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Authors Posts by Carol Ferenz

Carol Ferenz

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has announced a free training opportunity, sponsored by Milestone Health Care Quality Unit, related to best practices for interviewing individuals with disabilities who are victims of a crime. Presenter Scott Modell, PhD, is a national expert on the topic and is cofounder of Collaborative Safety, LLC. Dr. Modell is a nationally recognized speaker in the areas of child abuse, crime victims with disabilities, and the application for safety science to human service agencies. This training is applicable to all professionals that may conduct interviews of persons with disabilities or have a role in incident and risk management. View the ODP announcement with more information regarding this training here.

Training registration must be completed through the Milestones HCQU West website.

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Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) Communication Number 029-18 announces the release of a Community Participation Support (CPS) template to assist in addressing both CPS authorization issues for Fiscal Year 17/18 and CPS authorization needs for FY 18/19 Individual Support Plan (ISP) renewals.

Providers should complete the template for all individuals to whom they provide CPS services. ODP wants to understand the scope of provider concerns about implementation of CPS in FY 17/18 and Individual Support Plans not containing all necessary authorizations for billing purposes. The second issue this template will help address is to provide a communication tool for CPS providers, Supports Coordination Organizations, Supports Coordinators, and Administrative Entities on the CPS FY renewal ISP authorizations that will be needed for each individual who will receive CPS in FY 18/19.

Providers will need to complete a form for each individual they serve, and then send the files for FY 18/19 to SCOs. Providers will also need to send a copy of completed files for FY 17/18 as well as FY 18/19 to ODP. These files need to be submitted to the SCOs and ODP by Friday, April 20, 2018.

This announcement includes a complete description of the responsibilities of the providers, SCOs, and Administrative Entities in this process. It also provides guidance regarding moving units of service between various percentages of time that an individual spends in the community and the ability to do so without the requirement of a team meeting.

To minimize the number of critical revisions necessary to ISPs for the CPS service, SCs may calculate additional units of service for each procedure code in order to provide a cushion (up to approximately 10% over the expected number of units for each procedure code). Total authorizations may not exceed the P/FDS and Community Living Waiver caps or an approved P/FDS individual cap exception.

It is important to note that this ODP communication was re-issued with revised attachments so be sure to use the “revised” version of the template.

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Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) Communication Number: Memo 028-18 provides clarification regarding the provision of discrete respite services for individuals who are authorized to receive life sharing services as well as clarification on the provision of respite services in life sharing homes. These changes went into effect on January 1, 2018. This document is composed of questions received by ODP and their answers, in order to assist providers with understanding the use of both services.

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Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) issued Communication Number: Memo 026-18 that discusses how providers, AEs, and SCOs should be handling staffing needs and health and safety needs of individuals in residential programs until formal guidance is developed. A change in the payment method for residential habilitation providers took effect on January 1, 2018, when the standardized fee schedule was implemented. These new fee schedule rates correspond to the need level of each participant and the number of people living with them. Additionally, the rates distinguish between “with day” and “without day” to account for residential provider responsibility for support when the person does not work or attend a day program. The fee schedule rate is intended to provide more flexibility for providers in determining how they meet individual needs, and move away from rigid adherence to strict staffing ratios that may not have best met individual needs or allowed for the best use of staffing resources.

It is critical that this greater flexibility in meeting individual needs is balanced with accountability. ODP has engaged a pilot project in the Southeast region, and is working with the Residential Strategic Thinking Group, to determine the best way to develop a new method for documenting supervision needs and approaches to manage risk as an alternative to the current method of documentation in the Individual Support Plan (ISP). While waiting for formal guidance, ODP outlines expectations in the attached memo.

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The Bureau of Autism Services (BAS) has announced that registration is now open for upcoming free statewide professional training opportunities; Comprehensive FBA Training, provided by the BAS Clinical Team. This training is provided for professionals who are responsible for conducting behavioral assessment and planning for individuals across the lifespan, in any system.

This free training will review the foundations of behavioral support with a focus on the process of Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA). Steps of the FBA process will be presented for the purpose of practical application. These steps include: data collection, data analysis, and data-based recommendations. Potential pitfalls and methods to control for these implications will also be shared.

For more information follow this link.

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The Alliance of Community Service Providers has opened online registration for their 16th Annual Conference for Direct Support Professionals (DSP). The event will be held Friday, April 20, 2018, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Philadelphia Hilton on City Avenue. The conference is open to all direct support professional staff who provide services to individuals with intellectual disabilities, behavioral health needs, and/or substance use disorders.

Several workshops are scheduled throughout the day focusing on adult mental health, children and families, addictions, intellectual disabilities, advocacy, and professional development. For more information and to register, use this link.

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The PA Rehab Association (PRA) is conducting their Annual Professional Development Institute on Thursday, March 22, 2018, at the Conference Center of Central Penn College in Summerdale PA. Please refer to this announcement for a brief program description. The event will feature experts from CVS Health and Geisinger Marworth to present information on the impact of the opioid crisis and implications for treatment, recovery, and return to work. There will be a launch of the first annual policy forum to discuss the benefits and opportunities created by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014. There are many breakout sessions on topics such as Young Vocational Rehab (VR) Professional Career Pathways, Transition Innovation and Best Practices, Ethical Job Interview Disclosure, Case and Time Management Practices, Ethical Considerations for the Rehab Professional, Undergrad and Graduate Rehab Education, and Counseling Student Poster Presentations. Continuing education credits are anticipated.

This event expects to draw rehabilitation stakeholders from various organizations including the state Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), community provider organizations, undergraduate and graduate rehabilitation education, faculty from Clarion University, University of Scranton, Penn State University, and business and HR professionals who engage in promoting diversity and inclusive practices for hiring people with disabilities.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) and Temple University’s Institute on Protective Services are holding two investigator forums Thursday, March 29, 2018. The featured topic for the sessions will be Peer Reviews (that are being completed by Temple) and Updates on the Administrative Review Course. The calls will allow participants to network, share best practices, and receive technical assistance in an effort to improve the quality of all investigations. For information on how to participate, see ODP Memo 024-18.

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RCPA is pleased to offer this informative training, presented by Karen Welton, Community Outreach and Resource Planning Specialist for the US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. Topics will include a general overview of the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA); Section 14(c) requirements of the FLSA; Work Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requirements for certificate holders; and requirements for certificate holders with federal contracts under the SCA.

The training will be held Thursday, May 3, 2018, at the Park Inn by Radisson in Clarion, PA, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Sign-in will begin at 8:30 that morning. This training is FREE to RCPA members, but advance registration is required. The training will also be available via webcast.

Register here for the training. For further information, contact Carol Ferenz.

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