Introductions were completed.
II. Minutes from the last meeting were approved with the following correction:
“To be eligible to vote for Council officers, a member must have attended at least three meetings in the nine months prior to the voting meeting or have attended the two meetings immediately before the voting meeting.”
If you would like to refer to past minutes, they are always available on the DD Council website: (www.manhattanddcouncil.org).
III. Announcements
AHRC NYC
Program vacancy list is attached.
QSAC
Program vacancy list is attached.
YAI
Information is attached for service vacancies, free education workshops over the summer, family reimbursement, and evening workshops on navigating the system. For information about any YAI programs, please call 212-273-6182, or email link@yai.org.
IAC
See attached for details on the seventh annual conference being held on June 7 & 8, 2018.
ADAPT Community Network – formerly UCP of New York City
Information is attached regarding program vacancies, overnight respite, and family reimbursement. For information on any programs or services, please call 718-436-7979 ext. 704, or email familyconnect@adaptcommunitynetwork.org
NY START – Systemic, Therapeutic, Assessment, Resources and Treatment
See attached for details on crisis intervention and prevention services, with the main goal being to enable people to remain in their home or community residence.
***Check out the new and improved Manhattan DD Council website!***
If you have information from your agency that you would like to include, please email pdf files to manhattanddcouncil@gmail.com
IV. Presentation – Kate Bishop, MPA, Director of Program Development and Al Pruett, MS, Assistant Statewide Assessment Coordinator – Update on the Coordinated Assessment System (CAS):
- The power point is attached.
- The CAS was developed to fill the need for a more comprehensive assessment in preparation for the move to managed care. It provides much more information than the DDP2 form, in that it captures behavioral needs, substance abuse, and information from across settings.
- It is currently being conducted on people who are 18 years and older.
- The data is needed for residential rate setting in 2019.
- There have been over 27,000 completed assessments statewide, and two thirds of people living in certified residences have completed theirs.
- There is a fear or belief that after a CAS is done, services will change, or reduce access to resources.
- In 2018, the CAS will identify who has higher needs in the system, and who has fewer.
- Nothing will change now, but over time, it will incorporate people’s different needs.
- OPWDD will have a better idea of what services are needed.
- The CAS does not automatically populate the Life Plan, and it does not replace the DDP2 form.
- The CAS Administration process is contracted through Maximus and the State/OPWDD.
- If you have any problems with the CAS assessor or the process, you should start with the regional field manager, who is the supervisor. If the problem remains, you can go higher up in the agency.
- Maximus is administering the CAS on behalf of OPWDD, and the same training is provided to State staff and Maximus staff. They are all QIDP’s, with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in human services, plus at least one year of working with this population.
- The first step in contacting the person who needs a CAS is through the OPWDD CHOICES system. This is the database of everyone supported by OPWDD, but it does not have family or guardian contact in the system. The MSC/Care Manager is contacted, and they verify the address, contact information, etc.
- The CAS is scheduled around the person’s schedule, and what works best for them and their degree of being able to participate.
- The MSC/Care Manager coordinates getting the right people to the meeting(s), and gathers the documentation for the assessment.
- The goal is to have an accurate and complete picture of the person. The evaluator is not conducting a clinical assessment, but an observation of the person while meeting with them.
- The information that is gathered is also confirmed with someone who knows them well. It can be family or staff from different programs. The information can come from across different settings, since some people behave differently, and do different things when they are at home with their family, or spending time with their peers.
- When the assessment is done, the assessor submits the evaluation to the Uniform Assessment System (UAS), which is housed in the DOHMH. From there it is electronically transferred to the person’s record in CHOICES.
- The CAS can be done using adaptive technology, translation, or interpretation if needed.
- The actual CAS tool cannot be shared ahead of time for various reasons. Besides being intellectual property of the company that developed it and owns it, the CAS is an interactive tool, where some questions lead to other questions. The questions are in a certain context, and the assessors are trained to answer questions that will sometimes produce additional questions.
- The general profile has been shared, with topics that will be included. People can also FOIL the assessment, and look at it at the Central Office.
- OPWDD is responsible for the initial assessment, and then ongoing assessments will be completed regularly by the Care Coordination Organizations (CCO). If a major life change occurs or there is a major medical event, a new CAS will be done.
- If there are concerns with the CAS or the process, they can be sent to: coordinated.assessment@opwdd.ny.gov
- There is a process for sharing concerns when the information is not accurate; it can be a case note in the record, or it can be the need for a whole new CAS to be conducted.
- There is no right or wrong answer on the CAS; it is a tool for accurate care planning. If after careful review, and a meaningful discussion, there needs to be additional review, it can be done.
- The background documents provided for review should be updated, current, and consistent. The language should be clear, and not vague or open to interpretation. Saying someone needs extra supervision, or “occasionally” has moods is not enough to give a clear picture.
- Documents should be consistent across settings, so that if the person’s day hab plan says they need no supervision in the bathroom, but the residence plan says they need 1:1 arms’ length supervision, the team should discuss the issue and fix it so the documents are accurate and up to date.
V. State News – Mary Grace Giuliano, Director, Region 4
The Council welcomed Mary Grace Giuliano to the Council meeting. Her email address is Marygrace.x.Giuliano@opwdd.ny.gov.
MSCs need to obtain informed consent forms and selection forms for Care Coordination Organizations (CCO’s) from families by 5/31/18 for them to choose a CCO (Care Design, ACA, or Tri-County). Everything needs to be in place by 6/1/18. For people receiving supports who have no family or guardian, or there are other reasons that there is difficulty obtaining the consent, the CEO or their designee can sign on their behalf (for people living in residential agencies).
VI. City News
The Local Plan meeting was held at the end of April. The results are out, and there were no changes made.
VII. IAC – James Malley & Suzane Timmerhans
- IAC Annual Conference will be held on June 7 & 8 at the CUNY Graduate Center, “Bold Leadership in a New Era” with Keynote: Geoffrey Canada, from the Harlem Children’s Zone. Special Events include recognition awards and a performance by the Gateway Counseling Center Dancers.
- NYS Legislature – In spite of gains during the special elections by the Democrats, because Senator Simcha Felder (Brooklyn), a Democratic who votes with the Republicans, the Republicans continue hold the majority.
- Bills being watched: i) Require training, including CPR, for all employees and volunteers – this is excessive, and current OPWDD requirements are sufficient; 2) Require annual Radon testing of all DD facilities – this would be cumbersome and are looking at alternatives; 3) Require that 911 be called on all reportable incidents regardless of the need for medical or police intervention. This is not necessary, since all such incidents are reported to the Justice Center, which will direct the caller to 911 as necessary; 4) Allow 4410 & 853 schools to receive tuition increases even when their rate is under dispute; 5) Incorporate 3.25% into the next 4 years.
- Regarding the 3.25%, although OPWDD issued guidance on how the 3.25% would be issued for all OPWDD programs, it missed one – the Article 16 clinics. This omission was discussed at the Provider Association meeting and is being looked at by DOH as part of the APG Work Group.
- If you would like additional Legislative updates, you may want to participate in the COPA Legislative Briefing Call – every Monday at 11 AM. Phone: +1-669-900-6833, or +1-408-638-0968, Meeting ID: 982 788 122
- CFR Filing Rules – There will be penalties for late filing start on the due date (12/1/18) at 2% and continues at that level until they come into compliance. But if not in compliance by February 1, 2019, a 50% penalty is imposed. However, the 50% charge does not start until August 1st, which means the 2% continues between from February 1st through July. The 50% penalty ends at the end of the period, i.e. December 1st, assuming all CFR filing is now in compliance.
- NYSED issued the largest preschool need request ever for special education seats, more than 700 (most of which were for the more intensive, smaller class size). This request reflects the closing of schools.
- Chris Treiber, Wini Schiff, and Tom McAlvanah met with the Board of Regents Chancellor Betty Rosa and some Regent members to educate her about the financial and staffing crisis faced by our schools. She was receptive and asked Chris to provide her with concrete recommendations that she could share with the new School Chancellor of NYC, Richard Carranza.
- Recommendations included: 1) Ease the process for parents to access 853 placements which are much cheaper than alternatives of private or residential schools. 2) Encourage collaboration. 3) End practice of mandating immediate report for newly hired Department of Education teachers, so that those hired away from our schools would at least be able to provide two week notice. 4) Include preschoolers with disabilities in the Special Education report that the NYC DOE produces annually
IIX. Family and Provider Information Committee
The Committee continues to have good attendance with a mix of families and professionals. The Committee met April to review the transition to CCO’s, and identify concerns of families and MSC’s.
The Committee is working on the MSC Forum, which will be held on May 30, at Pace University. It will be a transitional event, as MSC’s move to Care Managers. For details and registration information, go to www.manhattanddcouncil.org.
The next meeting will be held on June 26; for a full schedule of future meetings, go to www.manhattanddcouncil.org.
IX. Legislative Committee
Legislative sessions end in one month. See the IAC section for additional details on bills that are being watched.
X. Manhattan Family Support Services Advisory Council
The meeting on May 8 was very well attended, on guardianship and Special Needs Trusts.
On June 5, the meeting will cover behavior management, featuring Linda Schellenberg from CFS. Executive Committee elections will also be held.
XI. New Business
This is a Council election year, and questions or nominations can still be sent to margaret.puddington@gmail.com or to mrubinst@nyp.org. The slate was presented as follows:
Kathy Kelly – Chair
Elly Rufer – Family Vice Chair
Carol Lincoln – Provider Vice Chair
Secretary – Ilana Katz
Treasurer – Jessie Backe
The election will be held at the June meeting.
To vote, a person must have attended at least three meetings within the past nine months prior to the voting meeting, or two meetings immediately before the voting meeting.
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