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Spotlight on Innovations and Achievements: Veteran-Directed Home & Community-Based Services Program, Hub & Spoke Model

We're highlighting the cutting-edge programs and successful strategies used by the 2018 recipients of n4a's Aging Innovations and Achievement Awards in this weekly spotlight feature. This week we're focusing on the Veteran-Directed Home & Community-Based Services Program, Hub & Spoke Model project from Bay Aging, winner in the Home & Community-Based Services category.

Bay Aging developed the Veteran-Directed Home & Community-Based Services Program, Hub & Spoke Model for all local veterans at risk of being placed in a nursing home. Bay Aging is the hub, overseeing the program and its financial management. The hub partners with AAAs that act as the spokes. The AAAs then provide counselling services to enrolled veterans.
 
The program came about because of the high number of requests Bay Aging received from veterans for services in their communities. Officially starting in 2018, the program partnered with Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center. In addition, ACL and the Veterans Health Administration were helpful in providing outreach and promoting the program to veterans.
 
For agencies looking to implement a similar program, Bay Aging says that creating strong partnerships with experienced AAAs is one of the major keys to success. The team at Bay Aging is also working to make the “nuts & bolts” of payroll more user friendly both for its staff and the veterans they serve.
 
In the 4th quarter of 2018, satisfaction survey results indicated that 100 percent of the veterans served were happy with the program. Since the program's initiation, Bay Aging has served more than 300 veterans in Virginia and North Carolina. The program is expanding into another VA Medical Center and more AAAs have shown interest in participating in the program. The Virginia Senate recognized Bay Aging in part because of its Veteran-Directed Care program during their 2019 session.
 
For more information about this program, please contact Melissa Blake, Fiscal Manager, Bay Aging at mblake@bayaging.org.
 
To learn more about this year's winners, read our press release and check out our book of winners to learn how your agency can implement this or similar programs in your community!
 
Thanks to the generous support of WellCare, the Aging Innovations and Achievement Awards 2019 application process will open soon, so watch your email for updates and consider nominating your agency's programs!
 

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