Impact: Change — Relias Webinar to Be Held November 14
OLTL Removes Background Checks From 2025 Waiver Amendment
Part of the CHC waiver discussions that began with the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) this spring related to mandatory background checks for employees. Since this discussion, OLTL has decided not to move forward with this change in the renewal and amendment submitted to CMS. This change in position was a result of the subsequent public comments and feedback on the collateral impacts.
Also contributing to this reversal were coordinated advocacy efforts by RCPA’s Coalition for Choice partners, resulting in the elimination of the requirement for federal background checks, including FBI fingerprinting, for over 125,000 caregivers and direct care workers for services in the Community HealthChoices and OBRA waivers. The costs for these mandatory background checks would have been in excess of $50 per employee.
The resulting decision will be included in the review and presentation of changes during the LTSS meeting next Wednesday, November 6. At this time, the background check requirements remain under consideration by OLTL for future amendments and renewals.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to Fady Sahhar.
Free Fall/Winter 2024 Training Sessions Offered for PCH and ALR Administrators
Two announcements regarding fall/winter 2024 training programs were recently released for personal care home (PCH) and assisted living residence (ALR) administrators. Both training programs are free of charge and may be counted toward the annual administrator training requirement.
The training programs include:
- Trading In Ageism and Ableism for Person-First Language
- Improving On Person-Centered Care by Introducing the 4Ms
If you would like to participate in these online training programs, please visit the above links as well as their respective announcements to register for the courses. You need only to register for one session for each course. Please read the training announcement in full before registering to ensure you can meet the participation requirements.
Please only register for a session if you are sure you will be able to attend. Participation is limited. If you register and later discover you are unable to participate, please cancel your registration to create space for other participants.
If you have any questions or if you require assistance with registration, please email the PCH Admin inbox.
Microsoft Technology Grants and Discounts Available for Nonprofits
Microsoft Tech for Social Impact is dedicated to providing affordable and accessible technology to help nonprofits of all sizes achieve their mission. That’s why they offer grants and discounts for their products and services to eligible nonprofits around the world, including solutions like Azure, Dynamics 365, and Microsoft 365.
Download the Microsoft Nonprofit Grants Proposal to learn about their most popular nonprofit offers:
- Improve cybersecurity, reduce costs, and empower staff and volunteers to work from anywhere with Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams. Free for up to 10 users and discounted pricing of $5.50 (USD) per user/month for additional users.
- Move to the Cloud with the Azure grant for nonprofits. Leverage $2,000 (USD) Azure services credits per year and access the complete portfolio of Azure products and cloud services.
- Easily develop mobile and web apps to support your mission — even if you have no technical or development experience. Power Apps is now free for up to 10 users with discounted pricing of $2.50 per user per month for additional users.
Get started with free technology grants and discounts!
Get grants and discounts across Microsoft’s Cloud products, including Microsoft 365, Azure, and Dynamics 365. To get started, register and confirm your organization’s eligibility. Already registered as a nonprofit? Login to your Microsoft Nonprofit page and access Admin Center. Watch our guided demo to help you get your free Microsoft 365 licenses.
Learn more about nonprofit offers:
For general information on eligibility, accessing offers, the Nonprofit Hub, and technical support, please submit your question, and a Microsoft representative will contact you shortly. Contact us.
November 6 LTSS Subcommittee Agenda Released
The agenda for the November 6, 2024, Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Subcommittee meeting has been released by the Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL). The meeting will be held from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm in the Honors Suite, 1st floor, 333 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17126. Attendees have the option to attend in person or via webcast. The links and call information are below:
Conference line: Bridge Number: 1-415-655-0060 PIN: 789-496-398#
Webinar Link
Remote Streaming Link
Comments and questions may be sent via email.
The mission of the LTSS Subcommittee is to be a resource to the Medical Assistance Advisory Committee (MAAC), enabling the committee to advise the Department of Human Services on issues regarding access to service and quality of service.
PA APSE to Host Day on Employment October 28
Reminder: HCBS Rate and Wage Study Survey Reopened, Now Due November 15, 2024
In order to gather responses from providers that were not able to submit previously, the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has reopened the Calendar Year (CY) 2023 rate study survey for the following Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS):
- Adult Day;
- Structured Day Habilitation;
- Employment and Training;
- Personal Assistance (Agency);
- Personal Assistance (Participant Directed); and
- Residential Habilitation.
Please complete the survey for CY 2023, which spans from January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023, unless otherwise specified. Please only complete the survey if you did not previously participate. The reopening of the survey will ensure every provider has ample time to offer input to broaden and improve the resulting analysis. The survey will remain open until Friday, November 15, 2024.
This survey is one piece of the targeted rate review and is intended to collect current provider rate and wage data as well as general feedback on the challenges of providing these services. The information collected in this survey will be used to assist in developing a point of reference for the rate range to evaluate current payment rates. In addition to results from this survey, the review will include payment rate information from Managed Care Organizations (MCO) in OLTL claims data, recent legislative policies, department expectations, and other data obtained from publicly available sources.
HCBS providers that delivered multiple service categories during CY 2023 should fill out this survey separately for each service category you delivered. HCBS providers that did not deliver any of the service categories listed above should disregard this survey. OLTL is partnering with Mercer to perform a rate study exclusive to the service categories listed above at this time.
The information collected for this survey will be used for both this rate study and to meet the requirements of HB 1300 from the 2023–2024 Pennsylvania General Assembly regular session. The information you provide will remain confidential and private and will only be shared publicly through high-level summary reports that do not include provider-level detail. Please comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and do not share any protected health information (PHI) within your survey responses.
Please note the survey tool does not allow individuals to save and go back to answer questions. Please have all your agency information such as wages, employee information, and financial statements readily available. This will help you to submit accurate information when answering the questions.
HCBS providers can access the survey here.
OLTL and Mercer appreciate your time and this valuable feedback. If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out via email.
Video Tutorials for Electronic Fee Payment For Personal Care Homes, Assisted Living, and ODP Application for Compliance Now Available
The Division of Licensing Administration has created tutorials to assist with the electronic payment of application, certificate, fines, and appeals fees. A different tutorial has been designed for each program office and payment type. The tutorials give step-by-step instructions for completing the payment of fees for each office.
A new applicant tutorial has also been created. This tutorial will give applicants step-by-step instructions to complete and submit the Application for a Certificate of Compliance (HS633) to become a licensed provider of a human services setting. The HS633 has been revised, and the updated version is available here.
The following tutorials can be accessed on the Application for Human Services License website as well as viewed below:
- New Human Services Applicant Tutorial
- Personal Care Home Application Fees Tutorial
- Assisted Living Residence Application Fees Tutorial
- Personal Care Home and Assisted Living Residence Fines & Appeals Payment Tutorial
- Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) Certificate Fees Payment Tutorial
- Office of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) Certificate Fees Payment Tutorial
OVR’s The Story, 3rd Edition, Now Available, Celebrating Teachers & Nurses!
The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) has shared their success story publication, The Story, highlighting teachers and nurses. We hope you enjoy reading about these individuals’ journeys!
Make sure you check out the social channels (OVR on Facebook; OVR on X; OVR on LinkedIn; and OVR on Instagram) in the coming weeks for highlights of these stories as well!
PA DOH Notifies Citizens of Possible Measles Exposure
The Office of Developmental Programs has shared this important announcement from the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH) related to possible exposure to an individual positive for measles.
On October 11, the Pennsylvania DOH was notified by the New Jersey DOH that Pennsylvania residents could have been exposed to measles.
The New Jersey Health Department’s confirmed measles case is a resident of Monmouth County who presented with measles following recent international travel. The individual developed a rash and was subsequently confirmed to have measles via positive measles PCR results. He visited several healthcare facilities and public venues while infectious for measles.
DOH notes that anyone who visited the following New Jersey locations during the specified dates and times may have been exposed and should contact a health care provider immediately to discuss potential exposure and risk of developing the illness.
- Location: Livoti’s Old World Market, 200 Mounts Corner Drive, Freehold, NJ 07728;
Date & Time: September 30, 2024, between 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm - Location: El Rancho Mexican Restaurant, 28 W Main Street, Freehold, NJ 07728;
Date & Time: October 1, 2024, between 7:30 pm – 10:30 pm - Location: International Longshoreman Association Strike, Elizabeth Chassis Depot, 1510 S. Bay Avenue, Elizabeth, NJ 07201, and the area near the “Welcome to Elizabeth Terminal;”
Date & Time: October 1-3, 2024, all day - Location: Atlantic Health Immediate Care, 479 Route 520, Suite A103, Marlboro, NJ 07746;
Date & Time: October 6, 2024, between 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm - Location: Jersey Shore University Medical Center – Emergency Department, 1945 NJ-33, Neptune City, NJ 07753;
Date & Time: October 7, 2024, between 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Potentially exposed individuals, if infected, could develop symptoms as late as October 29, 2024.
When to Suspect Measles
Consider measles as a diagnosis in anyone with a febrile rash illness lasting three days or more, a temperature of 101ºF (38.3ºC) or higher, and clinically compatible symptoms (cough, coryza, and/or conjunctivitis), particularly if the patient was potentially exposed to a case of measles or has recently traveled to an area with an on-going measles outbreak and are not fully vaccinated.
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