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odp announcement

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has recently shared ODPANN 23-048: Required Communication Specialist Provider Qualification Training. The announcement provides guidance and information relating to a new qualification requirement that has been added to the Communication Specialist Service. This requirement will become effective January 1, 2024. This guidance is being released to give providers sufficient time to meet the new requirement.

All providers who wish to provide this service after January 1, 2024, must complete the Communication Specialist training provided on MyODP. This applies to Communication Specialists, Communication Specialists that are direct employees of an agency, and contracted employees of an agency.

Please review the announcement for additional information, including accessing the training course.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) shared the reissued communication Invitation to Apply for the Capacity Building Institute Year 7 (CBI7). The last day to submit an interest survey to join the Year 7 Cohort is now June 23, 2023.

Each person must complete the CBI Year 7 Interest Survey by June 23, 2023, in order to express interest and confirm their ability to attend all sessions. There are a limited number of spaces available for participants. All applicants will be notified through email in mid-July as to their admission status.

Please review the communication for additional information relating to cost and attendance.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared ODPANN 23-047: Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) and Temple University Harrisburg — Certified Investigator Initial Certification Course Delivery Questionnaire. This communication asks stakeholders to complete a survey to gain input on future delivery methods for the Certified Investigator Initial Certification course.

The short questionnaire will help determine the path moving forward for scheduling in-person and virtual CI Initial Certification courses. ODP would like to hear from current CIs, previous CIs, organization management, administration, and leadership.

Please review the announcement for a link to the survey.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) shares ODPANN 23-046: Infection Control Procedures and Mitigating the Spread of Infectious Diseases with an NICC Team Consulting Flyer and Mission Statement. This announcement has two purposes:

  • First, to draw attention to the revised guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH) describing how to determine if a facility should be considered a healthcare or a non-healthcare congregate setting.
  • The second purpose is to provide updated guidance to providers of the Office of Developmental Programs’ (ODP) home and community-based services (HCBS) and Private Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with an Intellectual Disability (ICF/IDs) for development of policies related to infection control procedures.

Please review the announcement and attachments for further information and detail.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) shared ODPANN 23-045: Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) Waiver Reserved Capacity Letters. This announcement provides guidance that clarifies instructions on how Administrative Entities (AEs) should maintain the waiver capacity of ODP waiver participants who are temporarily unable to receive waiver services due to requiring a short-term stay in a hospital (medical/psychiatric), nursing home, or rehabilitation care facility and are expected to return to the community. It includes the following attachments:

Please review the announcement and attachments for additional details.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) is sharing ODPANN 23-044: Now Open: Registration for Certified Investigator (CI) Initial Certification Course. The purpose of this announcement is to communicate that registration for the July–December 2023 CI Initial Certification Course classes (also known as cohorts) is now open on MyODP. View the announcement for a course description and registration details.

ODP Announcement 23-043 shares that the proposed amendments to the Consolidated, Person/Family Directed Support (P/FDS), Community Living, and Adult Autism Waivers and proposed rates for select services are available for public review and comment. There is a 30-day public comment period that starts on May 27, 2023, and ends on June 27, 2023, at 11:59 pm.

These proposed changes are scheduled to take effect November 1, 2023. ODP is also making available for public review and comment the rate setting methodology and fee schedule rates for select services in the waivers that are scheduled to take effect January 1, 2024.

The waiver amendments in their entirety can be found here.

Additional fee schedule rates are being added for:

  • Group music therapy, art therapy, and equine assisted therapy services provided through the Consolidated, Community Living, and P/FDS Waivers.
  • Needs Group 5 Residential Habilitation services provided through the Consolidated Waiver and Life Sharing Without Day Services provided through the Consolidated and Community Living Waivers.

The new Specialty Health Assessment and Coordination service in the Consolidated, Community Living, and P/FDS Waivers will be reimbursed monthly as a vendor service based on the cost that the provider charges to the general public. The rate changes proposed above are planned to become effective January 1, 2024.

In addition, ODP proposes to adopt the temporary enhanced rates for CPS and Transportation Trip as the fee schedule rates on November 1, 2023.

Information regarding the proposed waiver amendment changes and rates, including how to provide comments, can be found in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, Volume 53, Number 21, published on Saturday, May 27, 2023.

Comments and requests for copies of this notice and documents may be submitted to ODP via email. Comments submitted should use subject header ”Waiver and Rate Comments.” There are also webinars scheduled to provide public comment.

RCPA will be asking members for their input to our comments as well and will schedule a meeting to review this information shortly. If you have any questions or comments that you would like to be sure we include, please contact Carol Ferenz or Cathy Barrick.

ODP Announcement 23-042 informs stakeholders that a 45-day public comment period on the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) proposal to implement Selective Contracting for Residential and Supports Coordination (SC) services has begun. Public comment will be accepted until 11:59 pm on July 10, 2023. ODP intends to change the way providers are enrolled, qualified, and paid to deliver the following services through selective contracting:

  • Residential Habilitation, Supported Living, and Life Sharing in the Consolidated and Community Living Waivers;
  • Supports Coordination in the Consolidated, Community Living, and Person/Family Directed Support (P/FDS) Waivers; and
  • Targeted Support Management in the Medicaid State Plan.

Selective Contracting allows ODP to improve the quality of these services by:

  • Moving beyond contracting with any willing and qualified provider and instead requiring providers to meet specific criteria set by ODP;
  • Developing a class of “preferred providers” using new performance standards that align with Everyday Lives; and
  • Aligning payment with outcomes.

You can view the Selective Contracting Concept Paper, which provides a general overview and technical details associated with ODP’s current ideas about selective contracting.

ODP will also be hosting stakeholder webinars to review the concepts in the Selecting Contracting Concept Paper, answer questions, and provide an opportunity for public comment. See the announcement for the dates and registration details for the stakeholder sessions.

Comments received by 11:59 pm on July 10, 2023, will be reviewed and considered by ODP in determining how to implement selective contracting. Public comment may be submitted through one of the following methods:

  1. Electronic submission through email;
  2. Written submission through mail, addressed to: Julie Mochon, Department of Human Services, Office of Developmental Programs – 625 Forster Street, Room 510, Harrisburg, PA 17120; or
  3. Verbal submission through one of the public comment webinars. Comments from stakeholders identified for each session will be prioritized.

Questions about this communication should be sent electronically.