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Announcement

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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.

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The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) announced today that Dr. Michael Lynch, UPMC Health Plan Medical Director of SUD Services, has been named Medical Director of DDAP. DDAP’s announcement follows last Wednesday’s announcement by RCPA of the creation of the new position.

Dr. Lynch, who will continue his full-time role with commercial insurer UPMC Health Plan, is board-certified in emergency medicine, medical toxicology, and addiction medicine.

In this position, Dr. Lynch will advise and assist DDAP in the development of policy and procedures related to medical best practice as well as advances related to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, including:

  • Providing technical assistance to SUD treatment providers and physicians in PA’s system of care, including the application of the ASAM criteria;
  • Developing projects to improve delivery of care to individuals with SUD;
  • Researching and reviewing new technologies and procedures, reviewing pertinent medical literature, and presenting findings and recommendations to appropriate entities regarding SUD, opioid use disorder, and medication-assisted therapies;
  • Educating stakeholders and providers relative to medication-assisted therapies as well as drug, alcohol, and narcotic treatment regulations; and
  • Developing new workflows and processes to increase quality improvement measures for DDAP and treatment providers.

Dr. Lynch graduated from the University of Notre Dame and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine before completing his residency in emergency medicine and fellowship in medical toxicology at the University of Pittsburgh. He is an assistant professor of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh and works in the emergency departments at UPMC Presbyterian and Mercy Hospitals. The toxicology service at UPMC is one of the busiest in the country, seeing patients at five Pittsburgh hospitals as well as providing inpatient addiction and telemedicine treatment. Dr. Lynch is the Medical Director of the Pittsburgh Poison Center and of SUD Services at UPMC Health Plan, and he continues to serve on the Boards of Directors for the PA College of Emergency Physicians and the American Association of Poison Control Centers.

UPMC Health Plan is the commercial insurance arm of UPMC. Community Care Behavioral Health, UPMC’s behavioral health managed care organization, is a sister company and the largest behavioral health Medicaid payer in the commonwealth. Both UPMC and Community Care Behavioral Health are RCPA members.

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Project Goal: To improve service delivery and processes for DHS’ clients, DHS staff, and business partners

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (PA DHS) is launching a website to share information about the ECM system up to and beyond implementation. The website is intended to communicate key information of the services provided to participants and families through multiple DHS program offices, regardless of the human services program or county providing the service.

The ECM website can be accessed here.

ECM will replace several legacy systems across program offices through the implementation of one common solution. By means of this website, users can get acclimated with all ECM subsystems and their functions. The primary pages and a brief synopsis are as follows:

  • About ECM: An overview of ECM, its timelines, goals and objectives, benefits, scope, and project governance structure.
  • Stakeholder: An overview of the participants who benefit from ECM. This will include links to the subpages for the different stakeholder groups, including the Program Areas, County Organizations, Hearings and Appeals, Providers, Service/Support Coordinators, Administrative Entities and Those we Serve.
  • Development: Description of the scope of the project, the technology used, methods used to implement and operate the future ECM, and the phases of the project. The development and maintenance of the ECM system will follow a hybrid-agile system methodology which will be described in more detail within this area of the website. System development involves the process of producing and sustaining an information technology system. It covers technology, people, and processes.
  • Change and Training: Information about the system including training materials, user guides, and schedules. It is key that the stakeholders and those we serve are supported throughout the entire project process.
  • News: Communications such as press releases, news coverage, and announcements.
  • ECM FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions that cover various topics like general information, the timeline for the project, implementation process, and trainings.

We hope that you will refer to the website often as more information is posted while PA DHS and its partners prepare for the initial launch.

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ODP Announcement 21-090 is to provide guidance to licensees that operate Community Homes for Individuals with an Intellectual Disability or Autism, licensees that operate Life Sharing Homes, ODP-enrolled providers of licensed or unlicensed Residential Habilitation, ODP-enrolled providers of licensed or unlicensed Life Sharing, and/or ODP-enrolled Supported Living providers (“Providers”). This guidance is about the use of assistive technology and remote supports to achieve individual’s goals and outcomes while balancing the benefits of technology use with the requirement to protect each individual’s right to privacy.

ODP has developed a Residential Technology Evaluation Tool to assist providers in determining whether a privacy violation will or may occur. The tool is not a required form, although ODP strongly recommends its use. Providers may develop their own tool to determine whether a privacy violation will or may occur.

ODP is holding a webinar to discuss requirements and best practices for the use of assistive technology and remote supports in residential settings. The date, time, and link for registration to attend the webinar are as follows:

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ODP Announcement 21-088 announces the release of an updated Certified Investigator Peer Review Manual and notifies providers that Temple University will begin its 2021–2022 peer review process on December 1, 2021.

This document replaces the manual that was published in 2018. All prospective and current CIs, Administrative Review Committee (ARE) members, and other administrative staff are required to be familiar with the peer review process guidelines that are outlined in the manual. Prospective and current CIs, ARE members, and other administrative staff should review the entire 2021 Certified Investigator Peer Review Manual to ensure their understanding and use of the standards and protocols contained within it.

To align with Incident Management (IM) Bulletin 00-21-02 (which was issued March 1, 2021, and became effective on July 1, 2021) and the Enterprise Incident Management (EIM) system, several new or expanded topics have been added to the manual. The 2021 Certified Investigator Peer Review Manual can be found on MyODP by using the following path:

  • Training > Certified Investigator Program > CI Help and Resources > All Documents > Manuals; or
  • By clicking: 2021 Certified Investigator Peer Review Process Manual.

In addition to the release of the 2021 Certified Investigator Peer Review Manual, Temple University will begin its 2021–2022 peer review process on December 1, 2021. Provider investigations will be selected at random, and notifications will be sent by Temple University to inform providers of the incidents selected for review.

If you have any questions regarding the 2021 Certified Investigator Peer Review Manual or Peer Review process, please contact Temple directly.

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ODP Announcement 21-087 is to inform all interested parties of CMS’ approval of amendments to the Consolidated, Community Living, and Person/Family Directed Support (P/FDS) waivers (hereafter referred to as the Intellectual Disability and Autism [ID/A] waivers). The ID/A waiver amendments became effective on November 22, 2021, and are available on the Department of Human Services’ website.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) developed a Record of Change document that contains all of the substantive changes in the approved ID/A amendments. Each full waiver application approved by CMS and the Record of Change document are available as follows:

ODP is also holding a webinar to provide an overview of all substantive changes in the approved ID/A amendments. The date, time, and link for registration to attend the webinar are as follows:

ODP is developing two additional communications regarding the provision of remote supports in residential settings and non-residential settings, including information about webinars that will be held regarding the provision of remote supports.

CONTACT: Questions about this communication should be directed to the appropriate Office of Developmental Programs Regional Office.

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ODP Announcement 21-085 serves to communicate that registration for the January–June 2022 sessions of the CI Initial Certification Course are now open on MyODP. Due to continued concerns regarding COVID-19, all January–June 2022 Initial CI Certification sessions (or cohorts) of the course will be provided virtually rather than in person. To register, use the registration link on the Certified Investigator Initial Certification Course Information page. You must be logged into MyODP to access the registration page.

For assistance with registration, contact Sarah Naughton. For questions regarding the course or its topics, contact Amanda Black.

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American Rescue Plan Act: One-Time Supplemental Payment to Address Recruitment, Retention, and COVID-19 Related Staff Expenses

ODP Announcement 21-086 is to provide guidance about the process to request one-time payments to cover COVID-19 related expenses for high staff vacancy. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) provides a temporary 10% increase to the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for certain Medicaid expenditures for home and community-based services (HCBS). The funding is to be used to enhance, expand, or strengthen HCBS beyond what is available under the Medicaid program as of April 1, 2021, and through March 31, 2024.

As part of the Office of Developmental Programs’ (ODP) ARPA spending plan to strengthen HCBS, providers can receive a one-time supplemental payment to address recruitment, retention, and COVID-19 related staffing expenses for direct support professionals or supports coordinators to include funding for hazard pay, costs of recruitment efforts, sign-on bonuses, retention bonuses, and other incentive payments. Providers will be required to complete and submit the attached Provider Attestation Form for One-Time Supplemental Payment and submit it to ODP for consideration.

Providers will be subject to recoupment of funds if it is identified in a state or federal audit or any other authorized third-party review that the provider has inappropriately billed for services or received duplicative payments for services provided or if expenses were reimbursed by duplicative funding streams. No portion of the supplemental payment can be utilized to increase executive compensation.

Providers will be required to continue providing services from December 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022, obtaining written consent from ODP for any discontinuation of a service line or closure of a service setting. Additionally, providers will comply with all reporting requirements related to the use of the supplemental payment.

Requests submitted by December 17, 2021, will be processed for payment prior to the end of December. Requests for supplemental payments may be submitted through January 31, 2022.

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ODP Announcement 21-084 announces that the renewal of the Adult Autism Waiver (AAW) was approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on November 18, 2021. As communicated in ODP Announcement 21-067, the renewal of the AAW has no substantive changes from the previously approved waiver.

The renewal was submitted with no substantive changes because some previously proposed changes to the AAW conflicted with the requirements of Section 9817 of the American Rescue Plan Act and CMS guidance that was published in May of 2021. The renewal is effective July 1, 2021, and can be found on the DHS website.

Because the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) is not making the changes it originally planned to the AAW, ODP will not be implementing the proposed rates published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on May 22, 2021. Any new proposed changes to rates will be published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin for a public comment period prior to implementation.

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