Home Health & Hospice Week

State coalition seeks equal footing with all national trade groups.

Home health agencies have a new voice on the trade group scene.

Several state home care association executives have resigned their positions with the National Association for Home Care & Hospice's Forum of State Associations to form a state coalition independent of any national trade group. NAHC's Forum, in contrast, "recognizes NAHC as the official national organization representing home care and hospice," according to the trade group's Web site.

"The state home care associations of Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Oregon announce the creation of The Council of State Home Care & Hospice Associations," the New Iberia, LA-based Council says in a press release. The executives of the Louisiana, Carolina and Oregon associations make up the Council's officers.

"Participating Council members, ... will seek an open dialogue with all national organizations representative of those provider groups," says Council Chair Warren Hebert, also executive director of the Home-Care Association of Louisiana.

The targeted national trade group affiliates include NAHC, the Visiting Nurse Associations of America, the American Association for Homecare, the National Home Infusion Association and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, according to Gene Tischer, executive director of the Associated Home Health Industries of Florida.

"Transitioning participating states to an independent body follows a trend recently set by state affiliates with the American Society of Association Executives, and other state groups," Hebert notes in the release. "The opportunity to explore closer collaboration between states and with other national associations is an opportunity whose time has come."

New Orleans Conference in the Works

The new association may help the national trade groups fill a void, suggests NHPCO spokesperson Jon Radulovic.

"Over the past year, we've been figuring out the best way to work with home health/hospice organizations that might fall outside of the [NHPCO's Council of States]," Radulovic tells Eli. "NHPCO will work to try and eliminate any barriers, real or perceived, that might be keeping organizations from utilizing the resources we produce."

NAHC, VNAA and NHPCO point out that they support and work closely with state associations already. NAHC's policy is "to support state associations in whatever they choose to undertake," spokesperson Richard Brennan, Jr. tells Eli.

And VNAA works closely with the other national trade groups on regulations and legislation, points out VNAA head Carolyn Markey. AAH and NHIA didn't respond to inquiries for this story.

NAHC, VNAA and NHPCO are reluctant to comment more specifically on their relationship with the new trade group until more details are available. "We need to wait until their goals and purpose are articulated," Markey says.

Meanwhile, the Council is already planning its first event--an emergency preparedness conference in January in New Orleans, Tischer relates. "Everyone seems positive," he says. "There is a need for more of a broad-based outfit."