Interested in LeadingAge Missouri Board Service?
LeadingAge Missouri has opened the nomination process for 2026-2029 board service. Board seat openings exist for Organizational Members and Business Member “experts” (in areas identified by the Board). Meetings are in-person throughout the State four times per year for 2-4 hours, with additional virtual meetings as needed. The Board enforces attendance requirements. If you are interested in becoming more engaged with LA MO and have a passion for service and leadership, we welcome your interest. We are looking for proactive, forward-thinking Board members to advance LA MO’s mission of service to aging service organizations. If this resonates with you, reach out to Bill Bates for more information and/or to submit an application.
Leadership Academy Registration extended to August 1st
Registration for the 12-month LeadingAge Missouri Leadership Academy closes August 1st—secure your spot before it’s gone. Beginning this September, you’ll benefit from four in-person summits, monthly Zoom meetups, and one-on-one coaching led by experienced Jordan River Group trainers to craft a personalized leadership playbook. Whether you manage teams today or show team leadership promise for tomorrow, the academy will sharpen your ability to lead yourself, others, the business, and change — preparing you for bigger roles and deeper advocacy. Sign up today!
Transfer or Discharge Notice Expectations
Missouri’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman is circulating this Letter to Administrators and Transfer Discharge Tip Sheet-Certified 4.28.25 to clarify new guidance (CMS QSO-25-14-NH) about expectations for a resident’s return to a Nursing Facility following transfer to an acute care setting. The correspondence details facility transfer and discharge requirements under all circumstances and required documentation. Also included is the LTC Ombudsman Program email address to which facilities must forward copies of discharge notices. To support this information, enclosed are a Q & A guide and county-specific contact information for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.
Official Version of Appendix PP Now Available
The official version of Appendix PP is now posted. Please see the links below for more information.https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Provider-Enrollment-and-Certification/GuidanceforLawsAndRegulations/Nursing-Homeshttps://www.hhs.gov/guidance/document/revisions-state-operations-manual-som-appendix-pp-1
LeadingAge Missouri and State Affiliate Partners Advocate for CMP Reinvestment Program
Citing a “critical barrier stifling innovation and impeding improvements in nursing home care,” LeadingAge State Partners, including LA MO, sent a May 8 letter to the Department of Health and Human Services and CMS, urging leaders to take action on “overly restrictive” use of Civil Money Penalty Reinvestment Funds. LA MO and its partners explained that actions taken by CMS in 2023 and 2024 constrain the scale of meaningful projects and ignore tools essential to delivering person-centered care. The State Affiliates urged the removal of funding restrictions and return of fund management and grant processes to the states, as explained here.
Business Member News
Guardian Pharmacy of the Heartland, a long-term care (LTC) pharmacy based in Springfield, Missouri, and member of Guardian Pharmacy Services, has acquired Senior Care Pharmacy in Wichita, Kansas, expanding the company’s operations to serve residents in assisted living, skilled nursing and behavioral health communities, as well as individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and Illinois.
Pharmacist Michael Counts, founder and president of Guardian Pharmacy of the Heartland, will lead the Wichita location in addition to its Kansas City, KS, Springfield and St. Louis, MO locations. Senior Care Pharmacy will continue operating under its existing name, with its local leadership team and staff.