1. Pilot Program for Adults with I/DD and Co-occurring Behavioral Health Needs - The Comprehensive Medicaid Waiver Renewal Application includes a pilot program for adults with the dual diagnosis of intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and co-occurring behavioral health needs. This is important because this group within our population often struggles to obtain the behavioral health services and supports they require to live successfully in the community. It is our hope that this pilot program will lead to the development and provision of specialized services required by this underserved group. The Arc of New Jersey strongly supports this measure and we urge you to weigh in with the Department to voice your support as well.
    
    
2. Medicare FIDE SNP Managed Care Plan - A Medicare FIDE SNP is a "fully integrated dual eligible special needs plan." In other words, this is a managed care program specifically for persons who have both Medicare and Medicaid. A proposal within the Comprehensive Medicaid Waiver Renewal Application would mandate enrollment into a Medicare FIDE SNP managed care plan. However, The Arc of New Jersey believes individuals should be given a choice about whether or not this type of Medicare managed care plan is right for them. Depending on an individual's unique circumstances, a Medicare FIDE SNP carries possible concerns or possible advantages. With this in mind, The Arc of New Jersey is urging the state to allow a voluntary enrollment into this new Medicare managed care system, instead of having a mandatory enrollment, and we ask you to include this important item in your comments to the State. Want more information on this issue? Check out our Q&A for more details by clicking HERE.
    
3. Therapeutic Leave - Individuals who attend day programs or reside in group homes may be absent from their program or away from their home from time to time for a variety of reasons. This will be harder to accommodate in the new fee-for-service system because a community provider will only be paid when an individual receives a service, but not when he or she is absent. With this in mind, we believe the Comprehensive Medicaid Waiver Renewal Application should include payment to community providers for therapeutic "leave days" when participants are unable to attend their day program. In addition, there should be an expanded number of leave days in the residential programs. These days would be utilized when an individual is ill, is away on vacation, is in the hospital or is staying temporarily at a rehabilitation facility. We believe these leave days will be an important component of the new fee-for-service system and The Arc of New Jersey is asking the State to include this item in their proposal. We ask you to also support the addition of leave days in your letter to the Department.

If you'd like to view the full Comprehensive Waiver Renewal Application, click here.