Aging Services of Minnesota Services

Advocacy
Aging Services of Minnesota represents members on issues of state and national importance through a team of lobbyists and experts in legislation, regulation, senior housing, and data analysis. The work of the Public Affairs team is guided by the core values of Aging Services of Minnesota, with an emphasis on the ability of older adults to live as they choose; a solid workforce to support older adult services; ethical conduct; prudent stewardship of resources, accountability and investment in our communities; innovation and collaboration. To advance Aging Services' public affairs activities, Aging Services of Minnesota collaborates with Care Providers of Minnesota and with that association has formed the Long-Term Care Imperative. Aging Services of Minnesota members play a vital role in advocacy through a powerful grassroots network.

Staff contacts:
Legislative issues - Kari Thurlow
Care Center regulations - Darrell Shreve
Senior housing - Mary Youle

Communications
Aging Services of Minnesota strives to keep members informed through personal contact and telephone calls, electronic newsletters, e-mail updates, printed publications and a wide range of opportunities for members to be involved in the association's decision-making processes. The dynamic Aging Services of Minnesota web site is a means of rapidly disseminating - and gathering - information to and from members. A variety of communication vehicles include a weekly newsletter for all members, Monday Mailing, containing time sensitive news; the Housing & Services Advantage, a monthly supplement providing an in-depth look at issues related to housing, home care and other community-based services; the Care Center Advantage, a monthly supplement providing important background and insight on regulatory or payment issues; and HUD Update, available each month or more frequently as new information becomes available.

Staff contacts:
Aging Services of Minnesota newsletters - Jenny Mims
Aging Services of Minnesota website - Jenny Mims
Newsletter Subscriptions - Alecia Crumpler

Data Collection and Analysis
Aging Services of Minnesota is a primary information source for environmental scanning, operational benchmarking and other data regarding trends and conditions in older adult services. Members as well as policymakers benefit from the data collected through member surveys and other research. Key resources include: Environmental Scan, Compensation Surveys, Long-Term Care Indicators, Aging Services Housing Data Survey, Legislative Surveys, and the Data Institute.

Staff contact: Jeff Bostic

Education and Networking
It's not just about keeping up with current regulations and trends, it's about creating a new future of aging services! Aging Services of Minnesota offers an extensive array of educational programs and networking opportunities designed for professionals who are meeting the challenges of the future and improving service and value to consumers. Two signature events, the Aging Services of Minnesota Institute for Older Adult Services and the Aging Services of Minnesota Annual Meeting and Leadership Forum, plus a host of learning opportunities through the year, set the standard for personal growth in an ever-changing field. In addition, Aging Services conveys certificates to participants in advanced professional development courses for housing-with-services personnel. Members receive substantial discounts for Aging Services' educational programs.

Staff contacts:
Program content - Heidi Simpson
Institute & Exposition, Annual Meeting - Jenny Prosser
Registration questions - Kellie Carlson
Networking - Adam Suomala

General Counsel
Aging Services of Minnesota provides legal and regulatory information to members on a wide variety of issues.

Staff contact: Kari Thurlow

Group Purchasing
Alliance Purchasing's purpose is to negotiate beneficial contracts with vendors and make those benefits available to members. Through high-volume purchasing, members benefit from the economies of scale - the best prices and the best values. Alliance Purchasing does business with suppliers who care about the senior services provider community and support members' work through value-added services, such as continuing education and advocacy efforts. Group purchasing also simplifies purchasing by streamlining paperwork and offering regular reports on purchases - and savings.

Value First, Inc. is a group purchasing organization designed for aging services providers who seek expanded choice, intelligent solutions and significant savings. We offer collective buying power and contracts negotiated specifically for customers whose mission is better care and better outcomes for older adults. Value First is owned by LeadingAge (formerly AAHSA) and 25 LeadingAge affiliates in partnership with MedAssets.

The negotiation of vendor contracts is primarily administered by MedAssets, Inc.

Staff contact: Patti O'Brien

Nurse Consulting
An experienced nurse consultant is available on a fee-for-service basis to help members fine-tune their operations, prepare for surveys, implement plans of correction, introduce quality controls, restructure delivery of care and strategic planning.

Staff contact: Liz Sether

Products and Resources
Aging Services of Minnesota produces manuals, brochures and pamphlets designed to educate, meet regulatory requirements or assist members in staff development, marketing and consumer relations. The online Store is your entry point to these quality products.

Staff contact: Jenny Mims
Place orders: Alecia Crumpler