Webinar: COA Town Hall Meeting

November 5, 2019

Join the new President and CEO for the Council on Accreditation (COA) for a special town hall meeting with Lutheran Services in America members. Levinson-Johnson will share the vision for COA and their upcoming plans for 2020. For the 24 members of the Lutheran Services in America network accredited by COA, this is an event you won’t want to miss! Click here for information on how to access this event. Date: November 5, 2019 Time: 1 to 3 p.m. ET Jody Levison-Johnson, LCSW-C is the President and CEO at the Council on Accreditation. She is a licensed clinical social worker with over 20 years of experience in the field of human services. Prior to joining COA, she served as the Assistant Vice President of Practice Improvement at the National Council for Behavioral Health, where she oversaw the organization’s consulting portfolio and a large, privately funded adolescent mental health initiative. Before that, she was the Chief Clinical Officer for Choices Coordinated Care Solutions, a children's care management organization. There, she handled all program operations, as well as service and business development activities. From 2011 to 2014, Jody served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Louisiana Office of Behavioral Health, where she managed publicly funded behavioral health services, including the statewide public sector managed care efforts. Using wraparound and managed care technologies, she led the implementation of the Coordinated System of Care for children/youth at greatest risk. Prior to working in Louisiana, Jody was the Vice President of Coordinated Care Services, Inc. (CCSI), a non-profit management and consulting services organization. where she had oversight of all of CCSI's service quality, system development and evaluation activities. In short, Jody has driven several cross-system initiatives focused on residential reform and the enhancement of the community-based service array for children, youth, families. She has extensive knowledge in leadership, organizational change, public sector behavioral health, strategic and sustainability planning, service and program reform, and managed care implementation and operations.

Hot Topics in Federal Policy

November 19, 2019

A Discussion with Lutheran Services in America

Please join the Lutheran Services in America public policy team and your fellow members for an update and discussion of the current hot topics in federal policy and what that means for you. This is part of a recurring series of calls.
  • 1–1:30 p.m. EST on Tuesday, November 19, 2019
  • An agenda and dial-in information will be circulated to those who have submitted RSVPs. Additional details to come.
Scheduled to join the Lutheran Services in America public policy team as a guest speaker this month is a senior Senate Finance Committee advisor on health policy: Anne Dwyer, Senior Health Counsel to Ranking Member (senior Democrat) Ron Wyden (D-Oregon). Anne plans to update us on the work her boss is doing that will directly impact you and your organization in the following areas:
  • Any possible Congressional action related to federal approval of Medicaid “block grant” waivers to states that would cut or cap funding for the program
  • Congressional action supporting recruitment, retention and development in the workforce of direct care professionals
  • Medicaid provider reimbursement rates
If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Dobson, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, at sdobson@lutheranservices.org or 202-499-5832.

Preserving the Not-for-profit Legacy in Senior Living

May 12, 2021

A new wave of complexity is hitting the senior living & care sector. More Americans are entering retirement than ever before, but economic pressures from the pandemic and increasing complexity of the care for seniors are driving many nonprofit senior services providers to either affiliate or undergo acquisition with private sector companies. Many not-for-profits are taking a hard look at their long-term viability as they reconcile their extensive history of caregiving, vast industry knowledge, deep connection to the community, and mission-driven culture with the goals of remaining competitive, relevant and financially sound. During this webinar, Ziegler will talk about trends in the not-for-profit senior living & care sector and will highlight what providers need to consider as they look to preserve their Lutheran heritage and not-for-profit spirit.

This is not the first time that the nonprofit senior living industry has had to combat change. Lutheran social ministry organizations alone have provided health and human services in the U.S. for roughly 150 years and shown tremendous resilience in times of great social and economic upheaval. They have also become leaders in all-encompassing care, including independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, long-term care, memory support, and home and community-based services.

Please join us for this data-driven and motivational presentation from Ziegler on how to move forward to ensure perpetuity of your not-for-profit and Lutheran-based heritage, whether as an independent organization or in partnership with another. Ziegler will also share what newly combined organizations — not-for-profit and private — can each learn from the other to ensure success in our changing world.

Featured Speakers

  • Dan Hermann, President & CEO
  • Lisa McCracken, Director of Senior Living Research and Development

By the (Hand)book — Staying Compliant in a Changing Environment

August 17, 2021

Handbooks, policies and forms . . . oh my! In 2020, many organizations had to quickly adapt to working remotely, and keep up with rapidly changing new health and safety requirements. Even though the dust seems to have settled a little and we are trending back towards some normalcy (knock on wood) it is not yet time to ease up if you are responsible for your organization’s handbook or policies. With these changing work environments coupled with new legislation, your handbook may be (probably is) outdated. There are over 50 new laws that took effect July 1 alone that impact 20 different states. How can you keep up? How do you know if your handbook is compliant for federal, state and local laws? Join us for a webinar to discuss handbooks where we will:
  • Share best practices on updating your handbook
  • Discuss key employment areas to review or create
  • Provide guidance for returning to the office or considerations for remaining remote
  • Give an overview of the online HR Support Center
  • Share how you can stay up to date with legislative changes

Featured Speakers

  • Beth Jones, Director of Ministry Solutions at Concordia Plans
Beth Jones is a Human Resources professional with over 15 years of progressive human resources experience. She has experience in a variety of industries, including education, health insurance, financial services and nonprofits. She has led teams, consulted and provided services to employers of all sizes from large Fortune 100 or 500 employers to small nonprofits and for a wide range of HR disciplines including workforce relations and planning, culture and engagement, compensation and benefits, reward and recognition, payroll, and training and development. As an active SHRM member, Beth has found it rewarding to mentor and guide new HR professionals entering the field and has volunteered her time and skills to help small nonprofits with HR issues. As she is most passionate about serving nonprofits, she finds her current position as Director of Ministry Solutions at Concordia Plans fulfilling as she gets to focus exclusively on helping nonprofit ministries obtain affordable products and services that ease administrative burden, help nonprofit ministries focus on their missions, and reduce employer risk. Current solutions available to some ministries include: HR, payroll and compensation services.

Innovations Looking Forward: What Worked and What Is Here to Stay in Senior Services

July 21, 2021

Senior living providers embraced new strategies and tools to keep residents, their families, and the workforce safe, healthy, and happy during the sudden onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many new engagement technology, communication strategies, and workforce strategies evolved out of necessity and have become the “new normal” in day-to-day senior living operations. While the feeling of crisis mode has begun to subside or slow down, what do senior living leaders think are the tools and strategies that are here to stay beyond the pandemic? How will leaders continue to think differently and more strategically — what considerations should be made moving forward? During this webinar, Dave Gehm, President and CEO of Wellspring Lutheran, and Sloan Bentley, President and CEO of Lutheran Life Communities, will discuss with Jack York, Cofounder of IN2L, the innovative strategies that their teams adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic and what they think will remain part of the norm of senior services in the future.

Featured Speakers

  • Dave Gehm, President & CEO of Wellspring Lutheran Services
  • Sloan Bently, President & CEO of Lutheran Life Communities

Cyber Attacks: Are You at Risk?

July 15, 2021

It is predicted that a business is being hit by ransomware every 11 seconds in 2021, and that it results on average 16–19 days of downtime. Join this session to learn about cyber risk management, the latest trends, including the role and important considerations around cyber insurance coverage and top cybersecurity best practices you should be implementing.

Featured Speakers

  • Rafael Haciski, Vice President at Johnson, Kendall & Johnson
  • Alexandra Bretschneider, Cyber Practice Leader at Johnson, Kendall & Johnson

OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Program: What You Need to Know

April 27, 2021

In the aftermath of the pandemic, employers continue to prioritize the health and safety of their employees, especially those who cannot work remotely or practice physical distancing at work. This is particularly true of healthcare providers, whose employees are still at risk of contracting COVID-19 and variants of the virus. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) — the standardizing body of health and safety in the workplace — requires employers in the U.S. comply with a worksite-specific respiratory protection program to protect employees from inhaling hazardous materials or other harmful contaminants while on the job. This has meant added pressure for skilled nursing, long-term care, and other healthcare facilities to properly document COVID-19 cases, complete necessary N95 mask training with staff, and submit timely reports to maintain compliance. Not doing so can result in citations and financial penalties that are costly and difficult to challenge. During this webinar, Johnson, Kendall & Johnson will explain the four main components of an OSHA compliant respiratory protection program as they pertain to COVID-19 protection in healthcare settings, and what organizations can do to ensure their continued compliance. Attendees will also learn about recent OSHA citations in healthcare, how and when to record COVID-19 cases on the OSHA 300 log, and how to navigate OSHA’s recordkeeping and reporting home page.

Featured Speakers

  • Cullen Wise, CSP, MBA, is Vice President, Risk Control Services at Johnson, Kendall & Johnson, and specializes in providing loss control services pertaining to worker’s compensation, general liability, property protection, professional liability, and other lines of coverage.In addition to his Certified Safety Professional (CSP) designation, he holds an MBA from Temple University.
  • John Kiefner, CSP, ARM, is Vice President, Risk Control Services at Johnson, Kendall & Johnson. John has provided risk control guidance to hundreds of companies in industry, healthcare, and retail, and performs on-site management and employee education, exposure identification, and risk reduction for clients. In addition to CSP and ARM designations, John holds a Bachelor of Safety Sciences from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and has over 20 years’ experience in safety consultation.
  • Raf Haciski, Vice President, Healthcare at Johnson, Kendall & Johnson is a trusted resource and sought-after speaker in the area of risk management and insurance, having presented to many LeadingAge and other faith-based human service associations across the country. Prior to joining JKJ, Raf was an attorney and litigated on behalf of Fortune 500 companies in coverage disputes adverse to insurance carriers. He has a law degree from Rutgers Law and a Bachelor of Arts from Oberlin College and Conservatory.

Crisis Fatigue in the Workforce: A Conversation with Dr. Christine Cauffield

February 21, 2021

TIME Magazine reflected in a December issue why many consider 2020 to be “The Worst Year Ever.” The last 10 months have been especially difficult for people living in the U.S., where more than 400,000 people have died from COVID-19. There is also no question that long-lasting emotional trauma from race-based violence, mass unemployment, and political and social unrest is exhausting employees, a phenomenon known as crisis fatigue. The question for all leaders – not just CEOs, but anyone who manages staff – is how to best support employees suffering from crisis fatigue while also ensuring they have what they need to lead effectively. This webinar will feature Dr. Christine Cauffield, Chief Executive Officer of LSF Health Systems, a managing entity comprised of 60 behavioral health care organizations across Northeast and North Central Florida. Dr. Cauffield will discuss the many physiological effects that long-term stress and emotional trauma have on the body and share tools leaders can use to recognize and address crisis fatigue for themselves and their employees. Dr. Cauffield is a trusted and visionary leader in behavioral health with clinical expertise in substance abuse, trauma recovery, grief and loss issues, integrated health, and brain disease/disorders, and has worked extensively with leaders across sectors to address the organizational impact of crisis fatigue and mental health. She has a degree in Clinical Psychology from Florida Institute of Technology and completed her internship and post-doctoral residency at Harvard Medical School.

Understanding the Impact of Systemic Racism on Black Families

April 16, 2021

Racism is woven into our institutions and systems and produces far-reaching disparate outcomes for people of color. Throughout American history there have been many forces that have actively destabilized black and brown families. Slavery, mass incarceration, the school to prison pipeline, and poverty are some of the many examples of policies and practices that have actively separated parents from their children and children from their families. The trauma that systemic racism causes is at the personal, community, and economic level, and can last for generations. Yet, despite all of this, Black families have found strength and built supportive communities. In the last year, renewed calls for racial justice brought increased public awareness of systemic racism in American society. Please join us for this captivating, original presentation by Dr. Harry Singleton on the historical and cyclical impact that systemic racism has on children, families, and communities of color, and the considerations we as faith-based organizations must make if we are to disrupt its cycle. Dr. Harry Singleton is a theologian, author, and one of the most passionate and informed voices on race and religion in America. For over twenty years, he has made numerous television, radio, and podcast appearances to share his expertise on topics ranging from state and national politics to the social and religious legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and to the role of religion in the twenty-first century. He is the author of several articles published in national and international journals and is also the author of three books, “Black Theology and Ideology,” “White Religion and Black Humanity,” and “Divine Revelation and Human Liberation.” He has just completed work on a fourth book tentatively titled “Forever in Thy Path: The Liberating God” to be released later this year, and currently teaches in the African American Studies Program at the University of South Carolina. For more information about Dr. Singleton, please visit his website, www.harrysingleton.com.

Reading the Tea Leaves: Fortune-telling an Uncertain Future for Senior Services

March 10, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic is unfortunately just one more disruptor for senior services. Providers are also grappling with changing market trends that are calling them to rethink organizational structure and service delivery. There is uncertainty especially among providers that offer facility-based services like assisted living, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation. Changes to federal and state funding, the regulatory environment, priorities for health insurance companies, new clinical care needs, and preferences for home care are among some the major market forces that will drive the future. What are some ways longstanding providers — some of which have been around for more than 100 years — can prepare to meet evolving needs and major changes? What are the options that providers should consider given their configuration of services? Who are the key players and what short and long-term trends are most important to consider? Andy Edeburn, Principal with Premier, Inc., has more than 20 years of healthcare consulting experience, specializing in acute, primary, post-acute, and senior care services. He is a nationally recognized expert on aging services and post-acute care. During this webinar, Andy will give an overview of current market trends and offer methods for senior services providers to think about the future.