Lutheran Services in America

06/11/2026

Join us on Thursday, June 18 for an in-depth conversation on behavioral health measurement and how organizations can continue to drive better, long-term outcomes aligned with payment.

Building on insights from our recently released "Partnering for Impact" guide and our new Making Sense of Behavioral Health Measurement paper, this webinar will explore the current landscape of behavioral health metrics including:
- The current behavioral health measurement landscape, including what’s changing.
- Identify opportunities for further work and exploration to continue to improve quality and outcomes

Featured Speakers
- Josh Rubin, Health Management Associates
- Crissie Anderson, Lutheran Social Services of Illinois
- Kate Hutchinson, Lutheran Social Services of Northern California
- LSA staff will share the latest updates on federal policy-related efforts.

Register Here: https://hubs.ly/Q04l5L4X0

06/11/2026

The implementation of Medicaid work requirements have added an additional layer of administrative responsibilities for health and human services providers. Our member organization Lutheran Family Services has been providing support to thousands of Nebraskans on Medicaid to ensure that eligible people do not lose their coverage, but as LFS president and CEO Chris Tonniges notes, many face barriers that can make meeting the requirements difficult.

New federal guidance on Medicaid work requirements is drawing renewed attention to Nebraska, where similar requirements are already in place for some Medicaid e

06/10/2026

The people closest to the challenges are also closest to the solutions. This is especially apparent for family caregivers in rural communities. With the growing workforce shortage, family caregivers are more important than ever.

We were honored to partner with the RRF Foundation for Aging to host rural family caregivers from Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota today to share their stories with members of Congress on Capitol Hill. Together with our partners at the National Alliance for Caregiving, we’re ensuring that rural family caregivers voices are heard, their expertise is valued, and their experiences help shape policy conversations at the federal level.

Thank you to every caregiver and our Rural Aging Action Network members, including LSS of South Dakota, St. John's United, Immanuel Living, Missouri Slope, and Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, for participating!

06/10/2026

Health officials in Montana are withholding a modest Medicaid reimbursement rate increase for providers, despite it being approved by the state legislature last year. As Jason Cronk, head of our member organization Immanuel Living, outlines in a guest column in the Flathead Beacon, the abandonment of the planned 3% increase, which is intended to help providers manage continuously rising costs, will leave many nursing homes continuing to operate at a loss and ultimately threaten access to care for those in need, especially in rural communities where options are already limited. What’s needed in Montana and nationwide are reimbursement rates that reflect the true cost of care and strengthen access for frontline workers and an aging population.

Every day across Montana, nursing homes care for some of our state’s most vulnerable citizens—seniors recovering from illness, veterans, individuals living with disabilities, and older adults who can no longer safely live on their own. Families trust these providers to deliver compassionate, qua...

06/10/2026

Family caregivers in rural communities often serve as the primary, and sometimes only, source of care for older adults and people with disabilities aging in place. Improved policies guided by the direct experiences of family caregivers are required to meet their needs and the needs of those for whom they provide care, while also strengthening the workforce in rural communities. Our one-pager outlines policies that support caregivers and the ability of their loved ones to remain in their homes and communities longer.
https://lutheranservices.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/LSA_RuralFamilyCaregiver_OnePage.pdf

06/09/2026

We’re pleased to have Jason Resendez, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving, join us for our Rural Aging Action Network convening. NAC, alongside the RRF Foundation for Aging, has been a key partner in elevating the valuable role of family caregivers in rural communities. Care to learn more? Read our new report “Rooted in Care: Transforming the Future for Rural Family Caregivers.”
https://lutheranservices.org/rural-caregivers/

06/08/2026

Rural family caregivers provide essential support to older adults every day, yet their experiences are too often overlooked in policy and program design. We're proud to share Rooted in Care: Transforming the Future for Rural Family Caregivers, a new e-report we developed in partnership with the National Alliance for Caregiving and supported by the RRF Foundation for Aging. By elevating the lived voices and expertise of rural family caregivers, the report highlights opportunities to strengthen supports, services, and policy for rural communities. Together, we can build on the strengths of rural communities and help shape a future where rural family caregivers are recognized, supported, and empowered.
https://lutheranservices.org/rural-caregivers/

05/28/2026

Behavioral health providers are increasingly expected to quantify the impacts of their efforts. Our recent paper “Making Sense of Behavioral Health Measurement” examines what it means for providers working to improve outcomes for people, especially those on Medicaid.

Building on our “Partnering for Impact” guide, the paper looks at the shift toward more outcome-focused, system-level approaches to measurement. Specifically, the report highlights how expectations are evolving from having fragmented metrics to more aligned strategies tied to results and why building “measurement readiness” is becoming essential. Providers that take a phased approach to data measurement improvement will be best positioned to deliver outcomes that matter.

We’ll discuss the details at our next Capitol Conversations webinar on June 18 with a focus on what it will take to improve behavioral health outcomes over the long term. We’re glad to be joined by Health Management Associates’ Joshua Rubin, a co-author of the paper, who will share his perspectives on these shifts.

Read the paper and register for the webinar at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/SeSg2UAzQwOm4tWvGOYtAA #/registration

https://lutheranservices.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/LSA_BehavioralHealthMeasurement.pdf

05/27/2026

Health challenges are often exacerbated in rural communities where resources are more limited. The Rural Health Transformation Fund was created to help stabilize rural health systems and transform them into more sustainable, community-centered models. Shao Chee Sim of the Episcopal Health Foundation and our own Sue Polis detail what the Fund means as states move to implement it. Pressures from broader Medicaid funding cuts and the fund’s five-year timeframe raise important questions about long-term sustainability. As Shao-Chee and Sue note, nonprofits and community-based organizations will be essential in turning these investments into real improvements in people’s lives. Find out more.

Lutheran Services in America leads one of the nation's largest and most respected health and human services networks to empower people in America to lead their best lives—so all communities can thrive.

05/26/2026

Missed our last Capitol Conversations webinar? Find out about a third round of budget reconciliation under consideration in Congress and what it might mean for . Our thanks again to the Human Services Research Institute's Kate Brady, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities' Nick Gwyn, Niagara Lutheran Health Care System's Chris Koenig, and Encircle's Margaret Nimmo for joining us!