We're helping Florida’s most vulnerable older adults: those who need home and community based services (HCBS), those in an institution and those who are uninsured.
Along with our client storytellers, we're utilizing every tool in the advocacy "toolkit":
litigation; education; administrative & legislative advocacy; consumer & advocate materials; trainings & convenings
WEAVING STORIES INTO ADVOCACY:
Litigation & Education
Litigation & Education
While representing HCBS clients, we've shared their stories, won their appeals & identified system wide issues.
Haydee and Barbara
When you’re a caregiver, business owner and part-time teacher, 24 hours a day is never enough.. Read more |
Diwantie
When her 87-year-old mother, Mankuar, fractured her back, it fell upon her daughter Diwantie to pick up the pieces, becoming her mother’s voice and caretaker through the travails of hospital and rehabilitation center visits. Read more |
Thelma & Hortense Thelma quit a good job to care for her elderly mother, Hortense, who needs care 24/7. Although the pay for being her mom’s full time care giver was only $10.76 an hour, the Medicaid managed care plan said she would be paid for 41 hours/week. Instead, the plan keeps cutting Thelma’s service hours. Read more |
Elevating client voices with media & legislators in advocating for increased HCBS
Illustrating why Florida's older uninsured desperately need Medicaid Expansion
Darren Darren has worked in unskilled labor positions for most of his life but because of his physical problems, he can no longer return to those jobs. Read more |
Gigi Gigi lost her job and her health insurance due to COVID-19 as well as contracted the virus herself. Now suffering with the lingering effects of COVID-19, she cannot afford the medical care she desperately needs. Read more |
Adrienne Adrienne is a retiree. She moved to Florida a few years ago to take care of her mother. Adrienne did not make this decision lightly, as it meant taking early retirement and giving up her steady benefits. Read more |
Sharing client stories in public comments & sign-on letters
Comment letter to U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging: Underscoring how Alene's testimony eloquently described what it’s like to go days at a time without any home health aide coming to help with the basic activities of daily living and the the fact that Medicaid home health workers must be paid more in order to resolve this systemic problem.
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Working with media in covering FHJP storytellers and elder health issues
Medicare doesn’t cover dental care. For many Florida seniors, that’s a problem. Sharing Sonia and Miguel's story.
December 20, 2019
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creating Consumer & advocate materials
In-Depth Videos & Guides
Video and portal materials explaining how to navigate Florida Medicaid Long-Term Care HCBS Program:
This consumer video (in three languages) explains how to obtain needed HCBS. |
Advocate's Guide to the Florida Long-Term Care Medicaid Waiver:
Advocate Guide provides roadmap for helping people. |
Know Your Rights Fliers
Issue Briefs & Fact Sheets
Ending the COVID-19 Related Continuous Medicaid Coverage Requirement: Impact on nursing facility residents and the importance of appealing both a DCF Medicaid termination notice and a potential nursing home discharge
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Defending Evictions from Florida Nursing Facilities
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Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS): Background; Need in Florida; & Federal Opportunity
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Florida Seniors - Tsunami of Need: Statistics & Transparency
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Trainings & Convenings
Protecting Long-Term Care Residents' Rights in Florida: Statutory and Practical Tools:
This webinar provided a practical roadmap and tools for representing long-term care residents facing a variety of residency related issues. October 18, 2023
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Florida Nursing Home Evictions:
Virtual event explaining the state and federal law governing nursing home discharges and transfers. September 22, 2022
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Florida Elder Health Justice in the Time of COVID:
Training sessions that provide a basic overview of Florida Medicaid eligibility and services for low-income Florida seniors. 2 parts. July 2020
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2019 Florida Elder Justice Conference:
Brought together over 30 state and national experts to present a range of innovative projects and cross-sector legal issues impacting low-income Florida seniors in first statewide Elder Justice conference. April 2019
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Alliance for Aging Annual Conference and Luncheon:
Our presentation on Florida's Medicaid Long-Term Care Waiver (including the latest updates to the LTC Advocate's Guide). March 2019
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South Florida, Elder Health and Economic Justice Training:
The first-ever South Florida Elder Health and Economic Justice Conference. September 2018
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CALL TO ACTION
The HCBS Access Act (HAA) provides for increased access and quality for Medicaid HCBS. It would
provide permanent enhanced federal funding to ensure eligible older adults and people with disabilities are able to live at
home and connected to their communities by placing HCBS on equal footing as institutional care. Overtime, the bill would
eliminate CBS waiting lists and improve the direct care workforce shortage.
Click here to learn how to contact your representatives.
provide permanent enhanced federal funding to ensure eligible older adults and people with disabilities are able to live at
home and connected to their communities by placing HCBS on equal footing as institutional care. Overtime, the bill would
eliminate CBS waiting lists and improve the direct care workforce shortage.
Click here to learn how to contact your representatives.
Testimonials
From Legal Aid Senior Help Line Staff “The strength of FHJP is to be in the position to help and support the legal aid delivery system. The materials are good for individuals and families, but best to support local legal aid attorneys to train, educate, and assist in cases in the complicated law that they know so well. FHJP has the strength and expertise to do the trainings and issue briefs.” - Former State Legal Services Developer at the Florida Department of Elder Affairs |
From Elder Law Attorneys “The writing was extremely clear and concepts that are obscure are presented with clarity and practical solutions that allow a non-lawyer to do what they need to do and a lawyer to give pragmatic advice that can be helpful.” – Elder Law Attorney based in Tampa, FL |
From National Healthcare Advocacy Partner “Comment letters are a huge value add for other advocacy organizations. A lot of states don't have a partner that has the capacity to engage on developing comment letters or the detailed understanding of the law behind the legislation. FHJP provides Justice in Aging with the ability to create templates to share with partners to further national advocacy efforts.” - Director Federal Health Advocacy, Justice in Aging |
From National Healthcare Advocacy Partner “The Roundtable showcased something that was so unique about FHJP - they understand the federal, state, and local advocacy and that it all intertwines and matters. No other organization can demonstrate that to this level in other states” - Director of Federal Health Advocacy, Justice in Aging |
From Local Advocacy Partner
“The key to FHJP’s success is that they stand out as an authority figure on HCBS, which makes them credible, as they really believed in what they’re putting out there. FHJP has no vested interest as they’re not a provider, not a funder, and not receiving any money from the state, they’re just stating the facts and implications of legislation.” - Former Senior Director of Community Initiatives at United Way of Miami-Dade
“The key to FHJP’s success is that they stand out as an authority figure on HCBS, which makes them credible, as they really believed in what they’re putting out there. FHJP has no vested interest as they’re not a provider, not a funder, and not receiving any money from the state, they’re just stating the facts and implications of legislation.” - Former Senior Director of Community Initiatives at United Way of Miami-Dade
AWARDS & Reports
Katy DeBriere
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The Elder Law Section of the Florida Bar presented their Exceptional Service Award to Katy DeBriere and Nancy Wright for their work toward requiring increased transparency in Medicaid administrative final orders . |
The Project Independence Overview This report assessed the impact and accomplishments of FHJP’s "Project Independence," a four-year advocacy project that identified and addressed systemic barriers to Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) for low-income Florida seniors who need assistance with the basic activities of daily living in order to avoid institutionalization. |