';
CLOSE
Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities

0 2351

The Planning Committee for State Representative Dan Miller’s Annual Disability & Mental Health Summit is seeking session proposals for workshops geared towards people impacted by disabilities and mental health concerns. Those attending the summit consist of parents, family members, caregivers, advocates, service providers, educators, medical professionals, government officials, legal professionals, inclusive employers, and mental health professionals. Sessions are 60 minutes in length, and should include 10–15 minutes for Q&A.

Representative Miller’s Disability & Mental Health Summit provides the largest collection of resources and workshops in Western Pennsylvania. Over the past six years, this event has made a difference in the lives of thousands of people. In 2020, the summit will recognize and celebrate the 30th anniversary of the passage of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act in a bigger venue, doubling the crowd, providing more resources, and increasing the summit’s scope across the state! You can visit this website to view last year’s program. Please feel free to share this with your peers and other organizations.

The 2020 Disability & Mental Health Summit will take place on March 6, 2020 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Submission deadline is September 30, 2019.

Questions, please contact Jack Phillips, RCPA Director of Government Affairs.

0 1670
Department of Human Services Highlights Resources for Families Supporting People with an Intellectual Disability or Autism

(From DHS)

Harrisburg, PA (July 15, 2019) – The Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) today highlighted programs and services offered to families of individuals who have an intellectual disability or autism (ID/A). The nationally recognized approach, LifeCourse Framework, assists families to support their family member to live an everyday life.

“We are committed to helping individuals access opportunities to support their goals and dreams, and that includes helping their families understand how to help support them to live an everyday life,” said DHS Secretary Teresa Miller. “It is important to continue to review best practices for helping individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism. The LifeCourse approach is this best practice. LifeCourse is focused on planning for a good life throughout someone’s lifespan and supporting families.”

The LifeCourse Framework is an approach that focuses on the whole person and targets the needs of people at critical periods throughout their lifetime. There are a variety of planning tools created by the National Community of Practice to support people with using this approach. The core belief of the framework is all people have the right to live, love, work, play and pursue their life aspirations in their community. ODP has worked through regional collaboratives in the commonwealth to implement LifeCourse. Two organizations that support ODP’s work by supporting strong visions and high expectations for individuals and families for their everyday life are PA Family Network and Self-Advocates United as 1 (SAU1).

PA Family Network is a major element of Pennsylvania’s statewide strategy of supporting families of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. PA Family Network offers both workshops and one-on-one family mentoring. They also hold regular events to teach attendees the LifeCourse Framework. Upcoming workshops include:

  • July 18 – Bellefonte, Centre County
  • July 25 – Philadelphia, Philadelphia County
  • July 26 – Altoona, Blair County
  • July 30 – Honesdale, Wayne County
  • August 27 – Honesdale, Wayne County
  • September 17 – Meadville, Crawford County
  • October 15 – Marlin, Schuylkill County

Self–Advocates United as 1 manages the Self Advocacy Power Network for All (SAPNA), which is funded by ODP. SAPNA provides peer–to–peer targeted training and technical assistance to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to further self–advocacy. SAU1 also teaches LifeCourse Frameworks at various events. Upcoming dates include:

  • July 31 – Clarion, Clarion County
  • August 19 – Mercer, Mercer County
  • August 21 – Philadelphia, Philadelphia County
  • August 27 – Pittsburgh, Allegheny County
  • August 29 – Stroudsburg, Monroe County
  • September 9 – Erie, Erie County
  • September 10 – Warren, Warren County
  • September 13 – St. Mary’s, Elk County
  • September 17 – Greensburg, Westmoreland County
  • September 20 – Kittanning, Armstrong County
  • September 27 – DuBois, Clearfield County
  • October 17 – Butler, Butler County

The LifeCourse Framework training and events at both the PA Family Network and SAU1 are free, but registration is required through the organizations. For more information about PA Family Network’s workshops, visit here. For more information about SAU1’s events, visit here.

To learn more about the LifeCourse Framework, visit here.

To learn more about DHS’s Office of Developmental Programs, visit here.
MEDIA CONTACT: Erin James – 7174257606

# # #

0 3003

ODP Announcement 19-098 provides direction to providers regarding adjustments that may be made to ISP billing codes when the size of the group remaining at the facility changes as a result of others leaving the facility to access the community. Effective July 1, 2019, ODP implemented simplified procedure codes and staff to individual ratios to make planning, authorizing, and billing for Community Participation Support (CPS) services more efficient and to reflect service delivery more accurately. The procedure codes and staffing ratios were first introduced in ODP Communication 19-024. Staffing ratios for services provided in facility settings are: 1:11 to 1:15; 1:7 to 1:10; 1:4 to 1:6; 1:2 to 1:3; 1:1; and 2:1.

During CPS service provision, as individuals leave the facilities to access the community, staffing ratios for individuals who remain in the facility may be adjusted to better reflect the actual staff to individual ratio provided. To identify the facility staffing ratios that should be included in each Individual Support Plan (ISP), teams should consider the following:

  • The maximum staffing ratio in which the individual’s health and safety needs can be met and the individual can be supported to meet the programmatic goals identified for that individual in the facility; and
  • The likelihood that, due to programmatic demands for time supporting individuals in community, the ISP should include an authorization for the next lowest staffing ratio. This does not apply when the maximum staff ratio identified in the first bullet is 1:1 or 2:1.

For example, in situations where a group of individuals is receiving CPS services in a facility at a 1:4 to 1:6 staffing ratio, but several individuals in that group leave the facility to engage in a community activity on a regular basis, leaving a de facto 1:2 to 1:3 group in the facility, the provider can bill for 1:2 to 1:3 for the smaller group continuing to receive services in the facility. This supports providers in promoting community inclusion. The provider must have documentation that supports these staffing ratio changes, and the different staffing ratios must be in each individual’s ISP. If or when the individuals return from their community activity and rejoin the original group, the provider then must bill at the original 1:4 to 1:6 facility rate. Changes to staffing ratios as discussed in this communication may not be added or authorized in the ISP with a retroactive effective date. ODP will not allow requests for staffing ratio changes due to instances when individuals are unable to receive CPS services (when individuals are ill, injured, on vacation, etc.).

For individuals receiving CPS services in facilities in which engagement in community activities impacts the staffing ratios within the facilities, Individual Support Teams should discuss the appropriate facility staffing ratios to be included in the ISP. Where applicable based on the above criteria, an ISP may include authorizations for two staffing ratios for facilities.

Changes to staffing ratios as described in this communication may be approved for a P/FDS cap exception. P/FDS cap exceptions should be identified by the ISP team and a request should be submitted to the Administrative Entity no later than August 15, 2019. The Administrative Entity will submit exception requests to their ODP designated Regional Office for review no later than August 30, 2019. ODP approvals will be communicated to the Administrative Entity.

Questions about this communication should be directed to your ODP Regional Program Office.

Prev1...482483484...527Next Page 483 of 527
© 2021 - Rehabilitation & Community Providers Association