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Tags Posts tagged with "Life Sharing"

Life Sharing

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) wants to continue to expand the use of the Life Sharing service, as this service is rated as having one of the highest satisfactions by individuals for having an everyday life (IM4Q data). ODP is hosting two webinars to provide education and an explanation about the Life Sharing service.

To register:

Please see ODPANN 26-007 for more details.

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Life Sharing is a service that has one of the highest rates of satisfaction aligning with an everyday life (Independent Monitoring for Quality (IM4Q)). The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) wants this service to continue to grow and is providing information to educate everyone about the Life Sharing service. The first step was to create promotional materials to assist with their goal. These documents were created with the assistance of Providers of Life Sharing, Administrative Entities, ODP, and feedback from Supports Coordinators.

In the near future, webinars will also be provided on Life Sharing, and ODP will communicate with stakeholders when these dates are set.

What are These Documents?

There are two documents available:

  1. The Life Sharing Brochure is intended for individuals and families with the hope that Residential Providers that offer the Life Sharing service and Supports Coordination Organizations will print these out and disseminate at their headquarters as well as pass them out as appropriate. This document easily describes what Life Sharing is at a high level.
  2. A one-page document, “Information to Help Supports Coordinators Talk to Individuals and Families About Life Sharing,” is intended for Supports Coordinators to use when having conversations with individuals and families. ODP hopes Supports Coordinators will utilize this form at Individual Support Plan (ISP) meetings and on a more routine basis to help individuals and families understand what the Life Sharing service is and to help them understand there are multiple options for residential services.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) released the Room and Board Bulletin, which was initially released in March 2025. ODP extends gratitude to all stakeholders who participated in the development of the bulletin.

ODP hosted two webinars; both were recorded, and the links are below for viewing.

Room and Board Training for Residential Habilitation and Life Sharing Professionals
The first webinar was targeted towards professionals, Residential Habilitation providers, and Life Sharing providers, in order to provide an explanation of Room and Board polices and regulations, how the polices should be implemented, and an overview of the attachments of the bulletin.

Room and Board Training for Individuals and Families
The second webinar was created for individuals and families. Individuals who receive Residential Habilitation (who live in a group home) or Life Sharing must have a Room and Board contract. This webinar covers the reason for the Room and Board contract, what will be covered within the contract, and an overview of the bulletin, including an explanation of the Room and Board policies and regulations.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared Bulletin 00-25-01: Room and Board for Individuals Enrolled With the Office of Developmental Programs and 5 accompanying documents:

The sixth document referenced in the bulletin, a version of the Room and Board Agreement translated in Spanish, will be released soon. Stakeholders will be notified when this version of the agreement is ready for use.

This bulletin is to clarify Room and Board requirements outlined in 55 Pa. Code Chapter 6100 (relating to Services for Individuals with an Intellectual Disability or Autism).

ODP has scheduled two trainings:

  1. Room and Board Training: For Residential Habilitation & Life Sharing Professionals
    Friday, March 28, 2025, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
    If you are a professional, please register here.
  2. Room and Board Training: For Individuals and Families
    Thursday, April 3, 2025, 11:30 am  – 1:00 pm
    If you are an individual or family member, please register here.

These trainings will include:

  • The intent of Room and Board;
  • An explanation of Room and Board policies and regulations;
  • An explanation of policy implementation; and
  • An overview of the attachments to the bulletin.

There will be time during the sessions to answer questions submitted by participants during the webinars. For this reason, ODP kindly asks stakeholders to save questions about the bulletin until after the training is held.

Please see the bulletin for additional details and information.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared communication ODPANN 24-129. This announcement informs potential providers and stakeholders of changes to the enrollment process for NEW providers seeking to offer Residential Habilitation, Life Sharing, and Supported Living services in the Consolidated or Community Living Waivers by December 31, 2024. Potential new providers will not be eligible to provide residential services effective January 1, 2025. Enrollment for new providers of these services is closed.

Please view the announcement for information and details.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has provided updated guidance, ODPANN 24-120, on how to provide Life Sharing services to individuals with a Medically Complex Condition (MCC). This FAQ Version 2 includes the previous set of FAQs as well as new ones. There are three attachments to the FAQ to provide further guidance that aligns with ODP’s waivers. ODP will continue to provide additional guidance and will release new versions of the FAQ as needed.

  • Attachment 1: Guidance for Life Sharing
  • Attachment 2: Provider Qualifications for Life Sharing Agencies Serving Individuals With a Medically Complex Condition
  • Attachment 3: Decision Tree
  • Attachment 4: Medically Complex Condition (MCC) Life Sharing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

ODP Announcement 22-036 is now obsolete.

Questions about this communication should be directed to the appropriate ODP Regional Office.

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Today the Department of Human Services (Department) published final notice of Fee Schedule Rates for services funded through the Consolidated, Community Living, Person/Family Directed Support (P/FDS), and Adult Autism Waivers and the Department-established fees for base-funded services as a correction to the rates previously published August 1, 2024.

Due to a calculation error, the Department has made corrections to the Fee Schedule Rates for the following services funded through the Consolidated, Community Living, and P/FDS Waivers and base-funding:

  • Community Participation Support, effective July 1, 2024; and
  • Life Sharing Without Day 1-person needs group 3 and 4, effective October 1, 2024.

Additionally, due to a mistake in aligning the procedure code with the correct Statewide fee, the Department is republishing the Fee Schedule Rates for the following services funded through the Adult Autism Waiver effective July 1, 2024:

  • Residential Habilitation
  • Specialized Skill Development
  • Supported Employment
  • Career Planning
  • Therapies
  • Day Unit Respite
  • 15-Minute Unit Respite
  • Supports Coordination
  • Transportation — Trip

This publication presents an opportunity for providers to appeal these specific rates. The deadline for filing an appeal for these rates is December 2, 2024.

For further information, view ODPANN 24-107 or contact Carol Ferenz, IDD Division Director.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) met with stakeholders today, October 30, 2024, to discuss waiver amendments and to provide an overview of Performance-Based Contracting.

Waiver Amendments included:

Waiver Capacity:

  • When an individual is in an acute care hospital and receiving waiver services, ODP will not need to reserve (hold) the individual’s waiver. They will maintain enrollment in the waiver.
  • Language was updated for waiver capacity for high school graduates in the P/FDS waiver. AEs can reserve the waiver capacity for 180 days prior to when services are needed. Students can remain in service until their 22nd birthday.

Assistive Technology:

  • Updated language to explain when an independent evaluation is required and when it is optional:
    • REQUIRED: A device will cost $750 or more.
    • OPTIONAL: A device will cost less than $750.
  • An independent evaluation can be done if the team decides it would be beneficial.
  • Evaluations are included in the $10,000 lifetime limit.

Community Participation Support:

  • The Community Participation Support provider must complete and update an analysis of the following at least yearly to support individuals to experience meaningful community inclusion:
    • Strongest interests and personal preferences for community activities;
    • Skills, strengths, and other contributions likely to be valuable to employers or the community; and
    • Conditions necessary for successful community inclusion and/or competitive integrated employment.

American Sign Language (ASL) – English Interpreter Service:

  • English Interpreter service will be added to ODP’s waivers effective January 1, 2025.

Music, Art, & Equine Assisted Therapy:

  • The cumulative maximum limit of any combination of Music Therapy, Art Therapy, or Equine Assisted Therapy has increased from 26 to 52 hours per fiscal year.

STAT Overview:

  • The Specialty Telehealth and Assessment Team service was implemented in March 2024. This service may also be delivered to the participant during temporary travel, per ODP’s travel policy.

Waiver Corrections:
Life Sharing:

  • The following may not be authorized for participants who receive Life Sharing services: Residential Habilitation; Supported Living; Respite (15-minute or Day) (has been removed).

Supported Living Corrections:

  • The following services may not be authorized for participants who receive Supported Living services: Life Sharing; Residential Habilitation; Respite (15-minute or Day); Homemaker/Chore; In-Home and Community Supports; Behavioral Supports; Therapies; Shift Nursing; Consultative Nutritional Services; Communication Specialist and Specialize.

Benefits Counseling:

  • New billable indirect activities are added. The limit has increased from 15 hours per fiscal year to 24 hours per fiscal year.

The Performance-Based Contracting Review Included:

  • Effective January 1, 2025, Performance-Based Contracting will be implemented for the following services funded through the Consolidated and Community Living Waivers:
    •  Residential Habilitation;
    •  Life Sharing; and
    •  Supported Living.
  • Changes to Enrollment of New Providers.
  • What are Performance Standards?
  • What are Provider Tiers?
  • What Do These Changes Mean to Individuals and Families?

All performance-based contracting questions can be sent electronically.

Please see the distributed PowerPoint for additional information.

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In order to continue providing residential services after December 31, 2024, residential service providers must complete and return the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) Agreement for Provision of Residential Services. A copy of the agreement and accompanying cover letter will be sent to your agency within the next 24 hours. The documents will be emailed to your agency’s primary QA&I contact as listed on MyODP. Completed Agreements must be submitted no later than July 31, 2024. If your agency does not receive these materials, or if your QA&I contact has changed, please contact ODP Provider Enrollment.

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