tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50070595569954138262024-03-13T10:41:21.870-07:00Start-Up & Support Brokerage Services for Self-Determination with NY State OPWDDSupporting self- and family-directed services to developmentally disabled residents of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, the Bronx, and Westchester County through New York State's Office of People with Developmental Disabilities. Self-Directed and Family-Directed Services are a growing choice for waiver-eligible persons receiving services in NY State.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17739232876696174174noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007059556995413826.post-6631990891812898402014-12-08T16:03:00.001-08:002014-12-08T16:03:35.935-08:00Manhattan DD Council Meeting, December 11th with Guest Speaker on Emergency Room UtilizationThursday, December 11 will be the next meeting of the Manhattan DD Council. This month the meeting will be held at YAI, 460 West 34th Street, from 9:30 to Noon.<br /><br />The guest speaker will be Meghan Blaskowitz, a doctoral student in Public Health who wrote her dissertation on Emergency Room Utilization Among Adults with ID/DD in the Bronx. Her findings should offer insight into how our population can too easily experience poorly matched and costly ER and psychiatric unit admissions as a substitute for appropriate services. Since i’ve only read the abstract of her dissertation, I’m guessing at her findings, but it’s clearly a worthy question.<br /><br />And since she’s not currently a policymaker, I’m hoping she’ll be willing to be frank about what she found.<br /><br />What she learned looking at experiences in the Bronx should be a preview of what OPWDD’s contractor for START Services is looking to survey in the coming two months. OPWDD has contracted with the University of New Hampshire’s START Services to design and oversee preventive and crisis intervention services for persons with Intellectual or Developmental Disability and behavioral health needs throughout the state. Its not really known how many $ of services will be involved with this new set of services, but it is of great interest (to me) because it is some of the only new money being spent in the ID/DD service space, and because it targets experiences that often result in additional trauma for families rather than help. Our region, NYC Metro and Long Island, is the third region of the state to have this research-based model launched, and it’s my view that documenting the magnitude of the need for this service is part of advocating for sufficient resources.<br /><br />In the coming months, the UNH folks will be conducting the ‘gap analysis’ step of their process, which involves outreach to community service providers including law enforcement, hospitals, schools, foster care, corrections, plus providers that contract with OPWDD, and to families. For this gap analysis to be robust, we need to get lots of participation. At my house, we’ve only gone to the ER or when it was appropriate, & never to the psychiatric ward, but I’ve heard from too many families about traumatizing experiences that did not meet the behavioral health needs, most frequently for adolescent males on the autism spectrum. Hopefully, that focus reflects my personal networks more than the whole picture, but I suspect not.<br /><br />After the Council meeting, there will be a brief meeting of the Council’s ad hoc committee on Parent Engagement, of which I am the parent co-chair.<br /><br />And after that, if you can block that much time, I’ll be happy to lunch with any and all to digest what we heard at the meeting and find ways to productively engage with the system that serves our children.<br /><br />Future schedule and details always available at <a href="http://www.manhattanddcouncil.org/">www.manhattanddcouncil.org</a><br /><br />More details about START in NY State at <a href="http://www.centerforstartservices.com/">www.centerforstartservices.com/</a><br /><br />What is the DD Council? From the website:<br /><br />> We are an official advisory body to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, to the New York State Office For People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), and the Manhattan Developmental Disabilities Services Office .We meet monthly to assess and identify needs of the Manhattan Community. We address all areas of concern in relation to existing services and needed services for people with ID / DD and their families.<br /><br />It needs more family participation and active advocacy for new entrants to the service system and those whose support needs aren’t being met by existing services. You probably know somebody that describes if it doesn’t describe you.<br /><br />But this is a long-term goal, attending this month's meeting won’t alter any policy outcome or change your life or your child’s.<br /><br />So here’s what I plan to do: for the coming year, I’ll send reminders about these meetings, and even an agenda. My objective is to recruit more knowledgeable and effective family participation in this forum and anywhere we may effectively influence the State of New York, which is the lead decision maker in this area.<br /><br />After the meeting, if you can spare the time, we’ll take our group to lunch nearby and debrief so that we deepen our understanding and eventually grow a group of savvy advocates so that this body expresses a fuller range of concerns than the usual business of provider agencies and their government agency funders.<br /><br />And if you can’t make it, I’ll send around a quick report of the proceedings.<br /><br />My efforts are aligned with but separate from NYC FAIR, a new group that hopes to activate parent advocacy at the DD Councils and elsewhere in all five boroughs. I’ll include info about that in future missives. Website at: <a href="http://www.nycfamilyadvocacyinformationresource.org/">http://www.nycfamilyadvocacyinformationresource.org/</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17739232876696174174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007059556995413826.post-87697136949891852772014-12-02T18:08:00.002-08:002014-12-02T18:08:22.905-08:00Tyze, a digital tool for your Circle of Support, or Team, or Family, or YouFor those who are tired of always looking for evaluations, documents, and the like, here is a digital tool for organizing your supports, affiliated with <a href="http://www.plan.ca/" target="_blank">PLAN Institute</a> and free for individuals.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://tyze.com/take-a-tour/" target="_blank">Tyze</a> is info sharing in the cloud, but secure and with managed access for the folks you want to share information with. <br />
<br />
Not certain if it is HIPPA compliant in terms of data security, but it seems to get positive reviews from its users. <br />
<br />
Here's a <a href="http://homecaretechreport.com/article.asp?id=1997" target="_blank">third-party review</a> of Tyze, and their site has links to other media coverage.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17739232876696174174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007059556995413826.post-42591488857784187072014-11-22T16:41:00.003-08:002014-11-22T16:41:23.172-08:00A Guide to Self-Direction from some folks who knowThe New York Self-Determination Coalition has a Guide for Families that gives helpful scenarios of how folks are using self-direction with budget authority to direct their services with OPWDD funding.<br />
<br />
Not too bound up in jargon, a true practical guide. 48 page PDF<br />
<a href="http://nyselfd.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/nys-self-directed-services1.pdf" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://nyselfd.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/nys-self-directed-services1.pdf" target="_blank">Self-Direction in New York: A Practical Guide for Families</a><br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17739232876696174174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007059556995413826.post-62734850155845981192014-11-22T16:18:00.002-08:002014-11-22T16:18:42.330-08:00Governor to Legislature RE: ID/DD constituents and families -- "I'll tell you your opinion when I'm ready to hear it"<div class="entry-content">
"From a NYSARC Memo”<br />
GOVERNOR VETOES ALL FOUR BILLS<br />
<br />
A couple of weeks ago, in anticipation of the Governor’s actions on
the bills below, we asked you urge him to sign the measures. We were
reasonably sure the Governor would veto at least one of the bills,
namely S6641 which reforms the Front Door process. In fact he vetoed
all four bills.<br />
No doubt anticipating a negative reaction to such sweeping vetoes,
the Governor waited until after elections to have the bills delivered to
his desk. <br />
<br />
Prior to elections the Governor signed one key bill, S.7232
requiring the Justice Center to follow safety protocols when
interviewing a consumer.<br />
<br />
All the bills below represent important concerns for people with
developmental disabilities and their families. The sweeping nature of
his vetoes is troubling especially given a continuing lack of engagement
and transparency by the Administration with the entire field regarding
these bills and other issues, an indifference which appears to extend
beyond the field of developmental disabilities to other human services
areas.<br />
<br />
Here are the bills along with the veto messages (see links) released by the Governor:<br />
<br />
1) The S.6641 by Carlucci reforming the Front Door process. The
Governor’s veto message sites cost and duplication of reform efforts
already underway as the reason for his veto. Reports however indicate
that the Front Door process is still broken and that the crisis of
people in need of out of home care – an important part of this bill – is
getting worse, not better.<br />
<br />
2) S.7400 by Carlucci requiring that providers of service
contracting with Managed Care Organization’s continue to consist of the
trusted system of nonprofit and public providers. The Governor’s veto
message claims that the bill violates the Commerce clause of the US
Constitution by limiting entities that can provide services under
managed care. This was wasn’t mentioned in extensive negotiations
during the Spring. That the Commerce Clause came out of the blue makes
us skeptical that it is a valid excuse. Furthermore, this veto raises
disturbing questions about what the Administration intends the managed
care system for people with developmental disabilities to ultimately
look like. Does it intend to replace the current system, at least in
part, by inviting out-of-state for-profit provider into New York State?
Does the Administration currently have no such plans but wants the
flexibility that this bill would eliminate? Or is the reason for this
veto in fact legitimate?<br />
<br />
We don’t know the answer but this particular veto greatly increases
the existing uncertainty around managed care; further underscores
concerns about a lack of transparency; and, adds even more confusion to
the entire managed care initiative.<br />
<br />
3) Task Force bill S.6659 establishes a Task Force to assess and plan
for the needs of Adults with developmental disabilities. The veto
message states that this “legislation simply duplicates efforts the
Administration has undertaken” as well as the efforts of the Governor’s
Olmstead Cabinet.<br />
<br />
4) People First bill S.1109 requires identification of gaps in the
existing developmental disabilities service system. The veto message
states that this “legislation simply duplicates efforts the
Administration has undertaken”<br />
<br />
Summaries of vetoed bills:<br />
<br />
1) “Front Door” S6641-C (Carlucci)/A8846 C (Weisenberg)-This
bill would amend the Mental Hygiene Law to require the Commissioner of
the OPWDD to develop a plan to overhaul and improve the front door
process. The Front Door is intended to allocate services to people with
developmental disabilities efficiently, based on person-centered
planning. S. 6641 requires that the Plan provide for a clear, rational
and transparent Front Door process. It requires expedited care for
persons in critical need and for OPWDD to regularly submit an updated
waiting list of people in critical need of out-of-home care. The
current Front Door process is making the issue of sufficient development
for people in out of home care worse, not better. This bill would
hopefully improve that. The plan must be submitted to the Speaker of
the Assembly and the Senate Majority Leader no later than January 1,
2015 with implementation beginning no later than April 1, 2015.<br />
<br />
2) OPWDD Services Under Managed Care – S.7400-B
(Carlucci)/A.9766-A (Gunther) -This bill clarifies that those entities
that provide supports and services for individuals with developmental
disabilities, such as residential, day and employment services, must be
public or non-profit entities with experience providing those services
under OPWDD regardless of the type of managed care entity: Developmental
Disabilities Individual Support and Care Coordination Organization
(DISCO); Managed Care Organization (MCO); or Managed Long Term Care
(MLTC) program.<br />
<br />
3) Task Force on Adults with Developmental Disabilities S6659-A
(Carlucci)/A.8835-A (Gunther)- This bill would create a task force on
adults with developmental disabilities to study, evaluate and develop
recommendations relating to measures to support and meet the needs of
adults with developmental disabilities, including their vocational,
residential and social needs. The task force will also study the
long-term needs of adults with developmental disabilities who reside
with caregivers. The recommendations of the task force would lead to the
creation of a comprehensive plan for meeting the needs of adults with
developmental disabilities which is to be submitted to the Governor and
the Legislature by January 1, 2016.<br />
<br />
4) People First Act of 2014 – S.1109-D (Maziarz)/A.8452
(Gunther) – This bill requires the Commissioner of OPWDD to conduct a
geographic analysis of the supports and services available in a
community setting to individuals with developmental disabilities and to
identify gaps in supports and services by regions of the state. The
Commissioner is also directed to develop a web-based data base which
will permit the prioritization of urgency of needs for those facing
emergency or immediate need, those facing critical need, defined as
additional services and supports within one year and planned need for
those who will need additional services and supports within five years
or where the individual’s caregiver is over sixty years old. Annual
reporting requirements will allow the Legislature and the Executive to
make informed policy decisions in the delivery of services and supports
to individuals with developmental disabilities.<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17739232876696174174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007059556995413826.post-67299849146330605232014-11-19T19:01:00.000-08:002014-11-19T19:01:45.004-08:00PLAN Institute Releases 2014 Edition of Safe & Secure E-Book<a href="http://plan.ca">Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network</a> is a Canadian not-for-profit providing training and resources for families of persons requiring support.
Accordingly, some of the regulatory and policy statements in their materials are Canada-specific, but in terms of thoughtfully addressing the emotional and social realities of caring and planning for the future of a person who will require care when a parent is gone.
<a href="http://http://store.planinstitute.ca/collections/frontpage/products/safe-and-secure-2014-edition-pre-order">
Safe & Secure</a> helps you conceptualize a process for future planning that is not locked into administrative hurdles like an 18th birthday and considering guardianship, or transition to adult living at age 21, but in language that both respects the citizenship of folks who require care and the anxiety of those who provide it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17739232876696174174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007059556995413826.post-37911477706435017432013-09-10T13:32:00.003-07:002013-09-11T10:40:02.620-07:00FREE panel on Self- and Family-Directed Supports funded by NYS OPWDD -- I'm a panelist! <span style="font-size: large;">New Rules | New Choices | Parent Voices</span><br />
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Please join us for this important conversation with families who are currently using <br />
Self-Direction to access services under the new OPWDD rules, and a Q&A <br />
with expert support brokers and OPWDD representatives.<br />
<br />
If used well, the process of Self-Direction can give families more power<br />
in planning, accessing, and spending Medicaid dollars on behalf of their <br />
family member with a developmental disability.<br />
<br />
Participants will receive a resource packet with practical, how-to information.<br />
<br />
This event is free, but registration is required.
Register online at <a href="http://newchoices.eventbright.com/">newchoices.eventbright.com</a> <br />
or by calling 212-677-4650.<br />
<br />
WEDNESDAY<br />
OCTOBER 2, 2013<br />
CREDIT SUISSE<br />
11 MADISON AVENUE<br />
Entrance on Madison Avenue between 24th and 25th Streets (Northeast corner)<br />
<br />
5:00 – 6:00 PM<br />
COFFEE/DESSERT RECEPTION WITH PANELISTS <br />
6:00 – 7:30 PM<br />
<br />
<div>
A flyer to share with your school or other programs can be downloaded <a href="http://resourcesnyc.org/sites/default/files/RCSN%20New%20Choices%20Flyer.pdf" target="_blank">here</a></div>
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</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17739232876696174174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007059556995413826.post-5662659523158528932013-08-16T15:57:00.000-07:002013-08-16T15:57:00.185-07:00Variations on Person-Centered Planning from PLAN Institute<a href="http://institute.plan.ca/" target="_blank">PLAN Institute</a>, a British Columbia based agency, has a personal network development approach that has many features in common with person-centered planning and citizen-centered leadership. Their approach, and the Canadian government's provisions for family savings and community sourced fiscal support are profiled in the NY Times from June.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/26/in-networks-for-people-with-disabilities-a-good-life-is-the-goal/" target="_blank">NY Times 'Fixes' Blog: Personal Network Development for Persons with Disabilities</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17739232876696174174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007059556995413826.post-90142562269776542482013-08-09T12:01:00.000-07:002013-08-09T12:18:29.591-07:00AGI Launches Daily Living/Residential Curriculum for Direct Support ProvidersWith partners Autism Speaks, Institute for Integrated Self Advocacy, and The Autism Research Institute, the Autism Global Institute is launching an online course for <a href="http://www.autismspeaks.org/family-services/housing-and-residential-supports/agi-curriculum" target="_blank">direct support for persons with ASD</a>.<br />
<br />
The course with online instruction and completion certificate is $300 per person.<br />
<br />
Very encouraged to see this given the people involved -- looks like it will be a good supplement to NYS mandated training for direct support.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17739232876696174174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007059556995413826.post-32916260731222400662013-08-01T20:39:00.002-07:002013-08-09T17:28:24.276-07:00NYS OPWDD Transformation Agreement and Self-DirectionAnnounced in April, the Transformation Agreement that OPWDD reached with the federal Center for Medicaid Services requires it to make and meet some ambitious goals concerning self-direction:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
• Provide education to at least 1,500 beneficiaries (with designated representatives as needed) per quarter beginning on April 1, 2013<br />
• Increase # of individuals self directing by 1,245 by March 31, 2014</blockquote>
Presentation slides on the whole package can be seen at: <a href="http://www.opwdd.ny.gov/node/3881">http://www.opwdd.ny.gov/node/3881</a> (best seen with IE or Safari).Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17739232876696174174noreply@blogger.com0