I. Introductions were completed
II. Minutes were approved; if you were unable to open them, they are available as always on the DD Council website (www.manhattanddcouncil.org).
III. Announcements: (.pdf of attachments distributed at meeting)
Please pay Council dues for Fiscal Year July, 2013 – June, 2014, if your agency has not done so already. Invoice is attached.
Archcare at Terence Cardinal Cooke Health Care Center
See attached for openings in the Developmental Disabilities Clinic.
Excellent Home Care
See attached flyer for more information.
YAI
The fall 2013 schedule of the Family Support Series for Caregivers of People with Autism Spectrum Disorders is attached. The Seaver Autism Center for research & treatment at Mount Sinai has their Autism Conference on Sunday, October 6th. Call YAI LINK at 212-273-6182 for referrals and any other information.
AHRC
See attached for vacancies. Please also see attached for Family Education Series.
QSAC
Bronx Parent Support Group, see attached flyer.
92nd Street Y
After school programs for children and teens. See attached for more information.
UCP
See attached for vacancies as well as Free Workshops available for parents, professionals and caregivers.
Resources for Children with Special Needs
October 2nd, Self-direction symposium. See attached flyer for more information.
Elly Rufer
Announcement was made regarding paying council dues on a timely basis, which would enable member agencies to list events on the council calendar on the website.
Presentation
Andrew Rosenthal, a Social Worker from VillageCare, an Adult Day Health Center, presented on the program, which has recently switched into managed care. The Center is located in Manhattan, and is a free-standing, state-of-the-art facility, providing care coordination, nursing, medication dispensation, physical therapy, nutrition services, therapeutic recreation and social activities, and other services. A medical facility is on site. Private transportation is provided to the program. Private pay is accepted, and private or other insurances are also accepted. The program is also Medicaid reimbursable. Please see attached flyer for more information. Contact: 212-337-5870 or villagecare.org.
IV. State News
Donna Limiti announced that Laurie Kelley is the new acting Commissioner of OPWDD. She was previously the executive director of a voluntary agency.
OPWDD is beginning to implement EFind, emergency tracking via bracelets for individuals who have to evacuate for hurricanes or other emergencies. OPWDD is starting with facilities of 12 or more individuals. Eventually everyone will be included in this program, not just OPWDD individuals.
OPWDD is holding “Community Dialogues”: conversations with stakeholders about community inclusion, the expansion of employment, and meaningful community activities for people with developmental disabilities. The Manhattan sessions will be held at Morton Street September 16, 12-4; September 20, 10-2 and 4-7 (statewide); September 26, 4-7 (statewide videoconference). To register, contact Evette Herdsman: 212-229-3037.
The START program, a new initiative to address the need for community-based crisis prevention and intervention services to individuals with developmental disabilities who have especially challenging behaviors, is being developed. START stands for Systemic Therapeutic Assessment, Respite and Treatment. It will be piloted first in Regions 1 and 3, which have developmental centers (DCs) that area closing, and next in NYC, where the Brooklyn DC will close 1/1/2016 and the Queens DC 4/1/2017.
Rate Rationalization. OPWDD is now getting feedback from CMS and is working toward a January 1 implementation of rate rationalization.
OPWDD is holding two employment roundtable discussions: with agencies interested providing the new waiver service, Pathways to Employment; and with current providers who will examine some of the obstacles to maintaining employment.
People First Waiver: OPWDD discussions with CMS are ongoing. Timelines are being pushed back.
Front Door: Donna distributed the following memo on September 13, clarifying some Front Door issues:
OPWDD has issued a soft launch of the Front Door. This means that individuals new to OPWDD must go through the Front Door in order to be authorized for services. New to OPWDD is defined as follows:
• No OPWDD eligibility
• Eligibility determined but receiving no services
• Receives MSC but no other service
• Receives MSC and/or state funded services (non-waiver)
but no other services
Please note that this represents a change from what NYC had previously stated, i.e., people new to OPWDD and individuals requesting a new service had to go through the Front Door. Eventually everyone will need to go through the Front Door but that will occur at a later time.
Informational Sessions: Before a service can be authorized for a new person, an informational session must be attended. The authorization is the final step in the process. An information session can be attended at any time during the Front Door process and does not have to occur first. Informational sessions are conducted in group sessions, individually in person with DDRO staff, or over the phone for those families who have difficulty leaving their homes. (In emergency situations, it is possible for a service to be provided prior to participation in an informational session.)
If an eligible person is requesting an additional waiver service, while they do not need to go through the Front Door, the DDRO still has to authorize the service. In those situations, the name of the person, the service requested, and the justification for the service should be sent electronically to the district. The contact people are:
Brooklyn……………………………Janet Strauss Janet.Strauss@opwdd.ny.gov
Bernard Fineson………………..Francina Branch Francina.Branch@opwdd.ny.gov
Metro Manhattan……………….Jenine Kirschner Jenine.Kirschner@opwdd.ny.gov
Metro Bronx……………………….Lisa Pesante Lisa.Pesante@opwdd.ny.gov
Staten Island………………………Barbara Schubert Barbara.Schubert@opwdd.ny.gov
If MSC is being requested, the individual must speak to a DDRO Front Door facilitator. The MSC1 can then be submitted and the application will be reviewed and processed.
If you have questions regarding what is outlined above, please contact your local DDRO office.
VI. City News
A director of the ID bureau has not yet been appointed. DOHMH is awaiting City Council approval of the autism funding. The borough chairs will meet the last Friday of the month.
VII. IAC/Federation Report
IAC: No report.
Federation: No report
VIII. Committee Reports
Family Support – The Family and Professional Resource Fair will be on December 11th at Hotel Penn, a new venue. It is located at 401 7th Avenue. Volunteers are needed. The Directory is in the process of being updated. Agencies should return their updated entries to Jennifer Shaoul promptly. The committee is considering the following workshop topics: OPWDD informational sessions (morning and afternoon sessions); Gary Shulman’s “treasures”; “No one is calling me back”: skills for getting what you need; self-directed services; employment options; special education; a healthy you means a healthy family. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, 10/8, at 10am at YAI, 460 West 34th Street, 11th floor. Call Amy Bittinger at 718-859-5420, ext. 234 for more information.
Legislative – The summer advocacy campaign is going very well. Almost all Manhattan’s state legislators have either made program visits or have been visited in their offices by constituents. We also visited one of our federal legislators, and are planning to visit the others. The program visits have been immensely successful: legislators have a better idea of the supports and services needed by people with developmental disabilities and of the funding required to provide them. The legislators were also touched at our thank yous for their support in the last legislative session. If you are interested in being involved, please contact jmalley@esperanzacenter.net or Margaret Puddington at 212-799-2042 or Margaret.puddington@gmail.com. The next meeting will be announced.
Transition – The committee is proactively preparing to get next year’s graduates through the Front Door, especially by identifying those not known to OPWDD. The next meeting will be on the Front Door on Wednesday, 9/18, at 9:30 at AHRC Fisher Center, 2080 Lexington Avenue at 125th Street. Call Kathy Kelly at 212-780-2724 for more information.
Manhattan Family Support Services Advisory Council – An evening meeting featuring former OPWDD Associate Commissioner Kathy Broderick will take place on Wednesday, 9/18, at 5:30 PM at 75 Morton Street. Call Margaret Puddington for more information, 212-799-2042.
Service Coordination – Irina Tuchina will be assisting Carol Lincoln with the MSC Forum. The next meeting is on Monday, September 30th at 10 AM at UCP, 80 Maiden Lane, 2nd Floor. Michael Levy from the MTA will be speaking. To participate on the Committee or to become involved in any capacity, please contact Carol Lincoln at clincoln@ucpnyc.org.
Children’s Committee – The Committee will meet on October 4th at 10 AM, refreshments being served at 9:30 AM at 15 West 65th Street, Auditorium. For information about the Committee, contact Christina Muccioli at, 212.780.2532 or Christina.Muccioli@ahrcnyc.org.
Next DD Council meeting: Thursday, October 10th at 9:30 AM at the District 75 Office, 400 1st Avenue at 23rd Street, 1st floor Conference Room.