Training materials

The VA's Caregiver Support Program (CSP) has selected "Caregiving and Wellbeing Coaching" as its Resource of the Month for July 2024. This resource focuses on empowering caregivers by prioritizing their health and well-being. Caregivers work with a trained CSP team member to develop a plan to improve their physical, emotional, and mental health, guided by the VA's Whole Health approach. This coaching is available at no cost to caregivers enrolled in CSP’s Program of General Caregiver Support Services and Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. It offers personalized coaching, planning, and support to help caregivers improve their overall well-being.

On December 14, Justice in Aging released a Q&A covering common questions raised during their recent webinar titled, “Topics in SSI – Practical Tips on Recent SSI and Social Security Changes.” Topics addressed in this Q&A include the 60-day appeal period, the SSI protective filing tool, SSI exclusion of pandemic-related financial assistance, and ABLE accounts, among other things. Information will also be provided on how to reach local Regional Communications Directors and other points of contact at SSA.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Office of Disability Integration and Coordination (ODIC) recently celebrated International Day of Persons with Disabilities by releasing a new version of their training course titled “Including People with Disabilities in Disaster Operations.” This course replaces the previous version of IS:368 released in 2012. The course is designed for all personnel involved in disaster operations. It provides an introductory overview of information and strategies on how to include people with disabilities during mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery efforts....

On November 1, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the launch of the “Housing and Services Partnership Accelerator”, which will support states in developing or expanding innovative housing-related supports and services for Medicaid-eligible people with disabilities and older adults who are experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. The Partnership Accelerator will focus on helping states improve collaboration and coordination between organizations and systems that provide services and resources that help people find – and keep – stable housing in the community...

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has recently released the “Disaster Preparedness Guide for Older Adults,” as part of their preparedness campaign that focused on empowering older adults as they prepare for disasters. This guide is intended to support older adults and their caregivers in preparing in three straightforward steps: assessing their needs, creating a plan, and engaging their network. The guide also provides easy-to-read, user-friendly worksheets that walk individuals and caregivers through a self-assessment to identify specific needs and checklists that create a personalized plan.

Staff in independent and assistive living, nursing homes and health care settings in the community that includes registered nurses, nursing assistants, nursing home dieticians, direct care professionals, other administrations and support employee are invited to participate in a national National Institute on Aging (NIA)-funded research study, which offers the “Changing Talk: Online Training (CHATO)” program at no cost. This program aims to enhance person-centered communication skills among healthcare staff when interacting with older adults in various healthcare settings, ultimately reducing resistiveness to care and the need for psychotropic medication in residents with dementia. Successful completion of the three-hour training awards...

Join the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Renewals webinars focused on special populations. This webinar series will provide partners with strategies to reach out to diverse communities and audiences to share information about Medicaid and CHIP renewals. Each webinar will also include a “train-the-trainer” presentation, during which CMS will walk-through a set of downloadable slides that partners can use to educate others in their communities about Medicaid and CHIP renewals.

Registration is now open for the 2023 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) National Training Program (NTP) virtual workshops. Session dates and topics for the upcoming week are as follows: August 1st: Coordination of Benefits August 2nd: Medicare Scenarios (Casework Session) August 3rd: Medicare for People with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) All sessions will start at 1:00 p.m. and conclude no later than 3:30 p.m. ET.

June 5-11th marks the celebration of Medicare Fraud Prevention Week (MFPW), and the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) is actively participating in raising awareness and combating fraud. With Medicare fraud costing an estimated $60 billion annually and impacting beneficiaries' well-being, the SMP is dedicated to educating and empowering individuals to protect themselves against scams. Throughout the week, each day will be specifically targeted to a group of people who can help to prevent fraud, including: Medicare beneficiaries Caregivers Families Partners and professionals Health care providers Community members

This online course is intended for care facility staff and advises on person-centered approaches to communicating with older adults. Changing Talk: Online Training (CHATO) includes three, one hour long modules and concludes with a 15-minute evaluation. An implementation toolkit with CHATO training resources is also available.