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odp announcement

ODP Announcement 23-003 serves to inform all waiver providers and vendors whose last digit of their Master Provider Index (MPI) number is 6, 7, 8, or 9, as well as new providers who enrolled in the 2021/2022 fiscal year, that they must submit their qualification documentation to their assigned AE and/or the Office of Developmental Programs’ (ODP) Bureau of Supports for Autism and Special Populations (BSASP). This documentation is due from February 1 through March 31, 2023.

If the provider is enrolled to provide services in BOTH an ID/A waiver and the AAW, providers should submit all supporting documentation to both their Assigned AE and BSASP via email. If your agency is enrolled to provide services in an ID/A waiver only, providers should submit all supporting documentation to their Assigned AE.

For reference to provider qualification, please see PA Code Chapter 6100, Subsections 6100.83-84, which contains provider qualification citation specifications. Inquiries about this communication regarding the ID/A qualification process should be sent to the ODP Provider Qualification inbox.

Inquiries about this communication regarding the AAW qualification process should be sent to the AAW Provider Qualification inbox.

ODP Announcement 23-002 reports that the renewals for the Consolidated, Community Living, and Person/Family Directed Support (P/FDS) Waivers have been approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) with an effective date of January 1, 2023. CMS approves waivers for a five-year period. The current Consolidated, Community Living, and P/FDS Waivers expired June 30, 2022, but were extended twice as discussions continued between the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) and CMS.

Major changes in the renewals include:

  • Remote Supports has been added as a separate, discrete service in all three waivers.
  • Clarification about the activities that can be performed under the Communication Specialist service has been added, the amount of Communication Specialist services that participants can receive each year has increased from 40 hours to 60 hours, and effective January 1, 2024, the communication specialist will be required to successfully complete training provided by ODP.
  • The amount of Benefits Counseling services that participants can receive each year has increased from 10 hours to 15 hours.
  • The amount of tuition that can be covered through Education Support services has increased from $35,000 to $40,000.
  • Companion services have expanded to support additional participants at their place of employment.
  • Supported Employment services can now support participants during work-related trips.
  • Participant Directed Goods and Services have been added to the Consolidated Waiver.
  • The purpose of the Supports Broker service has been clarified, and recertification requirements for Supports Brokers have been added.
  • The Specialized Supplies service will continue to cover personal protective equipment once Appendix K flexibilities end.
  • Music, Art, and Equine-Assisted Therapy are available to individuals who receive residential services.
  • Staff working for, or contracting with, Residential Habilitation, Life Sharing, or Supported Living providers must complete Department-approved training on the common health conditions that may be associated with preventable deaths.
  • Clarification about requirements for using technology in the provision of waiver services has been added with a focus on protecting individual privacy when using technology.
  • Clarification about experience and education requirements for Supports Coordinators and Supports Coordinator Supervisors has been added, and Supports Coordinators will continue to be allowed to use teleservices to perform some of the required face-to-face monitoring per year.

A list of all major changes made in the renewals is available in the record of change document and each full waiver application approved by CMS, which are available at:

ODP will be holding a webinar to discuss major changes made in these approved waiver renewals on February 9, 2023, from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm. You can register for the webinar here.

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

ODP Announcement 23-001 provides information about the Office of Developmental Programs’ (ODP) initiative to utilize up to $40 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds as part of the ongoing systemic recovery of services for people with an intellectual disability and autism.

To support the ongoing restoration of the intellectual disability and autism service delivery system, ODP is implementing a supplemental recovery and expansion initiative utilizing ARPA funds. This initiative is designed to provide supplemental payments to support the recovery and service expansion in the following three areas: Community Participation Support, Employment, and Supports Coordination.

All questions and comments related to this announcement can be directed to the Rate Setting inbox.

ODP Announcement 22-127 reports that, effective January 2023, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will increase the SSI allotment by 8.7 percent to reflect an increase in the cost of living. This raises the maximum monthly income to $914 for an eligible individual, $1,371 for an eligible individual with an eligible spouse, and $458 for an essential person. To account for the new Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), Room and Board contracts should be reviewed to determine appropriate adjustment. The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has finalized a new Room and Board Residency Agreement § 6100.687 (DP 1077), which can be accessed here.

If a provider has already begun the process of adjusting the room and board payment for 2023 using the DP 1051, this form will continue to be accepted as current until the annual due date or until a change requires that a new form is completed. The provider must use the DP 1077 at the next annual due date or when there is a change

If you have any questions, please reach out to your ODP Regional Office.

ODP Announcement 22-125 is to provide updates regarding the Medication Administration training. The observation timeframe schedule for Initial Training Requirements has been reduced. If the required initial medication administration observations have not been completed successfully within 90 days, the student must repeat the entire standard medication training course. Trainers will now be responsible for marking the Handwashing/Gloving total grade activity in the Medication Administration Student course. The announcement also includes the Train-the-Trainer Winter/Spring 2023 Face-to-Face Schedule.

ODP Announcement 22-123 announces that a new Room and Board Residency Agreement (DP 1077) has been developed to align with 55 Pa. Code Chapter 6100 requirements. Please note that if a provider agency has a current, accurate room and board contract (DP 1051) in the participant’s file, the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) is not requiring provider agencies to complete the new DP 1077. The intent is for provider agencies to begin using the new Room and Board Residency Agreement § 6100.687 (DP 1077) form when a new contract is needed.

ODP is continuing to revise the Room and Board Bulletin that was put out for public comment in the summer of 2021. Once this bulletin is finalized, ODP will communicate with stakeholders regarding the release of the Room and Board Bulletin that will contain the requirements found in the 55 Pa. Code Chapter 6100 regulations.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your ODP Regional Office.

ODP Announcement 22-122 is to remind providers that this is the time of year to being the Provider Qualification process. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) require a statewide process to ensure providers are qualified to render services to waiver-funded individuals. The Provider Qualification Process described outlines the steps the Assigned AE and provider must follow to meet these requirements and the steps Supports Coordinators (SCs) must take to transition individuals if needed. This communication does not describe the qualification process for SC organizations

The release of this communication obsoletes ODP Announcement 22-005 Provider Qualification Process. In addition, the qualification process for Providers enrolled in the Adult Autism Waiver can be found in ODP Announcement 20-110.

Providers that are shared across Intellectual Disability/Autism (ID/A) and the Adult Autism Waiver (AAW) must complete the Provider Qualification processes with both the AE for the ID/A waivers and the Bureau of Supports for Autism and Special Populations (BSASP) for the AAW.

Providers must submit the qualification documentation (Posted on MyODP — DP 1059 and the Provider Qualification Documentation Record with all required supporting documentation) by 03/31 of the year that their requalification is due.

Failure to meet this deadline will affect the assigned AE’s ability to requalify the provider by the due date of 04/30. The updated ODP Provider Qualification Documentation Record contains all instructions and qualification requirements.

For inquiries regarding this communication, contact the ODP Provider Qualification inbox.

ODP Announcement 22-121 reports that the recording of the presentation provided by the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) staff during the webinar on December 1, 2022, which was to provide an overview of the heightened scrutiny process and to listen to public comments, is now posted on MyODP.

Public comments are being accepted until 11:59 pm on December 19, 2022. Please review ODP Announcement 22-117: Open for Public Comment: Proposed Heightened Scrutiny Service Locations to be Submitted To CMS. This announcement gives a background description of Heightened Scrutiny, the documents available for public comment, and how to provide public comment

Questions about this communication should be directed via email.

ODP Announcement 22-120 communicates that registration for the January – June 2023 Certified Investigator (CI) Initial Certification Course classes (also known as cohorts) are now open on MyODP. Due to continued concerns regarding COVID-19, the January – June 2023 CI Initial Certification cohorts of the course will be provided virtually rather than in person.

If you do not have a MyODP account, use the MyODP login page and follow the instructions under “Is this your first time here?” If you are not sure whether or not you have a MyODP account, contact MyODP Support or Kiyona Duncan.

For assistance with registration, contact Kiyona Duncan. For questions regarding course content, contact Amanda Black.

Image by Katja Fuhlert from Pixabay

ODP Announcement 22-118 reminds Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) providers of the expectation to support individuals to access all available and recommended vaccinations and promote health and safety by providing helpful reminders about holiday gatherings.

ODP expects that providers will ensure that all individuals supported have timely opportunities to remain up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccination as defined by the CDC and are educated on how to practice heathy habits. This announcement also shares resources available to support people in making safe decisions during the holiday season.