Frequently Asked Questions
for Nursing Homes Participating in CMP Funded Projects
You've been approached by an outside agency to participate in a CMP-funded project. Will it cost you anything out of pocket? Or you've committed your facility to a CMP-funded project. What next? Can you participate in more than one project? Lots of questions .... all answered in this section!
I was approached by an outside agency to participate in a CMP-funded project. Is this going to cost my facility anything out of pocket?
CMP funds are used to implement projects in certified nursing homes to improve the quality of care and quality of life for residents. The funds awarded to the project should cover the cost of the project throughout the project period (1, 2 or 3 years). Once the project period ends, and CMP funds are no longer available, the nursing home may have to provide funding out of pocket to continue to participate in the project, if they choose. This should be addressed by the project applicant up front before the project begins. Make sure you know how long the project will last and if there will be any cost to continue the project after CMP funding is no longer available.
I recently signed a Letter of Commitment to participate in a CMP-funded project. How long should it take for the project to begin?
Applicants cannot provide a spcific begin date for projects. The application must be submitted to the North Carolina State Agency for review and approval, followed by submission to CMS for review and approval. This process can take as little as 90 days and as long as 6 months. If the application receives final approval by CMS, it comes back to North Carolina and NCDHHS is responsible for developing a contract with the applicant. This can take up to 90 days. Applicants should notify you once their project has been approved by CMS and again when they've been given an approved start date by NCDHHS.
I signed a Letter of Commitment to participate in a CMP-funded project. Now my facility is being sold to another corporation. What should I do?
Once facilities and corporate organizations sign Letters of Commitment, it is strongly encouraged that they continue to honor that commitment for the benefit of the residents in the nursing home. There has likely been communication with Resident and Family Councils about this project and residents/families may be anticipating the approval and/or start of the project in their facility. Unless there is good cause for not upholding that commitment, the previous owner should convey all information to the new owner and reach out to the project manager to provide new contact information for the nursing home and/or corporate office.
There is a statement in the Letter of Commitment about participation in the project "counting against our funding budget." What does that mean?
CMS created funding maximums on CMP funded projects. Projects cannot exceed these maximums, which differ by category. CMS tracks the amount of CMP funding that is spent on nursing homes each year to ensure that they do not exeed their allowable maimum. For more information about CMP funding maximums, click HERE.
Why is my facility not allowed to participate in CMP-funded projects?
A facility cannot participate in a CMP-funded project if they are not certified. Nursing Homes must be Medicare, Medicaid, or dually certified to participate in the CMP Reinvestment Program. A certified nursing home will have a 6-digit CMS Certification Number (CCN).
Our facility has been participating in a CMP-funded project and we are unable to continue. Can we back out?
You are strongly encouraged to remain in the CMP-funded project you have committed to for the benefit of your residents. Staff turnover and new ownership are the two most common reasons for nursing homes who opt to discontinue their participation in a CMP project. We encourage that ALL staff receive education about the project and its importance to the residents. Infromation about the project and the facility's participating should be a part of employee orientation and new employee on-boarding, as well as resident admissions. Corporate ownership changes should not affect the project as long as there is good communication during this transition.
Have a question about CMP-funded projects in YOUR facility that you'd like answered? Submit HERE and we'll get back with you!