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Tablet on a desk - Newsletter

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared their Division of Quality Management’s QM Spotlight, the 11th in a series of quarterly publications. This issue focuses on QM Plan quarterly reports, a very important part of the PDCA cycle. You can find this resource and many others on the QM Templates and Tools web page on MyODP, including the very comprehensive ODP QM Certification Handbook. Visit here to view QM Spotlight, Issue 11 — Fall Edition 2024.

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The Pennsylvania Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) has completed their review of existing Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) regulations codified at 55PA. Code chapters 1155 and 5240, as requested by the RCPA IBHS Steering Committee.

The RCPA IBHS Regulatory Reform Recommendations, submitted on November 29, 2022, requested the commission to review the IBHS regulations under section 8.1 of the Regulatory Review Act, which provides that the commission may review any existing regulation which has been an effect for at least three years.

The commission has noted the burden placed on providers by the Department of Human Services regulation, but while they appreciated our concerns, the commission’s role is to determine whether existing regulations, as a whole, remain in the public interest. In the commission review letter, they determined that further action by the commission is not warranted in this matter.

We have been in contact with OMHSAS throughout this two-year period, and the commission provided the department with guidance as part of the review process. Despite the ruling from the IRRC, OMHSAS has agreed that they will reopen the IBHS for review as announced by OMHSAS Deputy Secretary Jennifer Smith at the RCPA Conference last week. RCPA will be reviewing the recommendations to calibrate those areas that continue to create barriers to access that have arisen since the recommendations created in the Fall of 2022.

If you have any questions, please contact RCPA COO and Policy Director Jim Sharp.

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The process to route cell phone calls to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline based on the caller’s approximate location, versus by area code, has started; FCC to vote next month on a final rule that would require all U.S. wireless carriers to implement geo-routing with specific timelines

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline announced that the process to start routing cellular phone calls to 988 contact centers based on the caller’s approximate location, versus by area code — known as “geo-routing” — began last week with two major U.S. wireless carriers that combined make up about half of all wireless calls to 988. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the 988 Network Administrator, Vibrant Emotional Health, have been working with all of the major U.S. cell phone carriers for more than a year to improve call routing to 988 so that callers on a cell phone can be connected more locally to centers that are better equipped to provide nearby resources and services.

These new rules, if adopted by a vote from the full commission next month, would require all U.S. wireless carriers to implement geo-routing. In addition, the rules will also establish an implementation timeline for geo-routing calls to the 988 Lifeline of 30 days following the effective date of the rule for nationwide wireless providers and 24 months after the effective date of the rule for smaller, non-nationwide providers.

More than 200 contact centers across the country provide support through the 988 Lifeline network. Geo-routing connects cell phone callers to the closest 988 contact center to the caller’s physical location. Geo-routing differs from geolocation in that it does not provide a precise location of the caller, allowing callers to maintain their location privacy. Studies have shown that after speaking with a trained crisis counselor, most callers feel more hopeful and less depressed, suicidal, and overwhelmed.

If you have additional questions, please contact RCPA COO and Mental Health Director Jim Sharp.

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RCPA joined with other ID/A Associations, including The Alliance of Community Service Providers, The Arc of Pennsylvania, PAR, MAX and TPA, in a letter to Governor Shapiro to thank him for recognizing the strain on individuals, families, and service providers across the intellectual disability and autism (ID/A) community and to discuss ongoing changes that are needed in the way service rates are updated. These changes are necessary so that our system can always meet its duty of care.

The full letter is available here, and we encourage our members to share this letter with your legislators in order to gain their understanding and support of our systemic needs.

For any questions, contact Carol Ferenz, IDD Division Director.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared an update to communication ODPANN 24-085, which is intended to provide the hourly wage and benefits ranges for specific participant directed services (PDS) provided to participants utilizing the AWC FMS model effective October 1, 2024. Please note that the update is in red.

Please use this version of the announcement going forward.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) and the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) are pleased to announce that the latest edition of the Positive Approaches Journal is now available!

Understanding Trauma: Expressive Therapies

In this issue of the Positive Approaches Journal, we see that there have been important strides in identifying the prevalence of trauma and the complex consequences of trauma from multiple sources, including social adversity, abuse, and neglect. The focus is on the importance of taking this into consideration on every level, from systems collaboration, to how we assess, diagnose, treat, and offer restorative environmental supports to individuals with intellectual disability and autism (ID/A).

This issue of Positive Approaches Journal is in digital form, available for viewing online or for downloading at MyODP. To print a copy of the PDF, online journal, or a specific article, you will find these options within your left navigation bar on any Positive Approaches Journal page. A new window will open with your selected document. In your browser, you may click the Print button in the top left corner of the page, or by using the Print capability within your browser.

Please submit feedback regarding your experience with the Positive Approaches Journal on MyODP.

The Positive Approaches Journal is published quarterly. For additional information, please contact ODP Training’s inbox.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared ODPANN 22-091. This communication announces the release of the ISP Manual that includes changes needed to implement rates that become effective in Fiscal Year 2024/25.

As outlined in ODP Bulletin 00-22-05, updates to Attachment 1 (the ISP Manual) and Attachment 8 (Summary of Major Changes Made to ISP Requirements or Processes) are being announced through this communication. These documents include changes needed to implement rates that become effective in Fiscal Year 2024/25. Attachments 1 and 8 should be used effective immediately.

Please view the announcement for information and details.

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Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash

Join the CDS/CES Administrator User Group Meeting!

TOPIC
(National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals) NADSP Badges
Open Forum

Thursday, October 17, 2024
Thursday, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Virtual via Zoom

PRESENTER
Leigh Evans
Elsevier

HOST
Raquel Mangual
Institute on Disabilities at Temple University

REGISTER HERE

Please come with your questions to discuss during this User Group or submit them via email to Temple University before the meeting.

Register in advance of meeting date. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Email
215-204-1356 (voice). 215-204-1805 (TTY)
Website

DirectCourse is a collaboration between Elsevier and the University of Minnesota’s Research and Training Center on Community Living and is funded through the Pennsylvania Office of Developmental Programs, Department of Human Services and administered by the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University.

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