The Buzz

Building on the opportunity for further coordination and greater impact to address racial and ethnic disparities, our United for Health Equity in Aging Summit convened the aging and disability sectors with the racial equity and social justice movements for a day of informative panels and energizing dialogue.

The TSF event was rooted in the lived experience of older adults from marginalized communities and we were honored to have several of them join us in person.

Materials from the Summit, including older adult video stories and a photo gallery are now available, as well as a full livestream recording. Take a look!

For decades, states have been working to integrate care to improve access to high-quality care for people dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, but progress is limited. Multisector Plans for Aging (MPAs) can support a process by which states can navigate the infrastructure and political constraints that have historically prevented states from advancing Medicare-Medicaid integration efforts.

In a new Health Affairs blog, TSF explores how an MPA can help states navigate barriers to advancing integrated, high-quality health care.

TSF champions Multisector Plans for Aging (MPA) in California, as well as at the regional and local levels. See the latest.

STATE

• As the state’s MPA implementation advances, the Little Hoover Commission is reviewing efforts to ensure accountability and progress toward MPA goals. TSF President and CEO Sarita A. Mohanty recently testified before the Commission to highlight successes and continued priorities. Read her testimony and watch the recording. A second hearing is scheduled for August 24 at 9:30 am PT.

LOCAL

• We launched a two-year rural MPA initiative, funding three members of the California Advocacy Network to develop local MPAs. Early findings from this work were highlighted in Generations, a publication of the American Society on Aging.
• Visit California’s Data Dashboard for Aging for a map of age-friendly communities reporting activity around developing local MPAs.

Health disparities among older adults are further exacerbated for individuals from historically marginalized communities. Efforts to address racial and ethnic disparities in aging exist, but there is an opportunity for further coordination and greater impact.

Last week, we held our inaugural United for Health Equity in Aging Summit, convening the aging and disability sectors with the racial equity and social justice movements. Panels were informative, conversations were energizing, and the stories shared by older adults throughout the day grounded us.

We’re still reflecting! Materials and next steps from the meeting will be shared in the coming weeks. Until then, learn about the Advancing Health Equity in Aging initiative and meet individuals from the movement.

“In 10 years, 1 out of every 4 New Yorkers will be over age 60,” said Adam Herbst, deputy commissioner for the Health Department’s Office of Aging and Long Term Care. “What that means is a tremendous shift in everything,” he said, “our communities, our economy, our budget, how we value our families, so many significant things.” …

“We started with small things, like putting benches near grocery stores and possibly giving the aging places to sit inside the store to rest, and slowing the time for crosswalk signals on some streets,” said architect Edward Mills, who served on the Age-Friendly New York City Commission …

Read more from a WAMC Northeast Public Radio piece about New York’s efforts to develop their Master Plan for Aging (MPA). This journalism was supported by our partnership with UC Berkeley’s Investigative Reporting Program. Also, learn more about MPA activities across the country.

Ten states — Connecticut, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Washington State — have been selected to participate in the next Multisector Plan for Aging (MPA) Learning Collaborative.

Led by the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) and made possible through support from TSF, West Health, and the May & Stanley Smith Charitable Trust, the learning community is helping states advance planning efforts to support the needs of older adults, people with disabilities, and family caregivers across the nation. Learn more.

A recent webcast from innovation-focused Future Proof unpacks what an Multisector Plan for Aging (MPA) is, what it looks like at different stages, and how it can be valuable to a variety of communities and priorities. The episode, made possible by the American Society on Aging (ASA), also explores applying an aging and disability lens and going beyond traditional health and community services to build a movement.

• Don’t miss today’s 10 am Future Proof Live on cross-sector planning for aging at the local and state levels.

Also, check out the latest ASA blog post on supporting local MPAs in rural communities.

The “forgotten middle” represents more than 11 million older adults who will need health care and housing in the next 10 years but won’t qualify for Medicaid to help alleviate increasing costs.

Last month, we hosted a virtual briefing on the urgent need for action. Sarita A. Mohanty, President and CEO of The SCAN Foundation, and Caroline Pearson, Executive Director at the Peterson Center on Healthcare, discussed the intersections of housing insecurity, health care access and affordability, and community services. Watch the recording.

The “forgotten middle” represents more than 11 million older adults who will need health care and housing in the next 10 years but won’t qualify for Medicaid to help alleviate increasing costs. We’re hosting a virtual briefing on May 11 to discuss the urgent need for action.

Join Dr. Sarita A. Mohanty, President and CEO of The SCAN Foundation, and Caroline Pearson, Executive Director at the Peterson Center on Healthcare, to provide insights on how the intersections of housing insecurity, health care access and affordability, and available community services affect older adults.

Register for the May 11 webinar today.

A multisector plan for aging (MPA) – called the Master Plan for Aging in California – is a state-led strategic planning resource that can help states transform the infrastructure and coordination of services for their rapidly aging population.

In a local news segment shown across the United States, TSF President and CEO Sarita A. Mohanty, MD, MPH, MBA, discussed the value of states developing their own blueprints for aging so that people’s needs are considered and accounted for across the age continuum.

The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) is currently accepting applications for participation in the second cohort of a multistate learning collaborative to advance MPAs. Up to 10 states will be invited to participate. Learn more and apply by next Monday at 2 pm PT.

TSF is hiring a senior policy analyst. If you or someone you know has a passion for transforming systems to better serve older adults and people with disabilities and has professional experience with state aging, health, and long-term care policies, take a look at our latest recent job posting.

During the pandemic, the Central Coast Center for Independent Living (CCCIL) evolved their strategies to maximize programs’ impact on community members. Learn how the Regional Coalition is thinking about the future.

CCCIL is part of the California Advocacy Network, a statewide movement involving nearly 1,000 organizations who serve more than 95 percent of California’s population.

• Education is key to San Diego Senior Alliance’s aging initiative.
• Community needs are at the heart of Marin County Aging Action Initiative’s advocacy efforts.

Multisector Plans for Aging (MPAs) can serve as blueprints for committing to a vision and implementing a world where all people are fully valued, recognized, and engaged at all ages. A recent Grantmakers In Aging brief examines the fundamentals of the MPA movement and discusses how funders can get involved and help advance the work.

TSF and our grantees are headed to Atlanta for the annual conference of the American Society on Aging (ASA). Check out where you can find us and register for On Aging 2023.

• Join TSF Vice President of Programs, Equity, and Community Impact Rigo Saborio and a distinguished set of speakers for a preconference workshop to unpack how a state can start and build momentum for a Multisector Plan for Aging. Hear strategies for building cross-agency collaboration and centering equity, learn how to engage diverse stakeholders, get guidance on tracking data and measuring success, and find out lessons learned from other states. (March 27)
• Why a Multisector Plan for Aging? States Share Their Unique Approaches and Tools. In this session, leaders from three states that are participating in an Multisector Plan for Aging (MPA) Learning Collaborative will describe where they are in their development process as well as their unique strategies for MPA development. This includes cross-sector planning and broad consumer and stakeholder engagement, using data, messaging, and more. (March 28)
• Building Partnerships to Deliver Medicare Advantage Nonmedical Benefits. Megan Burke, TSF Program Officer for Policy and Advocacy, will provide opening remarks during this session designed to present the latest trends in nonmedical benefits and illustrate the value and scope of innovative, collaborative partnerships to best deliver the benefits in a person-centered, tailored way within diverse communities across the country. (March 30)

A Multisector Plan for Aging (MPA) is an umbrella term for a state-led, multiyear planning process that convenes cross-sector stakeholders to address the needs of older adults and people with disabilities.

A Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) blog from Kim McCoy Wade – Senior Advisor on Aging, Disability and Alzheimer’s for the Office of California Governor Gavin Newsom – offers advice to states that are beginning the journey. Also, watch a recent Future Proof Live episode all about MPAs.

Governor Newsom’s 2023-24 proposed budget focuses on housing, workforce issues, economic security, and other initiatives that impact older adults and people with disabilities. Learn how the proposed budget maintains key investments in the state’s Master Plan for Aging (MPA).

By the end of the decade, all baby boomers will be age 65 and older. Recognizing this shift and the variety of factors that affect the aging experience, state policymakers have engaged numerous programs to help older adults thrive.

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) highlights progress across the country, including those states already implementing Multisector Plans for Aging (MPAs) or participating in the Multisector Plan for Aging Learning Collaborative.

Watch a recent California Collaborative for Long Term Services and Supports (CCLTSS) webinar, which shares how regional coalitions are elevating local Multisector Plans for Aging (MPAs) in rural areas. Another helpful CCLTSS recording dives into the benefits of assessing regional strengths.

In our latest Regional Coalition feature story, San Diego Senior Alliance (SDSA) recounts a year of hard work and progress. SDSA is part of the California Advocacy Network, a statewide movement involving nearly 1,000 organizations who serve more than 95 percent of California’s population. Explore the Regional Coalition profiles.

Join the California Collaborative for Long-Term Services and Supports on Tuesday, December 13, at 12 pm PT to learn about the steps Regional Coalitions are taking to develop local Master Plans for Aging (MPAs) in rural communities. The webinar will focus on how to form an advisory committee, build on existing data, gather community input, and plan for implementation and sustainability.