Providing information, resources, and tools to help you
navigate during these changing times

State & National Updates

No Wrong Door Summit

Picture above (left to right): Kathy Hayfield, DARS Commissioner, Joseph Lugo, Administration for Community Living, Nanette Relave, ADvancing States

Virginia No Wrong Door hosted the No Wrong Door (NWD) Summit: Think.Innovate.Activate on Wednesday, April 19th at Maymont Park in Richmond, VA. The NWD Summit included over 80 attendees from national partners and consultants, statewide sister agencies, Area agencies on Aging, Centers for Independent Living, and a broad network of No Wrong Door partners from community based organizations. The day-long event focused on opportunities to learn about No Wrong Door from the federal, state and local levels. The Administration for Community Living (ACL) and ADvancing States presented the federal level viewpoint on the NWD initiative and framed how Virginia’s efforts impact the federal vision of a NWD system.


Click here to hear the full NWD Visioning Conversation


Attendees had the opportunity to reflect on their individual impact of the No Wrong Door vision through an introspective activity called “What is Your Why?” and through a Person-Centered Thinking Activity (pictured below) led by No Wrong Door’s Trainer and Options Counseling Specialist.


The second half of the NWD Summit focused on 4 workgroups aligning with the Four Core Pillars of a NWD System. The workgroups were: Consumer Voices and Accessibility, Data Analytics, Outreach and Marketing, and Person-Centered Options Counseling. Each workgroup spent 30 minutes discussing the topic. Some important themes that came out of the NWD Summit were:

  •  Consumer Voices and Accessibility: Ensuring that we are being person-centered through the use of everyday language, active listening, and building trust. This means that individuals are guiding the services and supports.
  •  Data Analytics: Data, particularly quantitative data, does not tell the full story. The outcomes and impact can be difficult to measure vs. the outputs. Some ideas generated by the groups were to host a peer sharing group, customizable data dashboards, and incentivize “data ambassadors.”
  •   Outreach and Marketing: No Wrong Door has great credibility across the state, but it is not strongly marketed. Buy-in and philosophy of a person-centered initiative is a strength, but assistance is needed to market No Wrong Door beyond providers and in varying communities (ie. Rural, urban, suburban)
  • Person-Centered Options Counseling (PCOC): PCOC can be a great tool in creating efficiencies within organizations and empowers Virginians to create more self-determination. The use of the word “counseling” can be off-putting or have a negative connotation.


A full report from the No Wrong Door Summit will be compiled with common themes and next steps. More information about the NWD Summit meeting materials, and follow-up will be posted on our Virginia Easy Access:

No Wrong Door Summit Webpage

Exciting Outcomes


Following the No Wrong Door Summit, particularly the AIRS Certification Training held on Day 2, several staff from Mountain Empire Older Citizens submitted applications to the Virginia AIRS Certification Scholarship. Virginia AIRS is delighted to announce that all 3 scholarships have been awarded to cover the cost of the Certification for Community Resource Specialists-Aging and Disability. See information below to learn how to become AIRS Certified!

Become AIRS Certified!

AIRS Certification Program is a professional credentialing program for individuals working within the Information and Referral (I&R) section of human services.


Certification for Community Resource Specialist - Aging/Disabilities (CRS- A/D)

This certification is designed for practitioners who work directly with clients and caregivers within the aging and/or disabilities area and perform the same basic range of skills and tasks as a comprehensive I&R Specialist but who also have a special depth of knowledge related to their core client group. Candidates must follow AIRS Ethical Principles.

AIRS Certification Exam Registration

Data Literacy Training Series

Are you a Data Master, Data Explorer or maybe a Data Cynic? Join No Wrong Door's Data Literacy Training Series to find out which one you are!

No Wrong Door invites you to participate in our No Wrong Door Data Literacy Training Series. Join us for all four (4) interactive sessions to discover your data style and improve your skills.


You will learn how to:

  • Make decisions to best impact outcomes
  • Flexibly address the needs of people within and across communities
  • Streamline costs to leverage every available dollar
  • Understand return on investment and meet market trends
  • Optimize potential
  • Innovate
  • Identify new areas of growth and unmet needs

The Four (4) sessions will be held on Thursdays from 11am-12:30pm:

  • May 18: Assessing Data Literacy
  • June 15: Understanding the Power and Value of No Wrong Door Data
  • July 27: How to Work Effectively with No Wrong Door Data
  • August 17:How to Develop a No Wrong Door Mindset
Click here to register for Session 1: Assessing Data Literacy
Click here to register for Session 2 on June 15th
Click here to register for Session 3 on July 27th
Click here to register for Session 4 on August 17th

Click here for the downloadable flyer to share with your networks

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

June 15th

Join VCU Health, Project Empower, the Abuse in Later Life Project at the Virginia Center on Aging for a half day training event for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Cases of elder abuse have been on the rise in Virginia, and our expert speakers bring crucial knowledge and information on successfully identifying, investigating and pursuing justice and access to resources for elders. 

Click here to register for the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Training

Virginia Governor's Conference on Aging:

Shaping the Future of Aging in Virginia


Join over 500 aging advocates in Richmond May 8-9th for the Virginia Governor's Conference on Aging: Shaping the Future of Aging in Virginia.


"Shaping the Future of Aging in Virginia: Informed. Inclusive. Innovative." will focus on engaging presenters and attendees from across the Commonwealth and beyond in main focus areas:

  • Informed Virginia - What are organizations currently doing to successfully support aging Virginians and their networks. How do those foundations set the pace for what comes next?

 

  • Inclusive Virginia - What does inclusion across the aging spectrum mean in Virginia? How do we ensure ageism is defied?

 

  • Innovative Virginia - Over the past two years, organizations, public and private, have had to be creative and innovative to support this growing older population. What are the lessons we have learned that we are taking forward? What successes can be replicated as we strengthen the supports needed to continue building a strong aging network in Virginia?


Click here to check out the conference agenda

Register Here

2023 EngAGED and Commit to Connect: Social Engagement Virtual Summit


Join engAGED and Commit to Connect for a joint two-day Virtual Summit! Taking place May 9 and 10 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm ET, the Virtual Summit will bring together national, state and local leaders for interactive sessions highlighting the latest research, innovative programs, and tools and resources for the aging and disability networks. The Virtual Summit will highlight the topics of social engagement in rural communities and supporting the social connectedness needs of unpaid caregivers. Attend the Summit to learn about creative solutions, spurring ideas for replication in your community!  

The Virtual Summit is open to the public and does not require paid registration, but you must register to participate!  



May 9-10, 2023

1pm-4pm EST

Register Here for the Virtual Summit
STAY CONNECTED
NWD technology questions? Contact the NWD Helpdesk at NWDHelp@dars.virginia.gov
Other questions? Contact the NWD team at NoWrongDoor@dars.virginia.gov
Follow DARS on Twitter
Visit the NWD Person-Centered Portal: Easy Access
Visit No Wrong Door Virginia