Announcements:
UCP/NYC – has Family Reimbursement monies available in all boroughs and in Manhattan there are additional funds for DME. Housing Assistance Services are available for Manhattan eligible families and new monies are now available for the Access to Home program. For more information please call Project Connect at 212-979-9700 x720.
Roberta Ahouse from the Metro DDSO announced the Metro DDSO has funding available for psychological and psychosocial evaluations. For more information contact Roberta at 212-229-3118.
AllCare announced that there is MSC availability in the Bronx, Queens & Manhattan. Please call 1-877-391-0977.
Camp Oakhurst has availability in their Out-of-Home Overnight Respite program in New Jersey. They now have weekend respite available for children on the autism spectrum. The goal is to help families who are caring for a physically disabled relative in their own home by giving family care givers timely breaks from their daily custodial responsibility. There is door to door or central site transportation available. For more information please call 212-533-4020 or go to the website at www. nysh.org
Elly Rufer, parent, asked that committee members look at the Manhattan DD Council’s website.
www.ManhattanDDCouncil.org. There is a new section that allows you to ask questions and to receive a response.
YAI Link – Health Education Workshop series through Premium HealthCare. Call 212-273-6182 for more information. The YAI Winter Family Support Series for caregivers of people with autism spectrum disorder begins in January. The YAI Autism Center is taking enrollments for the Winter 2011 sessions in Manhattan. Please call 1.888.YAI.AUTISM for more information.
Margaret Puddington announced that a Family Support RFP will be coming out soon and agencies should start thinking about any unmet needs. The Manhattan FS Advisory Council is having a meeting on January 20th at 10:00am at 75 Morton Street to discuss the budget process. Presenter: Al Kaplan, Senor Policy Advisor, AHRC NYC
Sinergia announced that they have openings in Non Medicaid Case Management (Manhattan & Queens only); MSC (all boroughs); Overnight Respite (Manhattan only), and Family Reimbursement (Brooklyn & Bronx only). For more information please call intake at 212-643-2840 x336
Lifespire – has availability in their in-home behavior management, English & Spanish spoken. For more information please call 718-454-6940.
SPROUT is looking for Manhattan students for their school vacation holiday program in February and April. The February trip will focus on creating a video production. Please call 212-222-9575 and or www.GoSprout.org
GHO – announced that there is Family Support Case Management services and Family reimbursement funding available. GHO can now provide psychological evaluations. Please call 718-849-1527 x 12 for more information.
An Inclusive Youth Sports clinic with Columbia Students – athletes and coaches for children 7-12 will be held on Saturday, February 19th. (Inclusion through sports and play). RSVP to heidiL@latcp.org
Presentation:
Eligibility Process – Lois Gillman LOC process – Lance Galvin Metro DDSO staff
The presentation began with a summary of what OPWDD expects to be included in a full packet to be reviewed for eligibility. A psychological assessment designed to make diagnosis of some form of DD must address the key elements of a DD diagnosis. These elements include:
Date of onset prior to 22 years of age
Disorder that is neurologically based
The disorder produces significant adaptive behavior deficits currently and prior to the age of 22
The condition will last indefinitely
Over age 22, must have age of onset with documentation of the diagnosis. If you can’t get this information you must document what you tried to get the information. You can get a release to get records from the NYC, Department of Education, if that is appropriate.
Problems
Wrong tests – test has no scores, test is missing papers. You need a current test especially for children.
Information submitted does not have a diagnosis.
Vineland (reports on what a child does) – the examiner must really know the person and explore that the responses are accurate. Prepare parents to be honest about the responses to the Vineland.
1st Step Review
DDSO staff review the eligibility request for completeness and share the information with other staff designated by the Director, as necessary. After this review, the DDSO notifies the person in writing that
(a) Eligibility or provisional eligibility has been determined; or
(b) The request is incomplete and requires additional documentation; or
(c) The request has been forwarded for a 2nd Step Review
2nd Step Review
DDSO clinicians designated by the DDSO Director conduct a 2nd Step Review of the eligibility request forwarded by the 1st Step Review, along with any additional documentation provided by the person. If these clinicians require additional medical information, psychological test results, or historical documentation, the person is notified in writing of the type of information needed and the date by which it must be submitted to the DDSO.
3rd Step Review
Eligibility Review Committees for the Upstate DDSO’s and NYC DDSO’s conduct the 3rd Step Reviews. Committee members include licensed practitioners who are not directly involved in the determination made at the 1st and 2nd Step Reviews.
Lois will track the process if there is a problem with getting a decision. If you have not heard anything for a month, please call Lois.
For general eligibility (DD) a psychological must be completed within 3 years. For children age 7 or below they require a psychological within a year.
Questions:
What is acceptable to make a diagnosis on eligibility? The test must be administered by a licensed psychologist, psychiatrist or a neurologist.
How do you determine eligibility for a child with a psychiatric history? It is best to get testing done when the child is stable.
If they are dually diagnosed they will be deemed OPWDD eligible.
Everything requires a transmittal sheet. If everything is together and complete, your eligibility determination should be given with several weeks.
LOC eligibility: To process an LOC the following is needed:
Transmittal sheet
Psychological : cognitive and adaptive
Medical within one year. A PPD is required on a medical.
Turnaround is generally within one to two weeks.
A child can have provisional eligibility until age 8. If you have not had a waiver service in one year, you will need to resubmit for a new loc.
Any questions re: LOC should be directed to Ron at 212-229-3141.
Fair Education
Margaret Puddington created a comprehensive evaluation of the 2010 Manhattan DD Council’s Fair which was reviewed. We received more completed evaluations than in the past. Participants want as many workshops as possible so in the future, if we use the same space, we will have eight workshops .
Upcoming meetings:
February:
MSC eligibility, Family Support Rosters via the secure message center and quarterly reports.
March:
DDP1’s & 2’s
April:
Medicaid Waiver forms
May:
Completing a Medicaid application