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Authors Posts by Carol Ferenz

Carol Ferenz

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On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure the civil rights of people with disabilities. This legislation established a clear and comprehensive national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities. On July 26, Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF) will join in the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the signing of this landmark legislation.

The ADA has expanded opportunities for Americans with disabilities by reducing barriers and changing perceptions, and increasing full participation in community life. However, there is still work to be done.

We believe that full inclusion and empowerment of people with disabilities must also involve financial empowerment. In our view, the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act passed in 2014 is one of the most exciting and empowering pieces of legislation since the ADA.

On this 30th anniversary of the ADA, we at PATF pledge to do our part by furthering financial empowerment for people with disabilities through our programs and through our advocacy.

* * * *

In case you haven’t heard, in honor of the ADA anniversary, Disability PRIDE Virtual PA is hosting a month-long celebration with lots of good content. PATF was thrilled to present on three topics that are important to us all:

Slides for each presentation can be found on our website.

ODP Announcement 20-087, published on July 20, 2020, clarifies guidance related to wearing masks during the provision of direct services. On July 7, 2020, the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) released guidance that staff who provide direct services are required to wear a mask that covers the nose and mouth during the entirety of service provision.

This is to clarify that failure to wear a mask during service provision is not subject to ODP’s Incident Management requirements at this time, and failure to wear a mask during service provision does not need to be reported as an incident in the Enterprise Incident Management (EIM) system unless otherwise directed by ODP.

ODP intends to respond to mask-related inquiries and situations on a case-by-case basis. Education and technical assistance will be the primary means to ensure that masks are worn during service provision.

Substantial or ongoing failure to ensure that staff wear masks during service provision may result in an administrative action or sanction by ODP. ODP may release additional guidance on mask use as needed if frequently occurring situations present.

Meanwhile, providers are strongly encouraged to educate staff on the importance of wearing masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and the provider’s expectations for mask use while on duty.

In June, Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the opening of the application period and plans to distribute approximately $15 billion to eligible providers that participate in state Medicaid and CHIP programs who had not yet received a payment from the $50 billion General Distribution. Since the announcement on June 9, HHS has hosted a number of webinars targeted at providers and provider organizations to answer questions and assist those eligible through the application process. A fact sheet – PDF explaining the application process has also been created to address frequently asked questions. HHS is continuing to work with provider organizations, congressional, state, and local leaders to get the word out about this program. To ensure eligible Medicaid and CHIP providers, including dentists, have the opportunity to apply for a funding distribution, the deadline to apply has been extended to August 3, 2020.

In order to assist ODP providers with determining eligibility, here is the list of ODP providers given to HHS. Providers are encouraged to apply for this federal funding if eligible.

  • Program Overview:
    The bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act provide $175 billion in relief funds to hospitals and other health care providers, including those on the front lines of the coronavirus response. A portion of these funds, under the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Provider Distribution, provide help for providers and clinicians who treat our most vulnerable populations, including low-income and minority patients. This is allocated for eligible providers that participate in state Medicaid and CHIP Programs and that did not receive a payment from the Provider Relief Fund General Allocation. The payment to each provider will be approximately 2 percent of reported gross revenue from patient care.
  • Fact Sheet
    The Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) released a Fact Sheet for Medicaid and CHIP Providers that is now available on the Provider Relief Fund website.
  • Recorded Webcast
    A recording of the June 25 webcast is now available on this web page.
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
    In order to better address your most important concerns, HRSA has updated their FAQs to address common questions, including those submitted during the previous webcasts. The FAQs include expanded information on eligibility, application, payment process, and more.
  • Additional Information
    For additional information, please call the Provider Support Line at 866-569-3522; for TTY, dial 711. Hours of operation are 7 am to 10 pm Central Time, Monday through Friday. Service staff members are available to provide real-time technical assistance, as well as service and payment support.

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Provider Relief Fund (PRF), is distributing $15 billion to eligible Medicaid, CHIP, and dental providers. If you are a provider who is interested in learning about the application process for the PRF, please register and join the webcast on July 27. Please feel free to share the webcast information with other providers that would be interested in participating as well.

Presenting: Getting started with the Provider Relief Fund for Medicaid, CHIP, and dental providers

Date: Monday, July 27, 2020

Time: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET

Registration Link

Please pre-register to reserve a spot. This event will be delivered via webcast, no dial-in required. Presentation materials will not be distributed. To stay updated on the latest information, visit this web page.

You are invited to attend Senator Casey’s Virtual Disability Employment Summit on Friday, July 24 from 10:30 am to 11:45 am. The Summit will be broadcast live starting at 10:30 am. You can join the Summit here.

The Summit will examine the impact of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) health crisis on disability employment, as well as discuss strategies to improve the disability employment rate and ensure that people with disabilities are able to return to work.

Individuals can register for the Summit by emailing your name, organization, and zip code. While registration is not required, by doing so, you will receive an email ahead of the Summit with the agenda and additional resources. There is no cost to attend this Summit.

Additional accessibility information will be released closer to the event. The Summit is open to the general public, so please consider sharing this invitation with others who may be interested.

Our friends Scott and Craig de Fasselle from Blitz Media are hosting a two-day workshop to help your agency become a “DSP Magnet.”

We have hosted several webinars and most recently half-day workshops with Scott and Craig, and have had very positive feedback from the participants! If you missed the previous opportunities, or want more, here is your chance.

Are you sick of the vicious cycle of recruiting, hiring, & turnover?
Want to attract & retain great Direct Support Professionals?
You can find & keep Direct Support Professionals using free approaches. When you attend the DSP Magnet workshop, you’ll learn how you can…
  1. Fix the common mistakes in template job posts and applications that drive away applicants
  2. Prevent people that no call / no show for interviews
  3. Make free changes to your onboarding and training to reduce turnover
  4. Keep the culture positive so it does not suddenly turn toxic

Online workshop details:
Tuesday, August 11 & Wednesday, August 12
9:00 am – 12:30 pm Eastern

Watch this video from Scott de Fasselle of Blitz to learn what you’ll get from the workshop
• Register online •

On June 9, 2020, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the distribution of approximately $15 billion from the Provider Relief Fund to eligible providers that participate in state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and have not received a payment from the Provider Relief Fund General Distribution. The payment to each provider will be approximately 2 percent of reported gross revenue from patient care; the final amount each provider receives will be determined after the data is submitted. HHS has developed the Provider Relief Fund: Medicaid and CHIP Provider Distribution Fact Sheet to assist providers with application for the funds.

Download the Medicaid Provider Distribution Instructions and Medicaid Provider Distribution Application Form from this web page. Applications must be submitted by August 3, 2020.

Please visit this website for eligibility requirements, Terms and Conditions, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), and a recording of past webinars on the application process. For additional information, please call the provider support line at 866-569-3522; for TTY dial 711. Hours of operation are 7 am to 10 pm Central Time, Monday through Friday. Service staff members are available to provide real-time technical assistance, as well as service and payment support.