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Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities

The PA Provider Advocacy Coalition, an organization that constitutes a variety of PA providers and advocates across all fields, recently sent a letter to the Shapiro Administration regarding the FY 2024/25 budget. RCPA signed onto the letter, which calls for rate adjustments and investments in Medicaid services in order to address the current workforce crisis. The Coalition states in the letter:

We recognize that addressing these workforce challenges will require a sustained, coordinated, multi-faceted public and private sector response. Earlier this year, our coalition met with representatives of your administration to recommend the creation of a Health Care Workforce Council to help lead this multiyear effort. However, there is one aspect of this overall problem that is relatively straightforward—chronic underpayment by the Medical Assistance program.

RCPA will continue to keep our members informed of updates. If you have any questions, please contact your RCPA Policy Director.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared ODPANN 23-048: Required Communication Specialist Provider Qualification Training UPDATED. The purpose of this announcement is to remind Communication Specialist providers that in order to provide services after January 1, 2024, the Communication Specialist training must be completed. Please review the announcement for updated information, including accessing the training course.

MyODP has posted the most recent version of the Adult Autism Waiver’s (AAW) Supports & Services Directory (SSD) for December 2023. You can find it here.

SPECIAL NOTE TO PROVIDERS: Please review your contact information in the SSD. If it requires updating, send your corrected information via email with “SSD” in the subject line. Also, please submit any questions regarding this communication or updates for the directory via email with “SSD” in the subject line.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared ODPANN 23-101: Provider Qualification Process. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requires a statewide process to ensure providers are qualified to render services to waiver-funded individuals. The Provider Qualification Process described in ODPANN 23-101 outlines the steps the Assigned AE and provider must follow to meet these requirements and the steps SCs must take to transition individuals if needed. Please review the announcement for information and details.

The meeting documents from the December 6, 2023, Managed Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) Subcommittee meeting are available below. documents include the agenda, transcript, and PowerPoint presentations.

The next MLTSS Subcommittee meeting is scheduled for January 3, 2024, from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm in the PA Department of Education’s Honors Suite at 333 Market St. in Harrisburg, PA. The option to participate via webinar is also an option. Register here to participate in the meeting via webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

If you plan to participate via phone, the dial-in number is: 1-(631) 992-3221; Access code: 809-647-074#.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) wishes to share this survey on housing from PA Family Network to all families, caregivers, and individuals with disabilities.

They will be using the information gathered from this survey to build content for the program “Housing Myth Busting.” The program’s goal is to provide accurate information that shows people with disabilities and their families that there are viable options that provide choice and control outside of residential settings. You can take the survey here.

Living where you choose and with whom you choose is a basic human right, yet policies and practices are still in place that prevent people with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities from living in their own home. Secure, safe, and stable housing is vital to helping all people thrive, no matter their circumstances. By looking at the intersections of Housing, Disability, and the Medicaid Waiver System, we can promote awareness and education, ultimately expanding choice and control in housing for all people with Intellectual Disabilities.

This is part of a grant and is made possible by the PADDC Council.