I. Introductions were completed.
II. Minutes from June were accepted.
III. Announcements
UCP
The vacancy list is attached. Please call 212.919.9700 ext.70 for more information
YAI
The vacancy list is attached. The fall schedule of the Family Support Series for Caregivers of People with Autism Spectrum Disorders is also attached. Call YAI LINK at 212.273.6182 for referrals and any other information. YAI has a new CEO, Stephen Freeman, who was appointed in July.
AHRC
Michael Goldfarb is retiring after 36 years, and the new Executive Director is Lorrie Henderson. The vacancy list is attached.
QSAC
The vacancy list is attached.
Resources for Children with Special Needs
Camp Fair, January 28, 2012. Church of St. Paul the Apostle. Helene Craner is stepping down in December, but will still be around as a consultant, and stay a part of Council. Please see attached for Intensive Advocacy Training
Elly Rufer announced that the new Council website is up and running; please let her know any feedback you may have.
IV.Presentation
Peter Pierri, Executive Director, IAC – 1115 Waiver Update. OPWDD has been very transparent about the 1115 Waiver, and you can find more information on their website: www.opwdd.ny.gov/2011_waiver.
Peter explained why OPWDD is undertaking a new waiver. The recent Poughkeepsie Journal articles created an issue about how much funding OPWDD receives for its developmental center services. In addition, OWPDD Medicaid expenditures are growing faster at 6% per year than the average rate of inflation, which is only about 3%. This growth is due to cost of living increases and additional people being served as well as increased services for existing people. New York State cannot sustain this fiscal situation. Thus the need for a different funding mechanism.
The 1115 waiver is a research and demonstration waiver, which should provide greater flexibility, diversification, and innovation, greater use of natural supports and of individualized budgets for those who want them. It is anticipated that costly administrative bureaucracy will be greatly reduced. One important goal is that the developmental center population will be reduced from its present 1250 to 300 over the next 5 years.
The 1115 waiver will pay a per person per year amount, which gives the state more predictability. OPWDD will have to negotiate yearly for a COLA and for increased funding to serve new people, as currently.
An important element in the 1115 waiver will be care coordination entities. These will be regional nonprofit entities, called DISCOs (Developmental Disabilities Individualized Service Coordination Organizations), which will coordinate all aspects of a person’s care: medical as well as long-term care services. The waiver will also include dual eligibles (those who receive both Medicaid and Medicare) for health care. DISCOs will be paid by the state to provide or contract for services. DISCOs will have a network of providers. Providers will be paid to produce an outcome; they will not be paid on the basis of the cost of the program. Each region will have at least two DISCOs so that individuals have choice.
Each individual will be assessed by a new tool and receive some type of score, which will ultimately determine the amount of their individual funding.
In cases of high medical usage, there will be a mechanism of some type for managing fiscal risk to the DISCOs.
OPWDD is hoping for approval of its waiver application by April 1, 2012. OPWDD will distribute a questionnaire about what types of projects should be piloted and then a request for pilot projects, which will begin next year.
Over the summer the 5 NYC DD Councils collaborated on a letter to the Commissioner, the 1115 waiver steering committee, and design team chairs outlining issues of concern.
Presentation:
Michael Levy, Director of Travel Training – I Get Around: Travel Training for New Yorkers with Disabilities. Please see attached.
V.State News
Richard Monck is the Acting Director of Metro DDSO & Director of SIDDSO. Metro is currently without two deputy directors. A review panel is in place to interview candidates.
VI.City News
Sandra Piggee is on extended medical leave. John Paul Gonzales will be covering Manhattan in the interim. No report for today.
VII.IAC / Federation Report
IAC is working on issues related to the required notification of possible crimes to the police. IAC is now providing core training to MSCs because OPWDD no longer does. IAC is also working on the restructuring of MSC rates and guidelines for Willowbrook class members. IAC has undertaken new long-term transportation contracts with new routing. IAC acted as “storm central” during Hurricane Irene.
Most of the mental health delegation has been eliminated from the federation. The city will no longer formally solicit input from mental health providers; instead, they want to hear from consumer organizations. The city is considering what its role will be in the 1115 waiver.
VIII.Committee Reports
Family Support – The Manhattan Family Support Fair is on December 1st. An overview of the overnight respite programs available to Manhattan families will be discussed at the next meeting. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, October 11th at 10 AM at YAI, 460 West 34th Street, 11th Floor. Call Amy Bittinger at 718-859-5420 x 234 for more information.
Legislative – no report today.
Transition – There is a new co-chair, Lucy Kramer, from Life Adjustment Center. Kathy Kelly thanked Kathy Beiser for her many years of important work as co-chair of this committee.
There are approximately 90 students aging out in 2012. The directory is also being updated and restructured and hopefully will be finished before the Family Support Fair. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, 10/12 at 9:30 AM at AHRC, 83 Maiden Lane. Call Kathy Kelly at 212-780-2724 for more information.
Manhattan Family Support Services Advisory Council – At the next meeting, the 1115 Waiver will be discussed. There will be morning and evening sessions of the meeting: Monday, September 26th, 10AM – noon and 5:30 – 7:30 PM at Metro DDSO, 75 Morton Street. Call Margaret Puddington at 212-799-2042 for more information.
Service Coordination – Now that OPWDD is no longer conducting trainings, this committee may decide to meet more frequently. Irina Tuchina will announce the date of the next meeting.
Children’s Committee – No report today.
Reminder: Please try to give Elly tentative committee agendas for the DD Council website prior to the next committee meetings.
Next meeting: Thursday, October 13, at YAI, 460 West 34th Street, enter at 11th floor.