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Tags Posts tagged with "Office of Developmental Programs"

Office of Developmental Programs

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Message from the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP):

Dear Intermediate Care Facility for Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IDs) and Community Home Provider:

The Department of Human Services (DHS) has a critical need for updated vaccine uptake information as a result of the recent increase in COVID-19 cases and recent news related to boosters. We need your help to gather this important information. Please complete this brief survey by 5:00 pm on Tuesday, August 31, 2021.

This survey is part of a larger effort to obtain a point-in-time view of the vaccination rate of staff and residents in all facilities licensed by DHS. For the number of staff, please use the count for those currently employed and who work within the licensed residential setting(s) operated by your agency (even if they might not come into direct contact with individuals receiving services).

We realize that you have provided this information in the past; you will note that this survey is much shorter than previous versions (Residential Providers complete for agency, not by licensed home) and should take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.

For any questions regarding this survey, please contact ODP.

Thank you for your support in our ongoing fight against COVID-19.

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ODP Announcement 21-018 (reissued on Tuesday, February 9, 2021) serves to remind Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) Quality Management (QM) Certificate holders of QM recertification requirements for those who were initially certified or recertified in 2019. Recertification is required every two years.

This communication is a reissue and is being sent out to replace ODPANN 21-018: Quality Management (QM) Recertification for ODP QM Certificate Holders, which was originally released on February 8, 2021. Please note that the changes are in red.

For those who are currently ODP QM Certificate holders, maintaining your certification through recertifying every two years is highly recommended. Recertification advances QM skills, knowledge, and expertise by providing additional tools and a more in-depth review of information that was not covered in previous materials.

Staff wishing to retain their ODP QM certification must recertify by December 31, 2021. Recertification modules and the accompanying test will be made available on MyODP beginning on February 9, 2021.

Recertification applicants have two attempts to achieve a passing score of at least 84 percent. There is a minimum of a 24-hour waiting period before the second attempt, if necessary, is made available. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you not wait until December 31 to take the test as applicants will then be limited to one attempt to pass.

Recertification applicants can access the recertification modules and accompanying materials at this link beginning on February 9, 2021.

Be sure to log in to MyODP in order to gain full functionality of the website to complete the recertification process.

Questions about the Quality Management Strategy, the ODP QM Certification Program, or other questions related to quality management can be sent to the ODP QM Mailbox.

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This meeting will provide updates on COVID-19 activities, answer questions, and offer support. These meetings are held for all Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) providers of Adult Autism Waiver (AAW) services. The virtual office hours (VOH) start with an overview of any new ODP announcements and also include a) highlights of new practices, b) a review of topics and questions sent in advance, and c) a discussion of any concerns that have come up within the past few weeks. Providers will be able to ask questions directly of AAW Regional Office (RO) representatives.

Please register for this session here.

February 8, 2021

10:00 am – 11:30 am

Virtual office hours (VOH) provide attendees with an opportunity to interact and ask questions related to a specific topic. They occur one time and are not recorded or posted on MyODP.

Preregistration is required. Please use the link above to register for the session. Once registered, you will receive an email with instructions describing how to participate, including a new link to join the session. You can join the audio portion of the webinar by telephone or computer.

For questions, please email this contact.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) and the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) announced the publication of a new issue of Positive Approaches Journal, written by and for professionals who provide supports and services to individuals with mental and behavioral health challenges, intellectual disabilities, autism, and other developmental disabilities. This issue’s theme is “Rights, Risks, and Restrictions.”

“Data Discoveries,” a feature of Positive Approaches, spotlights useful data presented in ways that are interesting and customizable. “Data Discoveries” will feature a word cloud of thoughts and phrases pertinent to the theme of “Rights, Risks, and Restrictions.” In an effort to learn more about your perceptions of how rights, risks, and restrictions are perceived in the community, the editorial board of Positive Approaches asks for your participation in a brief online survey exploring the words or phrases you feel correspond with these concepts, as they relate to work, experiences, and priorities.

The Positive Approaches Journal is published quarterly. For additional information, please submit inquiries/comments via email.

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Person Centered Thinking is a core concept at the foundation of the services and supports provided to people with intellectual disabilities and autism in Pennsylvania. People with disabilities, self-advocates, families, and other stakeholders are invited to come and learn about Person Centered Thinking and how it can be used to enhance the quality of life of the people we support.

This is a professional development opportunity. Training begins at 9:00 am and ends at 4:00 pm. You must attend both days in order to complete the training and receive a certificate of attendance.

Training Description: This interactive, two-day training serves as a foundation for everyone involved in supporting people with significant disabilities. During this training, participants will have the opportunity to develop their skills by completing a series of guided exercises. Participants will practice utilizing person-centered thinking resources and techniques. Information gathered using these skills can help teams develop meaningful Individual Support Plans that help people with disabilities achieve an Everyday Life.

2019–2020 Training Dates and Locations

Dates (Participants must attend both training days) Location
Wednesday, December 4, 2019 and
Thursday, December 5, 2019		 Northampton County Human Services Building
2801 Emrick Blvd
Bethlehem PA 18020
Monday, January 6, 2020 and
Monday, January 13, 2020		 Berks County Intermediate Unit – #14
1111 Commons Blvd
Reading, PA 19612-6050
Thursday, February 20, 2020 and Friday, February 21, 2020 PaTTAN Harrisburg
6340 Flank Drive
Harrisburg, PA 17112
Monday, March 2, 2020 and
Monday, March 9, 2020		 Chester County Government Services Center
601 Westtown Road
West Chester, PA 19380
Thursday, March 26, 2020 and Friday, March 27, 2020 PaTTAN Pittsburgh
3190 William Pitt Way
Pittsburgh, PA 15238
Gate code for 3/26: 48309
Gate code for 3/27: 40927

All training sessions will be held from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Registration will begin at 8:30 am. Lunch will not be provided.

Pre-registration is required. To register online, use this link. If you have any questions about this training opportunity, please submit via email.

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ODP Announcement 108-18 provides Update 5 regarding HCBS Settings Provider Self-Assessments. As of December 6, 2018, all residential providers were emailed their self-assessment reports and guidance for any needed corrective actions. Providers are encouraged to email here if a report has not been received for a residential service location for which a self-assessment was submitted.

ODP is now working on developing the self-assessment reports and guidance that will be sent to non-residential providers (Community Participation Support and/or Day Habilitation). ODP will start emailing this information to providers on December 31, 2018. It should take about a month for all reports and guidance to be sent for every service location. Non-Residential providers should email this address if a report has not been received by January 31, 2019, for a service location for which a self-assessment was submitted.

On October 1, 2018, ODP contacted residential and non-residential providers for which a self-assessment for an active service location was not submitted and informed them that an onsite assessment would be scheduled. Their current analysis shows four residential service locations and 19 non-residential service locations that meet this criterion. Staff from ODP will be completing the onsite assessments for residential service locations and Administrative Entity staff will be completing the onsite assessments for non-residential service locations. Providers who will receive an onsite assessment should be contacted by staff from ODP or an Administrative Entity soon to discuss and schedule the assessment. It is their goal to complete all onsite assessments by March 31, 2019.

Through the HCBS Settings Provider Self-Assessment process, there have been some frequently asked questions and concerns regarding corrective actions and documentation that ODP wanted to clarify to all providers involved that are addressed in this announcement.

Please be advised that ODP has received a large quantity of emails and phone calls from providers. As a result, it has been taking longer than expected to respond to each provider individually. ODP wants to thank you for your ongoing patience throughout this HCBS Settings Provider Self-Assessment process. For any questions related to this communication, please submit them via email.

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ODP Announcement 109-18 announces that the Fair Hearing Request Form (DP 458) has been updated. The form is used by individuals and families to object to the following actions taken by the Administrative Entity (AE), County Program, Supports Coordination Organization (through the auto authorization process), or ODP and to request a fair hearing before the Department of Human Services, Bureau of Hearings and Appeals:

  • An individual is determined likely to meet an Intermediate Care Facility for persons with an Intellectual Disability (ICF/ID) or Other Related Conditions (ICF/ORC) level of care and is enrolled to receive Medical Assistance but is not given the opportunity to express a service delivery preference for either Waiver or ICF/ID services.
  • An individual is denied preference of Waiver, Targeted Support Management, or ICF/ID services.
  • Based on a referral from the AE or County Program, a Qualified Developmental Disability Professional (QDDP) determines that an individual does not require an ICF/ID or ICF/ORC level of care and eligibility for services denied or terminated.
  • An individual is denied Waiver service(s) of their choice, including the amount, duration, and scope of service(s).
  • An individual is denied the choice of willing and qualified Waiver or Targeted Support Management provider(s).
  • A decision or an action is taken to deny, suspend, reduce, or terminate a Waiver service authorized on the individual’s Individual Support Plan (ISP).

If an individual or family needs assistance completing the form, the AE, County Program, Supports Coordinator, or Targeted Support Manager may help.

The Fair Hearing Request Form should not be completed for actions taken by the County

Program regarding base-funded services. Base-funded services are services that are not paid for through a waiver and do not include Targeted Support Management. Denial of eligibility for base-funded services and individuals who have had base-funded services denied, reduced, or terminated have the right to appeal under the Local Agency Law.

The Fair Hearing Request Form should not be completed for actions taken regarding services in the Adult Autism Waiver or Adult Community Autism Program at this time. Individuals who would like information about how to request a fair hearing for an action regarding the Adult Autism Waiver or Adult Community Autism Program should talk to their Supports Coordinator. The updated Fair Hearing Request Form and accompanying instructions are here.

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

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) Communication 106-18 announces that the final public notice for fee schedule rates and Department-established fees for Fiscal Year 2018-2019 have been published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin Volume 48, Number 50 on Saturday, December 15, 2018. The title of the notice is Fee Schedule Rates and Department-Established Fees for Consolidated, Community Living and Person/Family Directed Support Waivers Services, Targeted Support Management and the Community Intellectual Disability Base-Funded Program. You may obtain the public notice by following this link.

The Fee Schedule Rates effective July 1, 2018, were developed in accordance with 55 Pa. Code Chapter 51 using a market-based approach. The Fee Schedule Rates represent the maximum rates that the Department will pay for each service.

There have been no changes to the Fee Schedule Rates since they were published as final in the Pennsylvania Bulletin Volume 48, Number 4 on Saturday, January 27, 2018. The current Fee Schedule Rates can be accessed on the Department of Human Services website.

There have been no changes to the Department-established fees that have been in effect July 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018, since the fees were published as final in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, 48 Pa.B. 688 (January 27, 2018). The Department-established fees effective July 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 can be viewed as historical rates on the Department of Human Services website.

The Department has examined current federal housing data across the Commonwealth and determined that a differential of approximately 10% exists between the costs in the counties of Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, and Pike, and those in the rest of the Commonwealth. Unlike wage costs, which are typically standardized across multiple counties through use of a single wage scale across counties, housing costs tend to be specific to a particular county and are therefore difficult to standardize. For these reasons, the Department has decided that the differential in housing costs warrants an increase to the Department-established fees, comparable to the cost differential, for residential habilitation ineligible services provided in the aforementioned counties, effective January 1, 2019.

The changes in rates will be automatically reflected in each impacted individual’s ISP. Providers of residential habilitation services and supports coordinators are not required to do anything to implement this change.

The Department-established fees for residential habilitation ineligible services can be accessed in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and on the Department of Human Services website.

Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by January 14, 2019 regarding the final Fee Schedule Rates and Department-established fees to the Department of Human Services, Office of Developmental Programs, Division of Provider Assistance and Rate Setting, 4th Floor, Health and Welfare Building, 625 Forster Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120. Comments can also be sent to this email. Use subject header ”PN Fee Schedule.” The Department will consider comments received in reviewing future adjustments to the Fee Schedule Rates and the Department-established fees.

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