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Tags Posts tagged with "Guidance"

Guidance

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared ODPANN 25-08. This announcement provides guidance for Certified Medication Administration Trainers that train for multiple eligible providers. You can also view “Maintaining your Trainer Certificate” for instructions on ensuring your certificate may be used to teach in eligible provider settings.

If you have any questions regarding this announcement, please submit a ticket through the MA Help Desk.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared ODPANN 25-072 and its accompanying attachments. The purpose of this announcement is to provide updated guidance for completing the SC Individual Monitoring Tool (IMT), specifically regarding when self-employment is considered Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE).

With the implementation of Performance-Based Contracting (PBC) for ID/A Residential Providers and SCOs, ODP has reviewed how CIE data is collected and interpreted. Because CIE performance measures rely on information collected through the SC IMT, ODP is issuing updated guidance to clarify how SCs should apply CIE criteria — particularly in cases involving self-employment. While PBC is not being implemented for Residential Providers or SCOs enrolled in the AAW, the AAW is also updating its IMT guidance in alignment with the ID/A IMT guidance.

These updates do not change the monitoring tool questions themselves in either the ID/A or AAW IMT. The new guidance provides additional instructions to ensure consistent understanding and documentation.

ATTACHMENTS:

  • Attachment #1: ID/A Individual Support Plan Monitoring Tool – SC Guidance Document – Reissued 7/23/2025
  • Attachment #2: AAW SC Individual Monitoring Guidance – Reissued 7-2025

Please review the announcement and attachments for additional information and details.

Message to Supports Coordinators:
The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared the following information as part of the Annual Review Update process. It is essential to ensure each individual’s demographic information is accurate and current. Please take a few extra moments during your review to verify that all details are up-to-date and correctly documented.

HCSIS Navigation

  • Consumer Demographics: Individual > Demographics > Demo
  • Consumer Addresses: Individual > Demographics > Address
  • Contacts: Individual > Demographics > Contacts

Completion Guidelines
Please confirm that the following details are correct to the best of your knowledge:

Consumer Demographics

  • Living Situation
  • County of Residence
  • Educational and Vocational Status
    • Ensure this is consistent with the information listed under Education/Vocational and Employment/Volunteer sections within Functional Information.
  • Telephone Number (if applicable)

Consumer Addresses

  • Residential Address
  • Mailing Address (if applicable)
  • Email Address (if applicable)

Consumer Contacts

  • Contact Name
  • Relationship to Individual
  • Mailing Address (if applicable)
  • Phone Numbers (if applicable)
  • Email Address (if applicable)
  • Preferred Contact Method
  • Notes

Accurate information not only supports effective service planning and coordination — it also plays a key role in ensuring a smooth transition as we prepare for Enterprise Case Management (ECM) implementation. Thank you for your attention to detail and your continued commitment to delivering high-quality supports.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact your ODP Regional Office.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) staff who work with IM4Q and the IM4Q technical advisors have developed a 2-page information fact sheet for providers. The information sheet is meant to be helpful in informing providers about IM4Q and the provider role in IM4Q. Providers may contact the ODP IM4Q/NCI statewide lead or the IM4Q technical advisors for further information or questions.

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) is pleased to announce the OMHSAS Bulletin Series Update, OMHSAS-25-01, effective May 14, 2025. Obsoleted bulletin lists are updated every few years. This listing identifies bulletins that are no longer in effect. Providers should no longer be referring to them for guidance.

Contact RCPA Policy Associate Emma Sharp with any questions.

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The Office of Children, Youth and Families (OCYF) has released Policy Clarification #3490-25-03, which provides guidance on how to address concerns involving privately run camps that do not allege “child abuse” committed by a “perpetrator,” as defined by the Child Protective Services Law (23, PA C.S., Chapter 63). View Policy Clarification #3490-25-03 here. Questions regarding this Policy Clarification may be directed to your applicable OCYF Regional Office, or to Erik Walters, Human Services Analyst in OCYF’s Bureau of Policy, Programs and Operations.

Contact RCPA Policy Associate Emma Sharp with any questions.

Due to the PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) Order of Selection (OOS) operations memorandum, effective April 1, 2025, the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) is providing guidance to the following entities regarding the referral of participants to OVR:

    1. Managed Care Organizations (MCO);
    2. Service Coordinators (SC);
    3. Service Coordination Entities (SCE); and
    4. Service Providers.

OVR recognizes three (3) disability categories:

    1. Non-Significant Disability (NSD);
    2. Significant Disability (SD); and
    3. Most Significant Disability (MSD).

The April 1, 2025, OOS is a wait-listing of customers who fall within the NSD and SD categories. Customers who are determined by OVR to fall within the MSD category will continue to receive OVR-funded services. Due to this being a partial OOS closure, OLTL participants who are requesting employment services/supports must continue to be referred to OVR for determination of eligibility.

Page three of the OLTL Employment and Employment Related Services Bulletin indicates that during a full OOS closure, “a participant who has not been referred to OVR may receive OLTL Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) employment services without a referral to OVR.”

Due to the current OOS being a partial closure and not a full closure, participants still need to be referred to OVR for evaluation of eligibility for services. As detailed in the 1915 (c) waiver and page two of the Employment Services Bulletin, participants do not need to be referred to OVR for Benefits Counseling Services.

MCOs and SCs should continue to monitor cases referred to OVR as detailed on page three of the Employment Services Bulletin, which states, “Prior to adding one of the OLTL HCBS employment services to a participant’s Person-Centered Services Plan (PCSP), the SC must determine the status of the participant’s case with OVR.” Additionally, SCs should continue to follow the guidance on page two of the Employment Services Bulletin, which states, “If OVR has not made an eligibility determination within 120 days of a referral being sent, then OVR services are considered to not be available to the participant, and OLTL employment services may be provided under an OLTL HCBS program.”

Please refer any questions to Randall Loss electronically.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared ODPANN 25-039. This communication provides guidance to all stakeholders who participate in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025/26 renewal Individual Support Plan (ISP) process. The following topical areas are addressed in this communication:

  • Guidance for updating FY 2025/26 renewal plans;
  • FY 2025/26 waiver rate load;
  • Variance process for established service requirements;
  • NG5 and Residential Rate Exception NEA process;
  • Reserve to Encumbrance; and
  • Additional resources.

Please view the announcement for additional information and details.