Chain Packet Letters

RCC Chain Outreach Letter with FAQs

Date

Position

Name of Organization

Address of Organization

Organization City, State, Zip Code

Dear <Position >:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) is conducting the 2014 National Study of Long-Term Care Providers (NSLTCP). NSLTCP tracks trends in the supply and use of five major types of long-term care providers—assisted living and similar residential care communities, adult day services centers, home health agencies, nursing homes, and hospices. Data are used to produce national and state estimates to help inform long-term care providers, planners, researchers, and policymakers. For examples, see the enclosed insert and our recent NSLTCP report at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nsltcp/long_term_care_services_2013.pdf.

In the coming weeks, one or more residential care communities in your organization may be invited to complete an NSLTCP questionnaire. Directors will be asked to provide information about the characteristics of their residential care communities, the services they offer, their staffing, and the demographics, functional status, and health of the residents they serve. Study participation is primarily by mail-in or secure web-based questionnaires. Completing the questionnaire will take about 30 minutes on average; a few items may require consulting administrative/resident records. You may view the 2014 questionnaire at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nsltcp.htm.

Participation is voluntary; however, it is important that we obtain data from all sampled residential care communities to achieve statistically accurate findings. Please support and encourage the members of your organization who are contacted to complete this questionnaire. We need their help to make this study a success.

Data collection for NSLTCP is authorized by Section 306 of the Public Health Services Act (Title 42, U.S. code 242K). As required by federal law (section 308(d) of the Public Health Services Act in 42, U.S. Code, 242m(d) and the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act Title 5 of PL 107-347), all information collected will be used only for statistical purposes and held in the strictest confidence. No data on individual residents will be collected.

These national organizations support NSLTCP: American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA), Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA), LeadingAge, and the National Center for Assisted Living/American Health Care Association (NCAL/AHCA).

On the back of this letter are NSLTCP Frequently Asked Questions. If you have further questions, call (800) XXX-XXXX or visit the NSLTCP website at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nsltcp.htm.

I greatly appreciate your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Charles Rothwell, MS, MBA

Director, National Center for Health Statistics

National Survey of Long-Term Care Providers (NSLTCP)

Frequently Asked Questions

Who designed this study? What issues is it examining?

Researchers at CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) designed the National Study of Long-Term Care Providers (NSLTCP). Representatives from the assisted living and residential care industry helped to design the questionnaire and protocol. NSLTCP tracks trends, every two years, in the supply and use of five major types of long-term care providers—assisted living and similar residential care communities, adult day services centers, home health agencies, nursing homes, and hospices. NSLTCP collects information about the characteristics of residential care providers, the services they offer, and their staffing profile, in addition to the demographics, functional status, and health of the residents they serve.

Why should our communities participate?

NCHS recognizes that residential care communities are an important part of the long-term care spectrum in the United States. NSLTCP data inform long-term care providers, planners, researchers, and policymakers about the important work your communities do to meet the needs of their residents. By participating in NSLTCP, your communities will be able to contribute to the national description of residential care. If your communities do not participate in NSLTCP, the representation of their unique qualities will be lost and the data will be less accurate. NCHS aims to produce state estimates in states where we receive enough completions; your communities’ participation may help allow us to produce estimates for the states where your communities operate.

Should my communities complete a questionnaire if they participated in NSLTCP a couple of years ago?

Yes. Their participation in this 2014 survey is important. NSLTCP is conducted every two years to obtain accurate, up-to-date data about residential care communities, other long-term care providers, and the people they serve to detect changes in the long-term care services industry over time.

What other residential care communities are being contacted to participate in this survey?

The survey includes approximately 11,700 residential care communities operating in the United States. This is a random nationally representative sample, and we do not release the names of sampled communities to anyone. This is to protect the privacy of individual communities, their staff, and the residents they serve.

Where did you get the names of the residential care communities?

Individual state licensing agencies provided the names of all licensed, certified, or otherwise regulated residential care communities in their respective states.

Will the results be made public?

An overview report that will include survey data from the 2014 NSLTCP is anticipated for release in 2015 and will be made available online at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nsltcp.htm. If you would like to be informed of when it is available, you may join the Long-Term Care ListServ at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/dhcs/longterm_listserv.htm. Identifying information about participants will not be contained in the summary report. You can view overview report that includes 2012 NSLTCP data at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nsltcp/long_term_care_services_2013.pdf

I approve communities in my organization to participate in NSLTCP. Who do I notify?

Please convey to your community directors that they have your approval to participate in the 2014 NSLTCP if they are invited to do so.

Can I tell you which of our communities to contact?

The communities were selected using a scientific process to draw a statistically valid random sample. If we were to switch communities, the sample would no longer be random and unbiased, and the study data will not be valid.

Will information be held confidential?

Yes. Information collected in this survey may be used only for statistical purposes. Any government staff, contractor, or agent who willfully discloses confidential information may be subject to a jail term or a $250,000 fine.

Who supports this study?

This survey is supported by American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA), Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA), LeadingAge, and the National Center for Assisted Living/American Health Care Association (NCAL/AHCA). The enclosed letter of support provides this specific information.

ADSC Chain Outreach Package-Cover letter with FAQs

Date

Position

Name of Organization

Address of Organization

Organization City, State, Zip Code

Dear <Position >:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) is conducting the 2014 National Study of Long-Term Care Providers (NSLTCP). NSLTCP tracks trends in the supply and use of five major types of long-term care providers—adult day services centers, assisted living and similar residential care communities, home health agencies, nursing homes, and hospices. Data are used to produce national and state estimates to help inform long-term care providers, planners, researchers, and policymakers. For examples, see the enclosed insert and our recent NSLTCP report at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nsltcp/long_term_care_services_2013.pdf.

In the coming weeks, adult day services centers in your organization will be invited to complete an NSLTCP questionnaire. Directors will be asked to provide information about the characteristics of their centers, the services they offer, their staffing profile, and the demographics, functional status, and health of the participants they serve. Study participation is primarily by mail-in or secure web-based questionnaires. Completing the questionnaire will take about 30 minutes on average; a few items may require consulting administrative/participant records. You may view the questionnaire at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nsltcp.htm.

Participation is voluntary; however, it is important that we obtain data from all adult day services centers to achieve statistically accurate findings. Please support and encourage the members of your organization who are contacted to complete this questionnaire. We need their help to make this study a success.

Data collection for NSLTCP is authorized by Section 306 of the Public Health Services Act (Title 42, U.S. code 242K). As required by federal law (section 308(d) of the Public Health Services Act in 42, U.S. Code, 242m(d) and the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act Title 5 of PL 107-347), all information collected will be used only for statistical purposes and held in the strictest confidence. No data on individual residents will be collected.

The National Adult Day Services Association (NADSA) and LeadingAge support NSLTCP.

On the back of this letter are NSLTCP Frequently Asked Questions. If you have further questions, call (800) XXX-XXXX or visit the NSLTCP website at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nsltcp.htm.

I greatly appreciate your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Charles Rothwell, MS, MBA

Director, National Center for Health Statistics

National Survey of Long-Term Care Providers (NSLTCP)

Frequently Asked Questions

Who designed this study? What issues is it examining?

Researchers at CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) designed the National Study of Long-Term Care Providers (NSLTCP). Representatives from the adult day services sector helped to design the questionnaire and protocol. NSLTCP tracks trends, every two years, in the supply and use of five major types of long-term care providers—adult day services centers, assisted living and similar residential care communities, home health agencies, nursing homes, and hospices. NSLTCP collects information about the characteristics of adult day services centers, the services they offer, and their staffing profile, in addition to the demographics, functional status, and health of the participants they serve.

Why should our facilities participate?

NCHS recognizes that adult day services centers are an important part of the long-term care spectrum in the United States. NSLTCP data inform long-term care providers, planners, researchers, and policymakers about the important work your centers do in meeting the needs of their participants. If your centers do not participate in NSLTCP, the representation of their unique qualities will be lost. Also, NCHS aims to produce state estimates where possible, and your participation may help allow us to produce estimates for your state.

Should my centers complete a questionnaire if they participated in NSLTCP a couple of years ago?

Yes. Their participation in this 2014 survey is important. NSLTCP is conducted every two years to obtain accurate, up-to-date data about adult day services centers, other long-term care providers, and the people they serve to detect changes in the long-term care services industry over time.

What other adult day services centers are being contacted to participate in this survey?

The survey includes approximately 5,000 adult day services centers operating in the United States. We do not release the names of these centers to anyone. This is to protect the privacy of individual centers, their staff, and the participants they serve.

Where did you get the names of the adult day services centers?

A nonprofit association of adult day services centers, under contract to NCHS, compiled a list of all adult day services centers in the U.S.

Will the results be made public?

An overview report that will include survey data from the 2014 NSLTCP is anticipated for release in 2015 and will be made available online at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nsltcp.htm. If you would like to be informed of when it is available, you may join the Long-Term Care ListServ at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/dhcs/longterm_listserv.htm. Identifying information about participants will not be contained in the summary report. You can view overview report that includes 2012 NSLTCP data at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nsltcp/long_term_care_services_2013.pdf

I approve centers in my organization to participate in NSLTCP. Who do I notify?

Please convey to your center directors that they have your approval to participate in the 2014 NSLTCP.

Will information be held confidential?

Yes. Information collected in this survey may be used only for statistical purposes. Any government staff, contractor, or agent who willfully discloses confidential information may be subject to a jail term or a $250,000 fine.

Who supports this study?

This survey is supported by the National Adult Day Services Association (NADSA) and LeadingAge. The enclosed letter of support provides this specific information.