NCCAP
Executive Director Annual Report
(May 2003 - April 2004)
NCCAP
continues to maintain alliances with other national
organizations to include:
·
The National Association of Activity Professionals (NAAP);
NCCAP contributes $500.00 annually toward the Madge
Scholarship, NCCAP also donates monies each year to
assist NAAP with their national conference held annually
in various locations (plan now for the 2005 NAAP Conference
to be held in VA). This year, NCCAP sponsored the NAAP
State Contact Breakfast. Check out the NAAP web page,
its link is on the NCCAP.org website home page.
·
The Joint Commission - NCCAP Continues to serve on the
Network Liaison Committee, giving input into various
standards.
·
NCCAP was part of the CMS Hydration/Nutrition Campaign,
also giving input into the importance of activities
in implementation of the Fact Pact, and other various
programs to promote proper hydration. As a result, NCCAP
continues to be included in the various communications
from all the different entities, i.e. ADA, AHCA, or
AAHSA.
· NCCAP is part of the Quality Improvement Organization
(QIO) Special Study, being conducted by Quality Partners,
through the support of CMS, and being assisted by other
various organizations that support quality of life for
the residents.
·
NCCAP gave input to CMS for the proposed changes to
F248 and F249.
·
NCCAP is a member of the National Citizen's Coalition
of Nursing Home Reform (NCCNHR), maintaining communication
and assistance in disseminating important information
to activity professionals.
·
NCCAP has frequent communications with the various State
Licensing bodies with regard to the qualification requirements
for activity professionals as well as the acceptance
of the MEPAP courses.
NCCAP
recently mailed letters to administrators of the "facility
addresses" of individuals that grandfathered into
certification, during the first few years of inception.
This letter was to share with administration the importance
of activity professionals maintaining their certification,
or becoming certified. This letter has indeed generated
communication between the administrators and the activity
directors. Any individual that lets their certification
lapse one year past their reinstatement, would have
to reapply following the current NCCAP standards. NCCAP
encourages individuals to maintain their certification
by renewing accurately and timely every two years to
avoid unnecessary delays.
NCCAP
also recently mailed letters to the administrators of
the facilities that had an activity professional that
had NOT yet renewed their certification, but were presently
in their reinstatement year. This letter too, accomplished
the intent of generating better communication between
activities and administration. As a few members have
contacted the NCCAP office expressing appreciation for
the support, as their administrators have now encouraged
their attendance at workshops etc. to maintain their
credential versus possibly having to start over, or
not be in compliance with the various state (or federal)
requirements for activity professional qualifications.
NCCAP
is currently finalizing site locations for the orientation
to the MEPAP 2nd Edition. Mailings have been sent to
ALL pre approved instructors, NCCAP state representatives,
and various state education committee members, requesting
assistance in finding the most cost effective, beneficial
site for all current instructors, and all potential
future instructors of the courses, to have their training.
A special thank you to those individuals that are helping
to secure a site. Be watching the NCCAP website announcement
page for the details of the upcoming training(s), and
other current announcements/news.
Hardly
a day goes by, that someone doesn't call requesting
an "exception", "extension", etc.,
as a result of non-compliance of the established NCCAP
Standards. Our legal responsibility to you the certified
member is to maintain consistent, adherence to the standards.
The very credibility of the profession lies on this
fact. While this does not always make NCCAP popular,
it does lend to the federal recognition and respect
for YOU the certified member. Ensuring to ALL the administrators,
owners, management companies etc., that if you are a
current certified individual, that you have met an established
national standard, much like other members of the inter-disciplinary
team(s) i.e. SW's or RN's.
Lastly,
NCCAP is fortunate to have dedicated, committed staff.
Betty, Audrey, Rachel, and (Kelly) work endlessly to
process the day-to-day happenings at the office in Virginia
Beach. In addition to the business and financial management
of NCCAP, the focus of the Executive Director is to
maintain certified members, and to market/impress upon
administrators, state licensing agencies etc. the importance
of national certification for activity professionals.
This challenge continues to be met head on, on behalf
of YOU the activity professionals, and for the quality
of life for the residents that are served by the certified
members. NN
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