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Long Term Care Committees

The work of the Long Term Care Coordinating Council is largely accomplished by its committees. Please check the Public Meetings Calendar for time and location of committee meetings. All meetings are open to the public and held in accessible locations.

For more information regarding the following committees or the Long Term Care Coordinating Council call 703-324-2051; TTY 711 or e-mail us.

• Access Committee
• Government Affairs Committee
• Mobility and Transportation Committee
• Services for Seniors Committee
• Services for Young Adults with Disabilities Committee
• Workforce Committee

Access Committee

The Access Committee seeks to increase public awareness and access to services. The committee oversaw the development of the LTC website in the Health Department, developed a video describing the LTCCC’s activities, and helped develop the disAbilityNavigator website and service locater for persons with disabilities. 

Committee Projects and Events:

• The Speakers Program provides LTC information to organizations and groups in the community.  A wide variety of topics are available for this free service.
• Universal Design to make homes and buildings accessible to persons of all ages and abilities is a committee priority.  The committee works with the county’s Building for All Committee to promote universal design features.
• Multicultural Access seeks to connect organizations that serve multicultural communities, especially those that serve limited English proficient individuals,with long-term care service information and resources.
• The Accessible Government project seeks to make all county government buildings optimally accessible. 

Government Affairs Committee

The Government Affairs Committee develops legislative priorities to enhance LTC services at the local, state and federal levels.  The committee also monitors budget items at all levels that affect LTC services.  The committee works closely with similar advocacy groups such as the Commission on Aging, Community Services Board and Disability Services Board to develop cohesive strategies and priorities.

Committee Projects and Events:

• A Legislative Package is developed each year for inclusion in the Board of Supervisors’ package for the Virginia General Assembly. 
• The committee monitors the county’s budget process and provides input to assist the Board of Supervisors in its deliberations and decision-making. 

Mobility and Transportation Committee

The Mobility and Transportation Committee has just been established to address impediments that limit the ability of older adults and adults with disabilities to travel to appointments, shopping, work and participate in community life.  The committee will begin meeting in August 2010 and includes membership from a wide variety of stakeholders.

Services for Senior Committee

The Services for Seniors Committee seeks to increase and strengthen the viability, accessibility and variety of long term care services for seniors in the community.    

 Committee Projects and Events  

• Ministry - The committee conducted a survey of faith-based community service providers to learn of their needs and held an Interfaith Summit on the topic “Exploring Ways to Build Older Adult Ministries.”  Older adult ministry networks are being created throughout Fairfax County to support congregational programs for older adults and to assist in building service capacity. 
• Mental Illness - Because serious mental illness is rising among older adults, the committee conducted focus groups to identify gaps in type and availability of services and to build collaborative relationships to solve problems.  This subcommittee will make recommendations based on the findings. 
• Dementia - A project is underway to identify gaps in service for persons with dementia as well as family caregivers.  One outcome is an effort to educate and connect physicians to resources on dementia.   Another is to identify and promote creative, alternative approaches to providing respite care for over-stressed caregivers. 
• Volunteerism - Members of the committee drafted a proposal to form a new program aimed at preparing retirees to be more involved in the community and to link them with organizations needing high level volunteers.  They are meeting with a local leadership development organization to implement a third age leadership program.
• Positive Aging - The committee joined the national Positive Aging Coalition and is working to establish a local Next Chapter that will explore civic ventures and other active engagement activities for newly retired or about-to retire individuals.

Services for Young Adults With Disabilities Committee

The Services for Young Adults with Disabilities Committee seeks to increase and strengthen the viability, accessibility and variety of long-term care services for young adults with disabilities in the community. The committee has identifiedspecialized employment supportand appropriate social/leisure activities as major service needs for young adults with physical disabilities, autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), and other developmental disabilities.  The committee collaborated with community members to help establish the non-profit SPARC (SPecially Adapted Resource Clubs) that is now serving 14 young adults with physical disabilities in a social club program that allows them to be independent and participate in self-directed activities.   Similar to its involvement in the development of SPARC, the committee has conducted focus groups with young adults with ASDs and their parents, researched best practices, and developed a model vocational and social/leisure program for those individuals.   By forming partnerships with nonprofit organizations, state and local agencies, business community members, faith-based community members, and educational institutions, the committee has once again leveraged the resources shared by those partners and has successfully piloted the vocational component of the program.  At this time, the committee has received partial funding toward piloting the social/leisure component. 

 Committee Projects and Events

• Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) – Committee members developed a supportive employment pilot program in Cooperation with the regional Department of Rehabilitative Services, and partial funding recently has been received for piloting a social/leisure program for young adults with ASDs.
• Advocacy – the Committee recently held its Leadership Breakfast on Autism attended by local and state legislators and leaders.  In addition, three committee members are participants in the statewide Study on Autism Spectrum Disorders being conducted by the Virginia General Assembly’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC). 
• Medicaid Waiver Information – To better inform potential users of waiver services, the committee created a brochure describing the different Medicaid Waivers and the various resources for children with disabilities that are available in the Fairfax area.  In collaboration with The Disability Services Board, The brochure will be placed in medical professionals’ offices throughout the Fairfax area.  A Medicaid Waiver information sheet was created in collaboration with Fairfax County Public Schools to describe the different Medicaid Waivers and other support services.  The sheet is being provided to every special education student in Fairfax County Public Schools at their triennial evaluations.

Workforce Committee

The Workforce Committee seeks to improve and expand the LTC direct care workforce. The committee worked with the Northern Virginia Workforce Investment Board and with the non-profit Korean Central Senior Center to create training programs for personal care attendants, with a special emphasis on culturally sensitive training for multi-cultural populations. The committee worked with the Department of Family Services and SeniorNavigator to post the county’s direct care worker registry online to enable consumers to better access workers for in-home care.  

Committee Projects and Events:

• Annual recognition of direct care workers (direct support professionals) through a proclamation by the Board of Supervisors followed by separate recognition events in each magisterial district during September. 
• Advocating for affordable housing units and better benefits for direct care workers are also committee priorities.

LIFE CIRCLE ALLIANCES

One of the needs identified in the original Long Term Care Strategic Plan was to establish a private, non-profit organization to further the mission of the Council and act as a fund-raising arm to leverage private funds for long term care services and supports.  Life Circle Alliances (LCA) is that organization.  LCA is about INDEPENDENCE FOR LIFE for older adults and adults with disabilities. LCA identifies showcases and seeks funding for creative, cost-effective, community-based projects that help older adults and adults with disabilities live independently in their community of choice. LCA also supports the needs of their families, caregivers and senior providers.