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Secure America’s Workforce
Yesterday, I spent the day visiting with offices of elected officials on behalf of our members in Washington DC. Coordinated by the American Business Immigration Coalition, hundreds of business leaders from across the country and with varying political affiliations came together to advocate for bipartisan, common-sense immigration reform that secures America’s border and workforce.
Our members know firsthand how vitally important immigrants are to the healthcare and aging services workforce. Nearly 30% of the direct care workforce is made up of individuals who were not born in the US. The truth is, there are simply not enough individuals to fill the gaps in our workforce, which have not been helped by inconsistent and ever-changing policies on immigration.
Powerful stories and personal experiences were shared by business leaders and individuals during the visits. One woman’s story was particularly moving. Nancy works as a peer recovery coach in an addiction treatment center in Baltimore and spoke about coming to the US 25 years ago from El Salvador. As a TPS holder, she is now at risk of losing this status in September of 2026 and being forced to leave the country she calls home. Another individual, Milton, shared about being a TPS holder for more than 20 years, and being on the maintenance team who painted the very legislative offices where we sat. Chef and restaurant owners spoke about the massive declines in revenue they are seeing this year (from 15-35%), and workforce shortages due to staff being afraid to come to work. Equestrian associations and farmers spoke about massive ICE raids that are leaving livestock uncared for and crops rotting in fields. With one voice, we urged legislators and staffers to pursue bipartisan means to secure America’s workforce.
We were glad to be able to advocate on behalf of our members and will continue to urge Maryland representatives to find productive ways of moving forward.
To learn more about ABIC, you can visit their website here.
My best,
Allison
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Pictured (L-R): Austin Cawley (LeadingAge PA), Allison Ciborowski (LeadingAge MD), Mandy Lien (Acts Fairhaven), Tracey Lewis (LeadingAge VA), Joseph Dubroff (LeadingAge CO), and Robert Liebreich (Goodwin Living) visit Capitol Hill
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LeadingAge WIN: CMS Revises Revisit Restrictions During Shutdown. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released revised memo QSO-26-01-ALL on October 21 updating survey and certification activities during the federal government shutdown. The revised policies address concerns that LeadingAge previously highlighted in a letter to CMS on October 15 related to Denials of Payment for New Admissions. QSO-26-01-ALL states that on-site revisits will now be authorized upon request when necessary to prevent a statutorily-mandated Denial of Payment for New Admissions. The memo further clarifies that states may continue state-funded licensure surveys and other activities but should not expect these surveys to be accepted as federal survey and certification surveys. Though this policy is consistent with the original October 1 release of QSO-26-01-ALL, there appeared to be some confusion among states due to past practices. LeadingAge will continue to monitor and advocate for members as the shutdown continues.
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Take Action: Make Medicare Telehealth Waivers Permanent. An October 17 action alert from LeadingAge asks aging services stakeholders to urge Congress to make Medicare telehealth waivers permanent. The alert seeks House and Senate support for the “Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2025” or the “CONNECT for Health Act of 2025” (S. 1261/H.R. 4206) and stop the telehealth cliff by authorizing these flexibilities permanently this year. Take action here.
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Register Now: The Changing Landscape of Service Coordination. Join LeadingAge and the American Association of Service Coordinators (AASC) on December 3 and 7 at 2pm ET for a two-part webinar series on the latest developments shaping Multifamily Service Coordinator programs funded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The webinar series will cover changes to HUD rules and expectations that are already impacting programs, including budget and salary changes, updated reporting requirements, HUD grant specialist staff capacity and structures, and quality assurance strategies. Don’t miss these critical updates! Register today.
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Government Shutdown: Impacts on Agencies & Senior Living Providers. Stay up to date with the latest information regarding the Government Shutdown, the Lapse in Appropriations, and how it impacts agencies, providers, and our older adults who rely on them - follow LeadingAge's serial post here.
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New Career Center Now Available. We are proud to announce our new Career Center - where our members can continue to post open positions for free with enhancement opportunities, as well as take advantage of free resume, interview and coaching services. We hope this newly-designed career center will make a significant difference for our members as they work to develop their organization's workforce. Thank you for your ongoing support. Visit the Career Center today!
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Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging
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Immigration Enforcement Preparedness Resources. As immigration enforcement policies shift, LeadingAge members have requested guidance on preparing for potential encounters with ICE, including audits or detention-related visits. We’ve compiled an initial list of resources (available here) and will update it regularly.
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Cultural Appreciation and Awareness Days Happening in October:
- October 1: International Day of Older Persons
- October 1-2: Yom Kippur
- October 2: International Day of Non-Violence
- October 6: German Heritage Day
- October 6: Sukkot Starts
- October 6-12: Active Aging Week
- October 9: National Depression Screening Day
- October 9: Ageism Awareness Day
- October 10: World Mental Health Day
- October 11: National Coming Out Day
- October 13: National Indigenous People’s Day Formerly Columbus day
- October 13: Sukkot Ends
- October 15: Global Handwashing Day
- October 17: Women in Military Service for America Memorial Anniversary
- October 17: Birth of Baha’u’llah
- October 31: Halloween
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October is also:
- Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- AIDS Awareness Month
- Down Syndrome Awareness Month
- Filipino American Heritage Month
- Italian American Heritage Month
- LGBT History Month
- National Disability Employment Awareness Month
- German American Heritage Month
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- Clergy Month
- Physical Therapy Month
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LeadingAge Maryland & Maryland Continuing Care Residents Association Host Joint Webinar on Financial Solvency of CCRCs. The two associations have been working to find ways to collaborate and hopes to offer additional learning opportunities in the coming year. A recording of the webinar, which drew over 150 attendees, along with the accompanying slides from the presentation can be found here.
View the Recording | Download the Slides
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Peer Networking Forums
By sharing successes and challenges, brainstorming ideas, and exploring innovative strategies together we will build a larger, better, stronger network across the state. More information >
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Upcoming Peer Networking Forums (Provider Members Only):
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Maryland Department of Health
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MMR and Varicella Immunity Documentation. Please see the attached letter regarding Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella that clarifies OHCQ's stance on permissible evidence of immunity for staff working in ALPs. Read here.
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Emergency Weather Transmittal. Please see OHCQ's updated Emergency Weather Transmittal, which provides guidance for Assisted Living Programs during extreme weather events. The transmittal is also available on their website. If you have any questions about the document, please contact Kelli Fox, Program Manager at kelli.fox@maryland.gov or (410) 402-8089.
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Maryland Department of Aging
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AgingIN: Free Symposium Series on Person-Directed Living. Starting Oct. 7, AgingIN is bringing together national leaders, residents, and care partners for a free (for Maryland LTC professionals) four-part webinar series that explores what it really means to advance and implement person-directed living for older adults. Learn more here.
Session Schedule:
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Session 1 (Oct. 7): Because It’s Home
Karen Schoeneman, a pioneer in culture change and former CMS leader, reveals why connection, culture, and dignity are the foundations of true care.
Session 2 (Oct. 14): Living Fully, Caring Deeply
Hear directly from residents and care partners about what brings meaning, autonomy, and joy to life in long-term care.Session 3 (Oct. 21): In Good Company
Ombudsmen, surveyors, and administrators come together to show how trust and collaboration create better outcomes for all.- Session 4 (Oct. 27): The Future We Choose
Dr. Chris Mulrooney of the Florida Pioneer Network shares real-world strategies for overcoming barriers and bringing person-directed values to life.
Plus, get free CEUs for nurses, dementia care practitioners, and administrators, as well as access to an additional FREE eLearning certificate course from AgingIN.
Don’t miss this opportunity to be inspired, connect with change-makers, and reimagine what care can look like.
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Issues with Skin Substitute Potential Abuse Continues to Rise. LeadingAge has been tracking the growth of skin substitute use by Part B wound care providers. Many of these providers target individuals in home-based environments with increasingly devastating results for Medicare beneficiaries. Accountable for Health, a nonpartisan national advocacy and policy analysis organization focused on accountable care, has created a resource center for the issues they are seeing in the use of skin substitutes including patient stories. Additionally, they have created a one-pager on how these products and practices are creating patient harm.
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Call For Participants in Telehealth Study. A research team led by Vanderbilt University’s Dr. Jessica Ancker, professor and vice chair for educational affairs, seeks input from providers on the use of telehealth in nursing homes to gain insight into its impact on quality of care, care efficiencies, and more. Learn more about this timely investigation, which follows the September 30, 2025, expiration of COVID-era telehealth flexibilities that allowed the use of telehealth in various care settings, and how to join the study here. LeadingAge is advocating to permanently extend the telehealth flexibilities.
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USAging Seeks Submissions to Caregiver Services and Supports Innovations Hub. Submissions to USAging’s innovation hub will be accepted through October 31. Programs that have been included in prior years include programs that support caregivers through novel respite programs, use of assistive technology, training, and caregiver support and counseling programs. The hub is an online clearinghouse that facilitates the exchange of ideas and innovative programs to support caregivers. Organizations interested in composing a submission or browsing existing programs can access the hub here.
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Join more than 4,300 of your aging service colleagues and register by for the 2025 LeadingAge Annual Meeting in Boston to lock in the lowest rate available! Hotel rooms are filling up quickly: secure your spot at the can't-miss conference and reserve your preferred accommodations. View rates, explore sessions, read about the keynote speakers José Andrés and David Brooks, and more.
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LeadingAge Policy Pulse (Mondays at 3:30 PM ET).
Please join LeadingAge’s members-only briefing and analysis call with our experts, “National Policy Pulse,” every Monday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
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Weekly Recaps & Updates. LeadingAge brings you the latest updates and recaps from the recent week. Find yours below:
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Skilled Nursing & Life Plan Communities
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2025 SAGE Virtual Housing Symposium. LeadingAge Maryland members are invited to attend the 2025 SAGE Virtual Housing Symposium: Stories, Strategies and Solutions for LGBTQ+ Affirming Affordable Housing, taking place on November 12th, 2025. Join SAGE for Stories, Strategies and Solutions, a dynamic and inspiring webinar that amplifies the voices and visions behind LGBTQ+-affirming elder housing initiatives across the country. This convening will explore the intersection of aging, equity, and sustainability, highlighting innovative models and community-driven solutions that are transforming lives.
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Government Shutdown: Snap Survey for Affordable Housing Providers. Please help LeadingAge understand the impacts of the current government shutdown on your affordable housing communities. We created a very short survey to fill out. This will also help us anticipate challenges the longer the shutdown goes on! Take the snap survey here.
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LeadingAge Weighs In on HUD HOTMA Drafts: On October 17, LeadingAge submitted comments to HUD on updated draft leases, forms, and resident materials issued under the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act (HOTMA). Working with members, we reviewed key documents—including the model lease, Resident Rights and Responsibilities brochure, and Section 8 and 202 factsheets—and urged HUD to clarify discretionary HOTMA options, correct inconsistencies, and improve communication and modernization efforts. We also called for a more realistic implementation timeline. HUD’s updates mark progress toward HOTMA implementation, now scheduled for January 1, 2026, though further delays are expected. Keep up with on the latest HOTMA updates here.
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Hospice, Home Health, & PACE
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LeadingAge, Other Hospice Groups Ask DEA to Extend Current COVID Telemedicine Prescribing Flexibilities. On October 17, LeadingAge sent a letter with the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, the National Alliance for Care at Home, and the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), to the new Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Terrance Cole, regarding the COVID era telehealth prescribing flexibilities. The letter urges Administrator Cole to first, extend the current COVID era telemedicine prescribing flexibilities if they should lapse before finalization of the Special Registrations for Telemedicine and Limited State Telemedicine Registrations proposed rule or before the effective date of such finalized rule, second, carefully consider the comments received on the proposed rule as work on a final rule is completed, especially regarding exemptions for hospice and palliative care providers, and finally, consider issuing an interim final rule with a comment period to ensure continuity of care while the final rule is completed as the recent government shutdown may delay the rulemaking process. Read the letter here.
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PACE Program Applications Pending with CMS. The federal government shutdown has resulted in the furlough of many federal employees, including PACE program account managers. LeadingAge has heard from PACE Organizations experiencing delays in approval and processing of new program applications and service area expansion applications at CMS because communication has ended with workers who have since been furloughed. LeadingAge has been in contact with CMS about how programs experiencing delays or lack of communication should proceed. If you have an application pending with CMS, please email Georgia Goodman with information about the application including the H-contract number, name and location of the site, and the dates of the CMS review window.
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Upcoming Webinars & Education
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