Medicare and/or Medicaid.  Michigan has four homes on the list.  Three (Fairlane in Detroit, Imperial Healthcare in Dearborn, and Metron of Big Rapids in Big Rapids) are listed as "not improving" after at least one survey while one facility (Manor of Northwest Detroit in Detroit) is listed as "improving."  More on the SFFs can be found on the CMS Web site at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CertificationandComplianc/12_NHs.asp#TopOfPage  or

http://www.nccnhr.org/uploads/CMSDisclosesAllSpecialFocusFacilities.pdf

4. More than 100 Michigan nursing homes �targeted for improvement� by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for pressure sores and physical restraints� The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has identified 4,037 nursing homes across the country whose �Quality Measures� failed to meet CMS�s targets for improvement in the area of pressure sores among long stay, high risk residents and/or physical restraints among long stay residents.  CMS asserted that these are not necessarily the worst homes and, in fact, the Michigan homes on the list have a diverse licensing history.  For example, the Evergreen Health and Living Center in Southfield which was targeted for improvement in the area of pressure ulcers was cited for only one healthcare violation between October, 2006 and December, 2007, compared to a statewide average of 10.  On the other hand, Imperial Healthcare Center in Dearborn Heights, which was targeted for improvement in the area of physical restraints, had 22 citations during the same period and is a Special Focus Facility. As we have noted before, how a facility performs on Quality Measures�the basis for their inclusion in this new government list�depends on data the nursing homes collect themselves that is not audited.  Moreover, in some cases, there are legitimate explanations for a facility�s failure to do well on Quality Measures.  So while inclusion on the list does not mean the facility is necessarily a very poor provider, families and residents in those facilities will want to be especially vigilant on the issues of physical restraints and pressure ulcers. For more information on how facilities perform on Quality Measures, go to http://Medicare.gov/and click on �Compare Nursing Homes in your area.

     The Michigan homes included on CMS�s watch list for pressure ulcers and/or physical restraints are (the homes are listed by county):

Alpena County-- Tendercare Alpena, Tendercare Green View

Bay County-- The Carriage House of Bay City

Branch County-- Laurels of Coldwater

Calhoun County-- Heartland HCC Battle Creek

Chippewa County-- Chippewa County War Memorial Hospital LTCU; Tendercare Sault Ste. Marie

Clare County-- Northwoods Nursing Center

Genesee County--Heartland HCC-Briarwood; Maple Woods Manor

Gladwin County: MidMichigan Gladwin Pines Nursing Home

Gogebic County:Westgate Nursing and Rehab. Community

Hillsdale County: Hillsdale Co. Medical Care Facility

Houghton County: Our Lady of Mercy Health and Rehab

Huron County: Sunny Acres Nursing Center

Ingham County�Tendercare South (now closed).

Ionia County�Metron of Belding

Isabella County�Isabella Co. Medical Care Facility

Kalamazoo County�-Heartland HCC-Kalamazoo; Plainwell Pines Nursing and Rehabilitation Community

Kent County�Heartland HCC-Grant Rapids; Spectrum Health-Kent

Lake County�Grand Oaks Nursing Center

Lapeer County�Ferguson Convalescent Home

Leelanua County�Maple Valley Nursing Home

Lenawee County�Lynnwood Manor Health Care Center; Tendercare Health Center of Adrian        

Macomb County�Autumn Woods Residential Health; Cherrywood Nursing and Living; Clinton-Aire Healthcare Center; Evangelical Home Sterling Heights; Lakepoint Senior Care and Rehab Facility; Medilodge of Richmond; Romeo Continuing Care; Sisters of Bon Secours Nursing Center; St. Anthony Nursing Healthcare; St. Mary�s Nursing and Rehab.

Mason County�Tendercare of Ludington

Menominee County�Roubal Care and Rehab Center

Monroe County�Maplewood Manor; Medilodge of Monroe

Montcalm County: Metron of Greenville

Muskegon County�Brookhaven Medical Care Facility; Christian Care Nursing Center; Heartland HCC-Knollview

Oakland County�Bortz Healthcare of Oakland; Botsford Continuing Health Center; Boulevard Hills; Cambridge North Healthcare Center; Canterbury-on-the-Lake; Evergreen Health and Living Center; Farmington Healthcare Center; Heartland HCC-Georgian Bloomfield; Heartland-West Bloomfield; Hilton Convalescent Home; Holly Convalescent Center; The Lakeland Center; Medilodge of Royal Oak; Menorah House; The Manor of Farmington Hills; West Bloomfield Nursing and Convalescent; West Hickory Haven; West Winds Nursing Home

Ogema County�Bortz Health Care of Rose City

Ontonagon County�Maple Manor Nursing Center

Otsego County�Otsego Memorial Hospital LTCU

Ottawa County�The Laurels of Hudsonville

Presque Isle County--Tendercare Health Center�Rogers City

St. Joseph County�Riverview Manor

Sanilac County�Autumnwood of Deckerville; Sanilac County Medical Care Facility

Washtenaw County�Bortz Health Care of Ypsilanti, The Care and Rehabilitation Center at Glacier Hills, Heartland HCC-Ann Arbor; Superior Woods Healthcare Center

Wayne County�Advance Nursing Center; Autumnwood of Livonia; Beaconshire Nursing Centre; Boulevard Temple Retirement; Eastwood Convalescent Center; Elmwood Geriatric Village; Hartford Nursing and Rehab Center; Heartland HCC�Allen Park; Heartland HCC-Dorvin; Heartland HCC-Plymouth Court; Heartland HCC-University; Henry Ford Continuing Care Center-Belmo; Henry Ford Village; Imperial Healthcare Centre; Law-Den Nursing Center; Manor of Wayne Continuing Care Center; Moroun Nursing Home; Oakpointe Senior Care and Rehab Center; Oakwood Rehab and Skilled Nursing Center�Dearborn; Omni Continuing Care; Qualicare Nursing Center; Regency Healthcare Centre; Regency Heights-Detroit; St. Annes Convalescent Center; St. Francis Nursing Center; St. James Nursing Center, St. John Senior Community; St. Michael Nursing Center; Star Manor of Northville; Tendercare Healthcare and Rehab Center ofTaylor; Westland Convalescent and Rehab Center; Woodhaven Retirement Community.

For a list of other targeted facilities across the country and to see if these homes have been targeted for physical restraints or pressure ulcers or both, go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/QualityImprovementOrgs/Downloads/NursingHomeChart.pdf

5.  U.S. Senators introduce significant new legislation to increase transparency and accountability in nursing homes--Senator Chuck Grassley (R_IA) and Senator Herb Kohl (D_WI) introduced the Nursing Home Transparency and Improvement Act on February 14.  It is the first comprehensive nursing home reform bill since the Nursing Home Reform Act, OBRA �87. This important legislation was introduced in response to two Senate hearings last year, including one in which Michigan State Ombudsman Sarah Slocum testified, about quality of care and enforcement problems in nursing homes and about problems that occur when private equity groups purchase nursing home chains to maximize profits.  If passed and signed into law, the bill will ensure consumers have access to more and better information on the federal Nursing Home Compare website, require nursing homes to report accurately the number of direct care staff in the facility; provide stiffer penalties for serious violations; and mandate greater accountability and transparency about who owns and operates nursing homes.  For more information on this bill, go to the website of NCCNHR�The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long Term Care at http://www.nccnhr.org/uploads/NCCNHRReleaseonTransparencyAct.pdf.

6.  Governor�s FY �09 Budget recommends increases in the MiChoice Home and Community Based Waiver and Nursing Home Surveyor Staff�-In February, Governor Jennifer Granholm released her budget recommendations for FY 2009 which will start on October 1, 2008.   According to the state Budget Office, reduced nursing home utilization will result in a savings of $32 million which will be reinvested in home and community based care services.  Under the Governor�s proposal, the MiChoice program will receive an additional $10 million; $5.4 million would be available to expand the PACE program (the Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly) into Muskegon and Calhoun Counties; $14 million would be used to fund 430 new waiver slots in homes for the aged and adult foster care facilities (the first time residents of those settings could be eligible for the MiChoice waiver in those settings); and $2.6 million would fund 100 new waiver slots in unlicensed settings financed by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.   The Campaign is grateful for the proposed additional funding for the program despite the overburdened state budget.  We continue to support funding for MiChoice and all long term care services that allows the greatest possible choice and flexibility for consumers. 

          In addition, the Governor�s budget notes that complaints against nursing homes have increased 25% from 2006 to 2007 and it advocates for more staff and funding for complaint investigations so that complaints can be investigated promptly.  Shockingly,  Michigan now takes more than 90 days to complete investigations despite federal and state protocols for more stringent time frames. This is an issue that has plagued the state for many years and has been a priority for the Campaign since its inception almost ten years ago.  Indeed, one of the Campaign�s first victories was to help persuade the State to hire numerous additional surveyors.

          The state Senate and House will now deliberate and negotiate on the final budget they present to Governor Granholm for approval.  Stay tuned for Action Alerts to let you know how you can help!

7. State Ombudsman Sarah Slocum joins NCCNHR Board�The State Long Term Care Ombudsman, Sarah Slocum, has joined the board of NCCNHR�the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long Term Care.  This national organization has been a highly effective and sophisticated advocate for long term care consumers for more than 30 years.  Currently, both Campaign counsel, Alison Hirschel, and Campaign board member John Weir, serve on NCCNHR�s Board which is comprised of nursing home residents and advocates from across the country.  Sarah will be representing the National Association of State Long Term Care Ombudsman.  For more information on NCCNHR, go to www.nccnhr.org

8. Campaign thanks volunteers who keep up our email alert list�The Campaign is deeply indebted to Steve Krikorian, a volunteer who has long maintained our email list.  Steve is passing the baton to elder law attorney, psychologist and Campaign volunteer Roxanne Chang.  Stay tuned for email from Roxanne with advocacy opportunities, budget developments, and other important information.  Also, if you want to help the Campaign save money, you can contact Campaign secretary, Carole Newburry, at cjnewb@mei.net to request that you receive the newsletter electronically instead of through the mail.