Expanded Use of Capital Funds for Acquisition of Housing for Youth with Intensive Behavioral Support Needs
Attention: County Boards and Provider Agencies
|
DODD is committed to supporting multi-system youth and their families through a variety of supports which include those that encourage their participation in their local communities. To achieve this community participation, the support must begin in the family’s home or local community. Those services can include respite, short-term stabilization, and longer-term stays to support youth with intensive behavioral support needs to remain close to their family and community.
To assist county boards in building or purchasing homes for these purposes, DODD recently finalized OAC 5123-1-02 “Community capital assistance funds—acquisition of housing by county boards of developmental disabilities for youth with intensive behavioral support needs.” This rule makes funding available to county boards so that they may directly own housing used for these purposes. Funds also continue to be available to county boards and related non-profit housing corporations through DODD’s traditional funding mechanism.
| | | |
FY2023-2024 Capital Housing Funding Available
Attention: County Boards, COG Directors, County Housing Corporation Directors
|
On September 13, 2022, House Bill 687 went into effect. This bill includes an allocation of $25,000,000 for the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) to be used for the Community Capital Assistance (CCA) Program.
Applications for new biennium funding are now being accepted.
| | | |
Provider Network Management Go Live Information
Attention: All Providers, County Boards, Business Managers, CEOs, COG Directors, DCs, ICFs
|
On October 1, 2022, the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) launched Stage 2 of the Next Generation of the Ohio Medicaid program. This launch includes the Provider Network Management (PNM) module, which is the new single point of entry to DODD’s Provider Services Management (PSM) system.
All DODD providers will utilize the new PNM module for all activities related to their certification for DODD waiver and non-waiver services. This includes applications for initial certification, renewal certification, address changes, etc.
Questions related to the PNM module, OH|ID, and portal password support should be directed to the ODM Integrated Help Desk at (800) 686-1516 or to visit the PNM and Centralized Credentialing webpage on ODM’s website.
Questions related specifically to certification activities within PSM should continue to be directed to the DODD Support Center at 1-800-617-6733.
Other components of Phase 2 include the distribution of new Medicaid identification cards, the implementation of the Single Pharmacy Benefit Manager (SPBM) for Medicaid eligible people who are enrolled with a managed care plan, and centralized credentialing for providers who contract with Medicaid managed care plans.
To learn more about Ohio Medicaid’s Next Generation program and mission, visit the Ohio Medicaid Next Generation website, managedcare.medicaid.ohio.gov.
| | | |
Announcement: Planning and Organizing Regional DSP Forums |
The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) recently sought proposals from qualified contractors to plan, organize, and conduct regional meetings with direct support professionals (DSPs). The purpose is to give DSPs the ability to share their professional experiences. These meetings, and the information that is gathered from them, will be shared with the Workforce Crisis Taskforce to provide feedback and ideas to the group and other system leaders on how to better support the direct support workforce.
DODD is pleased to announce that the Ohio Alliance of Direct Support Professionals (OADSP) has been selected to plan and organize these meetings while also collecting and analyzing the information and data collected during the meetings.
OADSP will conduct six regional in-person meetings exclusively for DSPs and independent providers and two remote meetings for those who cannot attend in person.
More details will be forthcoming as the meetings are scheduled and planned. Contact Ann Weisent at ann.weisent@dodd.ohio.gov with questions.
| | | |
Internet Assistance Project Available Now
Attention: County Boards
|
Reminder: The Internet Assistance Project is now available to provide reimbursement to eligible county boards of developmental disabilities for internet coverage for people to receive remote supports, assistive technology, or StationMD services. If you have any questions, please contact Keith.Banner@dodd.ohio.gov.
| | | |
Behavior Support Workshops
Attention: All Providers, County Boards, CEOs, DCs, and ICFs
|
Join us to continue learning with questions, answers, and scenarios to increase understanding of the rule updates. No registration is necessary, just click the link to join.
The RMN monthly Q&A sessions are being cancelled and rolled into the monthly Behavior Support Workshops. We are continuing to have RMN Data Office Hours and are adding additional dates/times. Please click RMN consults to sign up for a 30-minute consult.
| | | |
Outcome Tracking System Reporting Period Opened October 1, 2022
Attention: Adult Day Providers, Employment Providers, County Boards, DCs, ICFs
|
Thank you to all county boards and providers who participated in the 2021 Outcome Tracking System (OTS). The field was able to enter data on 71 percent of the people they support in Adult Day and Employment supports. You can see data from the 2020 OTS reporting period here. Look for the reporting period 2021 data to debut soon. The 2022 OTS will be available to those Adult Day and Employment providers, ICFs, DCs, and county boards beginning October 1, 2022. OTS Users will enter information for those to whom they provided services in September 2022. Users will have six months to enter data, 10/1/2022 – 3/31/2023.
If you are new to OTS or would like a refresher training, please join us for our upcoming virtual training. No registration is required, just click on this link for info and links to the training you would like to join.
| | | |
Requirement to Cooperate with Nursing Quality Assessment Reviews
Attention: All Waiver Providers
|
County boards are required by OAC 5123-6-07 to complete a quality assessment review by a registered nurse. These reviews (often referred to as RNQAs) are required when DSPs perform health-related activities, administer oral prescribed medication, administer topical prescribed medication, administer topical over-the-counter musculoskeletal medication, administer oxygen, or administer metered dose inhaled medication for individuals who receive services from certified supported living providers, receive residential support services from certified HCBS providers in settings of not more than four, receive adult services in a setting with 16 or fewer individuals, and/or reside in a residential facility of five or fewer beds (excluding ICF/IIDs).
These reviews are required to be completed at least once every three years at each provider location in a county and include observations, review of agency systems related to performance of health-related activities and administration of prescribed medication, review of documentation, and review of all medication/treatment errors from the past 12 months.
All providers with service locations where a quality assessment review is to be conducted are required to cooperate with the quality assessment reviews. This includes making requested documentation available to the RN, providing a written plan of improvement within 30 calendar days of receiving the quality assessment review report, and implementing the plan of improvement within 60 calendar days of submitting the plan to the quality assessment registered nurse.
Failing to cooperate with these reviews could lead to citations and/or sanctions issued by DODD.
| | | |
COVID Bivalent (Omicron) Vaccine Guidance |
What You Need to Know
- CDC recommends everyone stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccination, including all primary series doses and boosters for their age group:
-
People ages 6 months through 4 years should get all COVID-19 primary series doses.
-
People ages 5 years and older should get all primary series doses, and the booster dose recommended for them by CDC, if eligible.
-
People ages 5 years to 11 years are currently recommended to get the original (monovalent) booster.
-
People ages 12 years and older are recommended to receive one updated Pfizer or Moderna (bivalent) booster.
- This includes people who have received all primary series doses and people who have previously received one or more original (monovalent) boosters.
-
At this time, people aged 12 years to 17 years can only receive the updated Pfizer bivalent booster.
- Getting a COVID-19 vaccine after you recover from COVID-19 infection provides added protection against COVID-19.
-
People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised have different recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines, including boosters.
-
COVID-19 vaccine and booster recommendations may be updated as CDC continues to monitor the latest data.
About COVID-19 Vaccines
COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States are effective at protecting people from getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, and dying. As with other diseases, you are protected best from COVID-19 when you stay up-to-date with the recommended vaccines, including recommended boosters.
Four COVID-19 vaccines are approved or authorized in the United States to prevent COVID-19: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Novavax, and Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J/Janssen). It’s recommended that the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine only be considered in some situations.
Updated COVID-19 boosters can both help restore protection that has decreased since previous vaccination, and provide broader protection against newer variants. The updated, or bivalent boosters, target the most recent Omicron subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5, that are more contagious and more resistant than earlier strains of Omicron.”
| | | |
DODD Hosting Webinars for Various Groups
Attention: People and their families, Guardians, Waiver providers (agency and independent), ICFs
|
Persons with lived experiences
Do you receive services from a county board or Intermediate Care Facility (ICF)? If so, this webinar is for you. DODD would like to share with you how your service plan will be developed and look using the OhioISP. Please join us on this date/time.
Intermediate Care Facility (ICF)
Do you work in an ICF? If so, this webinar is for you. DODD would like to share with you how the service plan will be developed and look using the OhioISP. Please join us on this date/time.
Families & Guardians
Does someone in your family or someone you are a guardian of receive services? If so, this webinar is for you. DODD would like to share with you how the service plan will be developed and look using the OhioISP. Please join us on this date/time.
Waiver providers (agency & independent)
Do you provide waiver services? If so, this webinar is for you. DODD would like to share with you how the service plan will be developed and look using the OhioISP. Please join us on this date/time.
Unable to attend?
Don’t worry, each session will be recorded and posted on the OhioISP webpage and as well as additional OhioISP information.
| | | |
OhioISP October Gathering and Office Hours
Attention: Service and Support Administrators (SSAs) and Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professionals (QIDPs)
|
The October QIDP and SSA Gathering video, reviewing the new Behavior Support Rule and the OhioISP, will be available on the OhioISP Support webpage early this week.
QIDPs and SSAs are encouraged to join virtual office hours after watching the recording. The October office hours will take place on October 26, 2022, from 9:30 AM – 11 AM via this Microsoft Teams link.
| | | |
Community-Based, "Real-World" Training October 4, 2022
Attention: All Providers (especially Adult Day Support and Vocational Habilitation Providers), County Boards
|
“Putting It All Together: Developing Real World Relationships and Opportunities,” a webinar, focuses on helping providers discover and act on the interests of the people they support. The training offers attendees practical information and knowledge-building around “resource-mapping and making real-world community connections.”
“Putting It All Together” happens October 4, 2022, 9 – 11 AM.
| | | |
Supportive Tech Experts on Loop Ohio
Attention: All Providers, County Boards, Business Managers, CEOs, COG Directors, DCs, ICFs
|
The Charles Lea Center’s Omar Chirinos has recorded a webinar that surveys different types of technologies and devices people can use to be more independent and connected to their communities. You can access the recording here. SafeinHome’s Suzanne Ivies led a Remote Supports webinar on September 23, 2022, 10 – 11 AM. The link to that recording is here.
These trainings are part of an ongoing 2022/23 series of supportive tech trainings being facilitated by subject matter experts (SMEs) from SafeinHome, EconSys, and Charles Lea Center.
Another aspect of the series is SMEs from these organizations hosting informational and conversational groups on Loop Ohio. Loop is Ohio’s virtual community of practice dedicated to supporting collaboration, learning, and promoting best practices in community development, inclusion, and supportive tech for people with disabilities. You can connect to Loop Ohio here.
| | | |
Participate In the Fall Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness 101 Course
Attention: Families, People with Developmental Disabilities, Providers, County Boards, SSAs
|
An online series of Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness programming has been developed for Ohioans in a loving or supportive relationship with someone with a developmental disability.
This virtual course will ground participants in what trauma is and how it shows up, as well as how we can use mindfulness practices to destress and regulate our nervous systems. The programming is designed to be fun, interactive, build community, and fit in with your busy schedules. The fall session runs Tuesday evenings from 6:30 PM-8 PM October 18 – November 29. (No session on 11/22)
| | | |
Toledo Organizations Offer ADA Seminar | The Ability Center of Greater Toledo and the Fair Housing Center are collaborating to present a virtual ADA webinar. “Promoting Housing Justice - From Barriers to Full Community Access for People with Disabilities “will be conducted over four days: October 12, 13, 19, and 20. The free seminar is open to all and has been approved for Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits. | | | |
Like Memo Monday? Tell your friends to subscribe.
| | | | |
