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Authors Posts by Carol Ferenz

Carol Ferenz

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2020 and 2021 have been stressful and traumatic for some communities, yet transformative and motivating for others. This year at the PA Community Alliance Summit, we will discuss and explore the theme of “Recover, Rebuild, and Reform,” covering topics such as:

  • What does it look like in your community to recover?
  • How can we rebuild communities to move forward?
  • What reform is needed to improve the community system?

This summit is a day of networking, discovering alliances, and collaboration building among diverse organizations throughout Pennsylvania led by and/or supporting populations who experience marginalization and oppression.

Click Here For More Details & To Register!

American Sign Language (ASL) and captioning will be included in this summit.

This event is supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council; in part by grant number 2001PASCDD-02, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) is still in discussions with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the ID/A waiver amendments. As a result, the webinar originally scheduled for July 26, 2021 from 10:00 am–11:30 am will be postponed. ODP will be releasing a communication in the next week providing information regarding the delay in the waiver amendments and when the rescheduled event will occur.  You will need to reregister for this event.

For questions please email ODP Outreach.

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The Clinical Advisory Team at IntellectAbility has created a bulletin to help supporters recognize early signs of depression, anxiety, and loneliness in people. As we know, the incidence of these conditions is higher due to recent events, and they often present differently in people with disabilities. You can freely download and share this document with staff and families as well as use it for in-service training purposes. Here’s the download link: Depression, Anxiety and Loneliness in People with IDD – IntellectAbility.

With much appreciation for the work you do,
Craig Escude, MD
——————————
Craig Escude, MD, FAAFP, FAADM
President
IntellectAbility
——————————

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Message From Relias: 

Relias, in partnership with ANCOR, is excited to share the second edition of our DSP Survey Report with you. The 2021 DSP Survey Report dives deeper into themes uncovered in the 2019 survey, while also taking into consideration the impacts COVID-19 had on DSPs and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) services.

The 2021 DSP Survey Report highlights feedback from 679 direct support professionals (DSPs) across 43 states on job satisfaction, supervision, career advancement opportunities, and appreciation and recognition. Using this data, organizational leaders in IDD services can inform policies for better working conditions that will increase DSP satisfaction and, ultimately, positively affect the individuals whom DSPs serve.

In the report you’ll learn:

  • Overall trends and insights on DSP job satisfaction.
  • The difficulties DSPs faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The impact appreciation and recognition have on overall DSP job satisfaction, in addition to the ways DSPs want to be recognized.
  • The benefits of creating career advancement programs and how they can help retain DSPs.

Download Your Copy

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Friendly nurse cares for an elderly woman in a nursing home.

During one week in September, the human services field sets aside time to acknowledge the important work of direct support professionals. National Direct Support Professional (DSP) Recognition Week is often celebrated through employee luncheons, award events, raffles, and more. While these efforts are very admirable and certainly make DSPs feel appreciated, the systemic issues affecting this essential workforce also demand longer-lasting initiatives that make a more deep-rooted impact on DSPs — beyond just the one week.

To help facilitate this need, the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) and CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership are partnering once again to share programs that have far-reaching effects on DSPs and aim to confront the most critical concerns, such as turnover, retention, wages, benefits, and professional development.


Similar to our 2020 National DSP Recognition Week Campaign, NADSP and CQL are seeking out detailed examples of organizational initiatives that provide solutions to these types of topics:​

  • Improving recruitment
  • Reducing turnover
  • Increasing wages
  • Implementing professional development
  • Promoting career advancement
  • Soliciting DSP feedback
  • Including DSPs in organizational leadership
  • Responding to DSP needs

During 2021 National DSP Recognition Week, which takes place from September 12–18, 2021, NADSP and CQL will share these programs on our websites and social media. Our hope is to help other organizations replicate your best practices and elevate the status of DSPs around the country.

Submit Your DSP Program

After clicking the ‘Take Survey’ link below, you will be directed to a survey for submitting your organization-wide program that positively impacts DSPs. You can submit multiple entries, but please only submit one program per survey. Before submitting your program, please be sure that you can answer “Yes” to the following questions:

  • Is this a specific program or initiative? (vs. a mission/vision statement)
  • Does your initiative/program have a long-lasting impact?
  • Has there been a positive effect on the lives/work of DSPs?
  • Are you able to provide DSP testimonials/quotes about that impact?
  • Could other organizations replicate your efforts?

Take The Survey Here

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A message from the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP):

On February 3, 2021, the Department announced temporarily enhanced rates for Community Participation Supports and Transportation Trip services applied for services rendered January 1 through June 30, 2021. The end dates for the temporary rates were programmed in the Home and Community Services Information System (HCSIS) as per the timeframe published in the PA Bulletin; therefore, rates effective July 1, 2021 reverted to the previously published rates for these services.

In May 2021, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published SMD# 21-003 RE: Implementation of American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 Section 9817: Additional Support for Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) during the COVID-19 Emergency. The requirements outlined in this SMD include the use of the federal funds attributable to the increased federal medical assistance percentage rate for certain Medicaid expenditures for HCBS to supplement existing state funds expended for Medicaid HCBS in effect as of April 1, 2021. The Department is meeting with CMS to discuss the impact this guidance has, if any, on the temporary enhanced rates.

Information will be shared with providers as soon as possible.

Thank you.

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ODP Announcement 21-052 communicates the planned commencement of an Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) Quality Assessment and Improvement (QA&I) interim review process for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021–2022 as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. ODP received approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) through an Appendix K amendment to conduct a QA&I “interim” review for FY 2021–2022 and to delay the implementation of Cycle 2, Year 1 activities until FY 2022–2023. The Quality Assessment and Improvement (QAI) Interim Year 2 Review Process Document provides detailed guidance for the ODP’s Quality Assessment and Improvement (QA&I) interim review process for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-2022. The following is a summary of the approved changes for the interim review period.

Timeline

  • The QA&I activities will begin in July 2021 and end in March 2022.
  • A detailed timeline will be included in Interim Year 2 process document.

Sampling

  • ODP will pull a core sample of waiver individuals receiving services and supports using the proportionate random representative sampling methodology as described in the Intellectual Disability/Autism (ID/A) waivers and Adult Autism Waivers (AAW).
  • ODP will also pull a separate Level of Care (LOC) sample to identify the individuals who have received an initial LOC assessment. This review of LOC determinations will focus on the timelines and accuracy of initial LOC determinations.
  • Administrative Entities (AEs) will not pull their own sample and will receive their sample of providers and individual records from ODP.
  • Samples will tentatively be provided in July 2021.

Tools

  • Questions remain aligned between the ID/A and AAW waivers, so there will be one tool for Supports Coordination Organizations (SCOs) and one tool for Providers. For the ID/A waivers, there will be a separate tool for AEs.
  • Questions in Interim Year 2 will continue to focus on CMS Performance Measures, Information Sharing Advisory Committee (ISAC) focus areas, health and safety, and other areas that ODP identifies as a priority.
  • The timeframe for reviewing each question is 12 months from the date of the desk review unless otherwise specified. The same review period must be used when completing the desk review and the onsite review.

Individual Interviews

  • All individual interviews will be completed by Independent Monitoring for Quality (IM4Q) local programs, on behalf of ODP. AEs will not be conducting individual interviews during Interim Year 2.
  • Questions related to the COVID-19 pandemic will be included.

Self-Assessments

  • Entities not included in the Interim Year 2 sample will complete a modified self-assessment that will focus on CMS Performance Measures where statewide performance fell below the 86% threshold in Cycle 1, Year 3 (FY 2019–20).
  • Modified self-assessments will begin in September 2021.
  • AEs, SCOs, and Providers that will receive an onsite review will not be required to complete and submit a self-assessment.
  • Providers who are only approved to render services in the AAW will not be required to complete a self-assessment whether they receive an onsite review or not.

Desk and Onsite Reviews

  • All entities included in the Interim Year 2 sample will receive a desk and onsite review.
  • Onsite reviews are subject to change to virtual reviews. ODP will make an informed decision on changing the method of onsite reviews to virtual reviews in alignment with applicable CDC COVID-19 guidance.
  • All required documentation will be submitted to the QA&I team prior to the desk review.

Entrance and Exit Conferences

  • Entrance and Exit Conferences with the QA&I team and entity leadership will be conducted during the onsite review.
  • In the event that an onsite review does not occur, a virtual conference will be held at the conclusion of the Desk Review.

QA&I Spreadsheet and Corrective Action Plan (CAP)

  • These documents will continue to be utilized.

Comprehensive Report

  • Reviewed entities will not receive a Comprehensive Report. A summary of results from the Interim Year 2 review will be included in the Annual Statewide QA&I Report.
  • A copy of the approved and validated QA&I spreadsheet along with the CAP (if applicable) will be sent electronically to the entity reviewed. Receipt of this information indicates that the Interim Year 2 review for the entity is complete.

Please note that the activities detailed in this announcement are subject to change. Once the updated resources and materials for the Interim Year 2 review are finalized, an email will be sent to all primary and secondary QA&I contacts noting their availability on the MyODP Training & Resource Center using the following path: Resources > ODP Information > QA&I Process.

ODP will be offering Interim Year 2 training opportunities in July 2021. Details regarding these trainings will be forthcoming.

Please send questions via email directly to the QA&I Process Mailbox.

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This 3-day training provides a comprehensive overview of Discovery (an alternative to traditional vocational assessments) and how to complete Discovery. For those seeking to become certified providers of Discovery through Marc Gold & Associates, it is the prerequisite training for certification. Individuals not seeking certification will gain valuable information and insight and may attend as auditors to the session.

When: Online Zoom meeting August 4–6, 2021 from 9:00 am–4:00 pm. Registrants must have a computer or laptop with a webcam. The training will use Zoom to host the conference. Registrants will not be able to join by phone.

Where: This training will be done completely online.

Who is this for: Job Coaches and Job Developers, Supports Coordinators, Parents and Families, Transition Coordinators, and School Transition Teams.

Please review the attachment for registration information and course system requirements. For questions, please email Jen Hipps.

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