ODP Announcement 23-019 is to advise all stakeholders that the COVID-19 PHE is officially ending May 11, 2023. All provisions made under Appendix K will expire on November 11, 2023.
The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) will release more detailed information regarding transition activities as they develop. A link to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) statement is provided here.
ODP Announcement 23-017 provides information regarding Remote Supports as a separate, discrete service in all four of the Office of Developmental Programs’ (ODP) waivers. Remote Supports is no longer covered as a component of the Assistive Technology service in the Consolidated, P/FDS, and Community Living waivers.
Guidance in the announcement includes how to add remote supports to the ISP, necessary provider qualifications, and enrollment process. Please refer to Attachment A for more instructions on how to add Remote Supports services for the P/FDS, Community Living, or Consolidated Waiver. Please refer to Attachment B for more instructions on how to add Remote Support Services for the AAW. Additional information about the qualification of a new specialty is contained in ODP Announcement 22-122 “Provider Qualification Process.”
Existing providers must submit the approved DP 1059 (ID/A) or DP 1088 (AAW) along with the “PROMISe™ Provider Service Location Change Request,” which can be found on the MyODP website, to the ODP provider enrollment inbox and/or AAW provider enrollment inbox in order to add a new Specialty 364 to an EXISTING active service location with the same Provider Type. Providers that do not have a Provider Type 51 service location open in PROMISe will need to submit an application through the Provider Enrollment system.
Questions regarding ISP requirements should be sent to the appropriate ODP Regional Office. Questions regarding provider qualification requirements should be sent to the ODP Provider Qualification inbox and the AAW Provider Enrollment Lead.
ODP Announcement 23-001 has been updated with new information regarding Supports Coordination Organizations’ recovery payments. The performance standard has been changed so that SCOs must be accepting referrals of newly enrolled individuals in the ODP system as of 3/1/2023. Eligible SCOs must increase the number of individuals served between 3/1/2023 and 6/30/2023. An FAQ sheet is available.
All questions and comments related to this announcement can be sent electronically.
ODP Announcement 23-016 announces that the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) is requesting that qualified providers employing DSPs participate in the 2022 State of the Workforce (SoTW) survey. This important survey includes questions relating to the volume, stability, compensation, and benefits of DSPs serving adults 18 years of age and older. The data gathered from this voluntary and anonymous survey will help ODP, along with other policy makers and advocates, inform policy and program development regarding DSP workforce (DSPW) improvement initiatives and other important work in this area. Within the next two weeks, providers will receive an email from HSRI inviting them to participate in this SoTW survey.
In addition to the standard survey, ODP has added a series of questions to address several areas in which it has a specific interest. These questions are identified in the PA Supplement section and have PA attached to the question number. The data collected for these questions will not be analyzed by HSRI, but ODP will complete its own analysis.
Results of the survey will only be reported in the aggregate, and organizations will not be identified in any way. It is recommended that the Human Resources (HR) or Payroll Office complete the surveys and that answers should reflect DSPs who were on agency payroll during any period between January 1 and December 31, 2022.
The deadline to complete data entry is June 30, 2023. A copy of the survey is available to allow for preparation of data prior to completing data entry. It is a proprietary tool of NCI® and is to be used for reference only. ODP is eager to be a part of this important project again. Provider participation will help ODP to make sound policy decisions regarding Pennsylvania’s DSPs.
Any questions can be directed to Ms. Lee Stephens, ODP NCI Statewide Lead.
ODP Announcement 23-014 provides new guidance to SCOs on Supports Coordinators’ (SC) participation in the SIS-A™ and PA Supplement assessments, as well as clarification and new guidance on virtual assessments. This announcement obsoletes ODP Announcement 22-090. Read the full announcement for details. Highlights include:
Criteria for SC Participation and Virtual Assessments:
Virtual assessments are permitted during inclement weather and when an individual or respondent is ill and able to participate virtually. Additionally, SCs now have the authority to decide whether an assessment should be scheduled virtually based on what is best for the individual and other valid respondents. It is ODP’s expectation that all valid respondents and observers who participate in a virtual assessment must have both audio and video on for the duration of the assessment.
ODP appreciates your commitment to the individuals and families we serve. Please contact your Regional Program Office (RPO) if you need more information or have questions about the SIS process.
ODP Announcement 23-013 informs all interested parties of the submission of Pennsylvania’s Heightened Scrutiny locations to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The information submitted is available on the Department of Human Services’ (Department) website.
On February 1, 2023, the department submitted all locations identified as requiring a Heightened Scrutiny review by CMS. The information submitted may be viewed at the bottom of this web page. CMS will make final heightened scrutiny review determinations available online. Questions about Heightened Scrutiny or this communication should be sent electronically.
ODP Announcement 23-012 shares an updated AAW Provider Information Table to reflect changes made with the January 1, 2023, waiver amendment. This information includes waiver language, guidance, and provider qualifications. The requirements in the AAW will become effective when Appendix K flexibilities expire, six months after the expiration of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency.
The updated Provider Information Table includes these highlights:
Providers are reminded that they are responsible for being aware of any changes to definitions of services they provide and ensuring that individuals who furnish direct services are fully qualified prior to providing services to AAW participants. Questions or comments about this communication should be addressed to Tom Flynn.
ODP Announcement 22-009 states that, in an effort to implement best practices and streamline requirements and operations between Intermediate Care Facilities (ICF) and Home and Community-Based Setting (HCBS) service providers, the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) intends to align incident management regulations and policies for ICFs with the already-existing regulations and policies for HCBS services.
Specifically, ODP plans to do the following:
ODP is pleased to announce the release of the draft class 3 bulletin and the proposed 55 Pa. Code Chapter 6600 regulations for review and informal public comment in order to obtain meaningful input from stakeholders early on in the process of changing regulations. After the informal comment period ends, ODP will review and evaluate these comments, incorporating them when practical into the bulletin and regulations. The 30-day informal public comment period begins on February 2, 2022, and ends on March 4, 2022.
Interested persons are invited to submit written comments regarding the draft class 3 bulletin and Pa. Code Chapter 6600 regulations. Written comments should be addressed to Laura Cipriani, Department of Human Services, Office of Developmental Programs, 625 Forster Street, Room 510, Harrisburg, PA 17120. Comments may also be submitted to ODP via email using subject header “ICF Regulations.”
Questions about this communication should be directed to Laura Cipriani.
ODP Announcement 23-011 states that Support Service Professionals/Supports Brokers who were initially certified two years prior to the effective date of this waiver must complete the Supports Broker Certification program on or before the end of the third-year anniversary of the initial certification. Supports Brokers who were initially certified three or more years prior to the effective date of this waiver must complete the Supports Broker Certification program on or before July 1, 2023.
The Temple University Institute on Disabilities will offer six one-day virtual recertification training sessions. Dates are listed in the announcement.
Please contact the Participant Directed Services (PDS) Regional Lead in your area if you have questions.
ODP Announcement 23-010 is to communicate that the Temple University Harrisburg Certified Investigator Program and the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) will be facilitating Forums for Certified Investigators (CIs) and others involved in the incident investigation process as well as to announce the posting of Q&A documents from past CI Forums on MyODP.
Please submit questions related to the Investigatory Plan that you would like answered during the forum to Amanda Black by close of business Friday, March 3, 2023. The next session date and time is Friday, March 10, 2023, at 10:00 am – 11:30 am. The topic of discussion will be “Investigative Planning.” Registration for March 10, 2023, is open.
For any questions regarding registration for the CI Forums, please contact Amanda Black.
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