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Archive June 2022

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Share Your Thoughts on National Hunger, Nutrition and Health Strategy by July 15

After more than 50 years, the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health will be held this September—and will announce a national strategy to end hunger and increase healthy eating and physical activity.
 
To help inform the plan to address health inequities, end hunger and reduce diet-related disease, the White House is soliciting ideas and stories from stakeholders. Recognizing the essential role you play in nutrition and the health outcomes of older adults in your community, add your feedback to ensure the Aging Network's expertise is reflected in the national strategy.
 
The White House’s stated goal is to “end hunger and increase healthy eating and physical activity by 2030, so that fewer Americans experience diet-related diseases like diabetes, obesity and hypertension.” The White House recognizes that to truly address hunger and health disparities, it needs to hear from all community advocates. While regional listening sessions have reached capacity, there is still an opportunity for you to share your ideas and stories by July 15!
 
In addition to submitting your individual perspective, the White House has created a toolkit to help you convene your own local stakeholder discussions and submit shared experiences, stories and ideas. The toolkit provides guidance on discussing the five pillars established by the White House to identify actions needed to:
  • Improve food access and affordability: End hunger by making it easier for everyone—including urban, suburban, rural and Tribal communities—to access and afford food.
  • Integrate nutrition and health: Prioritize the role of nutrition and food security in overall health, including disease prevention and management, and ensure that our health care system addresses the nutrition needs of all people.
  • Empower all consumers to make and have access to healthy choices: Foster environments that enable all people to easily make informed healthy choices and increase access to healthy food.
  • Support physical activity for all: Make it easier for people to be more physically active.
  • Enhance nutrition and food security research: Improve nutrition metrics, data collection and research to inform nutrition and food security policy, particularly on issues of equity, access and disparities. 
Find more information on how to share and submit your ideas and stories on the White House Conference website.

Learn About the Commit to Connect Intergenerational Community of Practice

Want to connect with others interested in intergenerational programming and social engagement? Apply to join the Commit to Connect Intergenerational Community of Practice! 
 
Communities of Practice are groups of people who share a concern or passion for an activity—and regularly interact as they learn how to improve or enhance this skill. Lasting four months, the Intergenerational Community of Practice will convene on Zoom, from August to November, with the goal of facilitating the development and enhancement of intergenerational programming aimed at addressing social isolation and loneliness. Selected participants will join a nationwide professional network and learn about ways to support social connectedness through shared programming and related resources for community organizations.
 
For more information, join Commit to Connect for an Informational Session on June 23 at 2:00 PM ET and visit the website to apply

ARPA Spending Deadline for Medicaid HCBS Extended

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced that the deadline for spending Medicaid HCBS funds provided by the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) will be extended for one year, through March 31, 2025. 
 
While efforts to include additional Medicaid HCBS funding through a reconciliation bill have been sidelined, the Biden-Harris Administration remains keen on supporting states as they navigate the expansion of home and community-based services by providing additional time and resources to strengthen ARPA investments.
 
Specifically, ARPA funding for Medicaid HCBS is intended to address existing HCBS workforce and programmatic infrastructure issues. Prior to this announcement, states had three years to leverage funding intended to expand access to much-needed home and community-based services through Medicaid. However, the dire state of the direct-care workforce and the complexity of strengthening Medicaid HCBS has unexpectedly stymied states that are trying to address the increased demand for these services. The one-year extension provides a little more breathing room as states address the workforce issues surrounding the expansion and delivery of these critically necessary services.  
 

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USAging Fact: Learn about your peers’ work—and how it can fit into your agency’s goals! The AIA Awards recognizes successful and innovative programs that USAging members have developed to serve older adults. Get inspiration from our 2023 winners!