RCPA Responds to Possible Contract Provisions Relating to “Work Stoppages” in the PH-HealthChoices Program
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Statewide Positive Approaches & Practices Meeting — April 14
The Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) and the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) is announcing the “Statewide Positive Approaches & Practices” meeting.
Date: Thursday, April 14, 2022
Time: 9:00 am—3:00 pm
Topic: Embracing Behavioral Supports and Meaningful Applications
Please review the attached flyer for detailed session and registration information.
ODPANN 22-031 Update Regarding ARPA Funds
The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has just sent ODPANN 22-031 UPDATE — ARPA — One-Time Supplemental Payment to Address Staff Training, Credentialing, and Business Associates Programs for Employment. This update corrects that one-time supplemental payments to address staff training, credentialing, and business associates programs for employment is for providers and was not approved for SCOs. ODP will be releasing information in the upcoming weeks that will support SCO needs.
RCPA Member Threshold Rehabilitation Services, Inc. Announces New COO
NEWSMAKERS – READING EAGLE
Thomas W. McNelis, President and CEO of Threshold Rehabilitation Services, Inc. recently announced that Edward B. Michalik, Jr., PsyD, has been appointed to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer.
Dr. Michalik will oversee the organization’s strategic planning, human service licensing and accreditation, and government and community outreach efforts.
Dr. Michalik joins Threshold with a broad background in human services administration, most recently as Berks County Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities Program Administrator and Berks County Area Agency on Aging Executive Director.
Dr. Michalik performs significant support functions with the law enforcement community as the Clinical Director, Member Support Program for the Fraternal Order of Police, Berks County Lodge #71, and City of Reading Lodge #9. He also has served for over thirty-five years providing trauma counseling services to first responders. Dr. Michalik actively serves on various state committees and community boards, including the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and Shillington Borough Council.
Dr. Michalik received his Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology degree from Immaculata University, Immaculata, PA, his Master of Science degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Scranton Graduate School, Scranton, PA, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Services from the University of Scranton.
OLTL’s Agency With Choice RFI Released
The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) recently released the Request for Information (RFI) to gather feedback regarding the implementation of Agency With Choice (AWC) services for the participants of Medical Assistance (MA) managed care programs, the 1915(c) MA home and community-based services (HCBS) waiver program, and a state-funded program.
Through these programs, eligible participants receive long-term services and supports (LTSS) and other benefits, depending on the particular program. Specifically, this RFI seeks information to assist OLTL in determining how it may improve options for LTSS participants to self-direct their services in the Community HealthChoices Program (CHC), OBRA Waiver, and the state-funded Act 150 Attendant Care Program through the procurement and implementation of AWC.
Through this RFI, OLTL is seeking to become more aware of and knowledgeable about current efforts to increase opportunities for self-direction and feedback on the implementation of AWC through a potential, future procurement. OLTL encourages interested parties, including vendors and stakeholders, to provide feedback in response to this RFI or any part of it. An interested party may respond to all or any of the specific questions or topics included in this RFI.
RFI responses are due by12:00 pm on March 25, 2022. Responses must be submitted electronically with “OLTL Agency With Choice RFI” in the email subject line. While OLTL does not intend to respond to questions or clarifications during the RFI response period, interested parties and individuals may submit administrative questions related to this RFI electronically using “OLTL Agency With Choice” in the email subject line. OLTL may or may not respond based on the nature of the question.
DDAP Budget Hearing With Senate Appropriations Committee Set for Today
The Senate Appropriations Committee will meet for a budget hearing with the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) at 2:30 pm today, March 16. The budget hearing will be livestreamed. Please note that RCPA provider members received an email from RCPA earlier this week that incorrectly stated the hearing was at 10:00 am today.
For Fiscal Year 2022/2023, the governor is budgeting a total of $317 million for DDAP, which is a 16 percent reduction over the current fiscal year’s budget of $379 million. The decrease is due to a $60 million reduction in federal State Opioid Response dollars.
More details of DDAP’s budget are available in DDAP’s Bluebook. In addition, a previous communication from RCPA about DDAP’s budget ahead of its House Appropriations Committee provides additional detail about the $317 million budget.
University of Pittsburgh Offers Suicide Prevention Training for QPR — Free CEUs
RCPA Comments on ODP Proposed Waiver Changes
ANCOR Capitol Correspondence: Congress Passes Spending Bill Without COVID-19 Relief Funds
ODP Bulletin 00-22-01: Targeted Support Management for Individuals Served by ODP
The purpose of the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) Bulletin 00-22-01 is to communicate and clarify the requirements for Targeted Support Management (TSM) that were approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Changes to TSM discussed in this bulletin include:
- Expansion of TSM services, effective August 20, 2017, to individuals with autism.
- Expansion of TSM services, effective July 1, 2021, to children age 8 or younger with a developmental disability who are eligible for Medical Assistance (MA) and who have been determined to need an Intermediate Care Facility for Other Related Conditions (ICF/ORC) level of care.
- Expansion of TSM services, effective July 1, 2021, to individuals age 0 through 21 with a medically complex condition that is a chronic health condition that affects three or more organ systems, and that the individual requires medically necessary skilled nursing intervention to execute medical regimens to use technology for respiration, nutrition, medication administration, or other bodily functions. Individuals must be eligible for MA and have been determined to need an ICF/ORC level of care.
- Clarification regarding the use of the LifeCourse framework and tools.
- Clarification of expected assessment activities and the development of the Individual Support Plan (ISP).
- Addition of enhanced qualification requirements for TSM providers and Targeted Support Manager Supervisors.
- Clarification that individuals who are enrolled in and receiving case management services under any Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) program administered via an 1115, 1915(b) and (c), or 1915(a), (b), or (c) waiver are not eligible to receive TSM.
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