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February Edition at a Glance
In this month’s edition, you’ll find an update on the
changes to Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records Regulations (42 CFR Part 2), as well as details on the
significant changes to the
2016 Consolidated Fiscal Report cycle reporting. We included two links to 13WHAM news stories focusing on the recent increase in youth suicide, and what can be done to prevent it. Additionally,
Syracuse City Schools showed the largest gains in graduation rates of the five biggest school districts in the State, so we congratulate the staff in Onondaga County’s School-Based Initiatives division for their dedicated work in the schools.
You’ll also find links to upcoming webinars, events, project and program news, and other resources.
CCSI Appoints New CFO
In January,
Jason Kuby
assumed the role of
Chief Financial Officer
for CCSI. For those who don’t (yet) know Jason, he’s been with CCSI since 2001, most recently serving as Monroe County OMH’s Chief of Finance and System Accountability. Jason brings to this role more than a decade of experience in behavioral health care finance and contract management, with specialized expertise in the areas of financial reporting, contracting and claiming for mental health, chemical dependency and developmental disability services.
Jon Benson, who has served as CCSI’s CFO for the past 4 years will continue with CCSI in an advisory capacity, while assuming his new position as Director of Camp Li-Lo-Li, where he has been a longtime volunteer.
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DELAY of Effective Date of Changes to Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records Regulations (42 CFR Part 2)
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized changes to Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records regulations, (42 CFR Part 2) to facilitate health integration and information exchange within new health care models while continuing to protect the privacy and confidentiality of patients seeking treatment for substance use disorders. The new rule was published in the Federal Register
here
on January 18, 2017. In February 2016, HHS issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) proposing changes to Part 2 to reflect the current health care delivery system, promote health integration and permit appropriate research and data exchange activities. This final rule carefully balances the public health benefits of information exchange and continued protection of patient privacy. The effective date of the final rule has been delayed from February 17, 2017 to a new effective date of March 21, 2017. Read more
here
about the new rule and the intent of the changes
.
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Do
n't Miss this Exciting and Uplifting Youth-Driven Annual Event!
11th Annual Got Dreams? Celebration
Come & join us for this year’s annual Got Dreams? Celebration, a community event that recognizes youth with emotional or behavioral health challenges who are working to fulfill their dreams along with those who support them ~family, peers, caregivers & local organizations.
This event focuses on celebrating mental health awareness in our community by showcasing inspiring stories & performances, opportunities to connect with local resources & information on what ALL OF US can do to stamp out the stigma around mental health!
FREE FOOD, FUN & PRIZES!
Where:
Radisson Riverside Hotel, Rochester, NY
When: May 3rd, 2017
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Trauma Informed Systems and Other Practice Transformations
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Youth Suicide: a Call to Action
Dr. Elizabeth Meeker
, Director of Training and Practice Transformation at CCSI, spoke with 13WHAM about youth suicide. In 2014, suicide was the number one cause of death of middle school students, outpacing car accidents. The
Centers for Disease Control
reports twice as many children between the ages of 10 and 14 died by suicide in 2014 than in 2007.
While it is still rare, the numbers alone beg the question: why and what can be done to prevent it. When it comes to the
why
of youth suicide, experts say what's known is that children who experience traumatic events, such as abuse and neglect, are at the greatest risk.
While there are many reasons a child or teen may take their life, parents, teachers and loved ones can try and prevent it by talking to them. Dr. Meeker says it’s okay to talk about it. “There's no such thing as putting the idea of suicide in someone's mind. People hesitate to bring it up the topic because they're afraid they'll be planting the seed, but really people are relieved that someone's willing to have the conversation.”
Amy Scheel-Jones, Chief, Planning for the Monroe County Office of Mental Health, sat down with Norma Holland on 13 WHAM's Many Voices Many Visions, and covered a lot of information on teen suicide prevention. She encouraged adults to build their connections with youth by regularly talking with them about their feelings and spending time together. Having these solid foundations makes serious conversations easier if and when concerns arise about a teen later on. Amy also talked about the importance for adults to model stress management and problem solving skills, so youth have skills to draw on when they run into difficult problems. Amy covers more topics in the video below such as how to handle cyberbullying.
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Performance Measurement
Center for Collaboration In Community Health Webinar Series
March Webinar -
Clinic Readiness in a Value-Based System
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CCSI’s Center for Collaboration in Community Health is hosting a webinar series developed to share insight about approaches for succeeding in the new Medicaid Managed Care service delivery system. We invite you to join us!
Clinic Readiness is a multifaceted concept that includes the use of technology to produce data-driven management of services through reliable reports, the use of person-centered collaborative clinical approaches, and the establishment of a link between Clinic and Finance to track fiscal viability.
This webinar provides an overview of CCSI’s collaborative effort with a County Clinic provider who is actively putting all of these pieces together to function well in a Medicaid Managed Care and value-driven environment. It will include an emphasis on how Clinics and define and measure the value of the services they offer; answering key questions like: What do you do well, How do you positively affect the population you serve, and How do you use technology to measure it?
Presenters:
David W. Eckert, LMHC, NCC, CRC - Senior Consultant | CCSI, The Center for Collaboration and Community Health
Date and Time:
Tuesday, March 7, 2017 from 12:00pm–1:00pm
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To view any archived webinar, visit:
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Financial Services and Fiscal Business Practices
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Consolidated Fiscal Reporting (CFR)
The Consolidated Fiscal Report (CFR) is required to be completed by service providers receiving funding from or operating certified programs for any or all of the NYS State Agencies (OASAS, OMH, OPWDD, & SED). A single CFR is required from a service provider for each reporting period for which they are required to file. This single CFR includes all expenses and all revenues of the service provider.
Every year, NYS issued a Transmittal Letter detailing the changes in the CFR guidance, codes, definitions, and its software. The 2016 CFR cycle reporting has 2 pages of significant changes that providers should be aware of including a new schedule to complete. See NYS Transmittal Letter link. For more details on the CFR submission, click here to read more.
CCSI provides CFR training to groups, individuals, and leadership teams. Additionally, CCSI can prepare your agencies CFR and setup a process for future submissions
To get more information on Training and Preparation, contact Jeff Blood at Jblood@ccsi.org
Center for Collaboration In Community Health Webinar Series
February Webinar - Consolidated Fiscal Report (CFR) 101: What you should know!
This webinar was an introductory training for directors, leadership and new staff around NYS’s Consolidated Fiscal Report (CFR). Participants learned about this NYS year-end cost report used for reporting revenue, expense, and units of services for provider service programs related to NYS Mental Health, Alcohol and Substance Abuse, People with Developmental Disabilities and State Education Dept. Jim discussed what it is, what it is used for, what information goes into it, and how important it is to your agency for the past, present and future.
Presenter:
Jim Monfort - Senior Consultant, Manager of Financial Services, Coordinated Care Services, Inc.
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Vulnerable Access Provider (VAP) awards
For those providers who received Vulnerable Access Provider (VAP) awards, we were notified that the Federal award portion was not approved and would not be fulfilled due to NYS reaching the Upper Payment Limit (UPL). The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) maintains that there is no room for these costs within the State’s Upper Payment Limit (UPL) calculation for freestanding clinics. The UPL is a Federal limit placed on fee-for-service reimbursement of Medicaid providers statewide. The State Medicaid programs cannot claim federal matching dollars for payment in excess of the UPL.
At this time, OMH advises all VAP providers to focus only on activities that produce the highest return on investment and improve the agency’s fiscal viability. Providers who are not making process improving long-term fiscal viability risk discontinuation of the project including the remaining State funds plus any potential match resources. Click here to read more.
To view the full NYS OMH Presentation, with additional details, click here.
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Social Determinants of Health
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Clark Family Scholarship Accepting Applications for 2017/18 Academic Year
The Clark Family Scholarship provides financial support for professionals working in the mental health or developmental disabilities fields within the eight-county area surrounding Rochester (Monroe, Genesee, Livingston, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, and Yates counties) who wish to pursue advanced degrees in their field. The scholarship was established several years ago by Rochester area residents Tom and Barbara Clark. The Clarks have been closely involved with agencies serving the disadvantaged and have personally witnessed the skills and dedication of those who have chosen this career. One of their children, born with Downs Syndrome, has been the beneficiary of many services provided by the agencies and health systems serving the developmentally disabled. This scholarship was established to assist individuals dedicated to serving in the field of developmental disabilities or mental health with their advanced educational pursuits.
Award amounts are determined through a scholarship committee review process, which takes into consideration academic performance, financial need, and access to other available grants or resources. The maximum award amount is $5,000 per year. Application forms can be found on the RACF website and are due by April 18th. While the scholarship is a one-time award, students may apply in future years and receive a maximum of four awards during a consecutive six-year period. Please share this information with staff or colleagues who may fit the criteria for this scholarship.
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Open Enrollment Ends; Exchange Continues to Assist with Ongoing Enrollment
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February 1st marked the last day of the 2017 cycle for open enrollment in the NY State of Health, New York’s marketplace for accessing affordable insurance. Although the 2017 open enrollment period has ended, enrollment continues for persons experiencing a life changing event in need of insurance coverage. CCSI’s IPA/Navigator Program Manager, Kim Wynn, along with other community experts, were interviewed by WROC 8 on January 31st, speaking to the last day of enrollment as well as the current state of the Exchange.
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Syracuse City Schools See a Rise in Graduation Rates
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Last month, when the NYS Department of Education released the latest data on high school graduation rates, Syracuse high schools showed the largest gains in graduation rates of the five biggest school districts in the State. Syracuse's 2015 graduation rate was 54.5 percent. In 2016, 60.9 percent of students graduated on time. These gains were celebrated by staff in Onondaga County’s School-Based Initiatives division, which partners with the school district to integrate community supports and services into the school setting to address the social, economic, health and emotional/behavioral challenges that may get in the way of a child's success. At CCSI, we’re extremely pleased to have had the chance to work with Onondaga County over the past several years to support their school-based initiatives and congratulate the staff working in these important programs. More information about statewide graduation rates is available on the NYS Department of Education website: https://data.nysed.gov/
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Want to hear more? If you haven’t yet had the chance, we hope you’ll check out our Facebook page for more CCSI news and resources.
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CCSI's Operating Principles
Excellence in Customer Service | Collaboration | Integrity | Innovation
Community Connectedness | Diversity and Inclusion
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