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PACA MH/DS FALL CONFERENCE
Our next conference will be November 14-16, 2018 at Bedford Springs, in Bedford, PA. The tentative
agenda has been posted to the association conference page (under the about us drop down). If you have any questions regarding the conference, please contact Lisa Zook at
lzook@pacounties.org.
REGISTRATION FEES FOR 2018
Wednesday Board Meeting $ 0
Thursday AND Friday $235
Thursday Only $180 (Continental Breakfast/Buffet Lunch)
Friday Only $100 (Full Breakfast)
ROOM RATE:
$
145.00/night (Reserve by October 10, 2018)
RESERVE ROOM BY CALLING:
(814) 623-8100
GROUP ONLINE CODE:
111318PACAMHDSG
Additional directions for online reservations: you will click the dates for your reservation and on that screen you will click the + sign next to special rate code and it drop down for you to place the Group Code.
ODP FILES FINAL COMMUNITY REGULATIONS WITH IRCC
The Department of Human Services' Office of Developmental Programs has submitted the proposed Chapter 6100 regulations to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission. The regulations will replace the current 2380, 2390, 6100, 6200, 6400 and 6500, and be known as the Home and Community-Based Services Licensing, which cover intellectual disability and autism services.
PACA MH/DS will be meeting to discuss the regulations and some of the changes that have occurred in response to our comments later in September. The IRCC will accept comments until 10 a.m. October 16. The IRRC's public meeting will be on October 18. Additional information and the regulations are available
online
.
EVV - PA MOVES FORWARD WHILE FEDS DELAY DATE
Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services continues to prepare to implement Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) in the summer 2019 even though the federal deadline was pushed back to January 1, 2020. EVV is required for personal care services such as meal preparation, shopping and instrumental activities regarding daily living provided under the Office of Long-Term Living, Intellectual Disabilities/Autism and Adult Autism Waivers. The EVV excludes inpatient hospital services and 24-hour residential group home services. Information is available
online
.
NEW MEDICAID "INTEGRITY" AUDITS PLANNED
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid is conducting audits of state Medicaid beneficiary eligibility determinations in previously identified high-risk states. These audits will assess the effect of Medicaid expansion and its enhanced federal match rate on state eligibility policy. Under current regulations, CMS can start issuing potential disallowances to states beginning in 2022. The program measures improper Medicaid and CHIP payments on a rolling 3-year cycle and produces national and state-specific improper payment rates.
The
CMS Medicaid Program Integrity Strategy
is designed to create greater transparency and accountability within the Medicaid program integrity performance with enabled data sharing and robust analytic tools to assure proper Medicaid payments. Consequently there are numerous prongs to the approach including review of Medical Loss Ratios, assessing the robustness of state data, etc.
VARIANCE FORM WEBINAR RESCHEDULED
The Office of Developmental Programs rescheduled the Variance Form Update Webinar that was to take place on August 24. The webinar will be held on Thursday, September 20 from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Administrative Entities and Supports Coordinators will understand the requirements related to the Consolidated, Person/Family Directed Support, and Community Living Waiver Variance form.
WEBINAR: ADVANCING VALUE-BASED PAYMENT IN MEDICAID MLTSS: OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY-BASED CARE
The Center for Health Care Strategies, Inc. is hosting this webinar on September 18 at 1:30 p.m. Details and registration are available online.
SUICIDE PREVENTION & AWARENESS DAY AT THE CAPITOL
Prevent Suicide PA will host the Suicide prevention and Awareness Day at the Pennsylvania State Capitol on October 1 from 1 - 2:30 pm. Anyone and everyone is welcome to participate in this event.
STEPPING UP RESOURCES AVAILABLE
The National Association of Counties (NACo) has a created the
Stepping Up
framework to encourage counties to focus their efforts on impacting one or more of "Four Key Measures" for people with mental illnesses: jail bookings, jail length of stay, connections to treatment and recidivism. The webinar
Stepping Up Four Key Measures #2: Shortening the Length of Stay in Jail for People with Mental Illnesses
is available for viewing as are previous webinars in this series in the
Stepping Up Toolkit
.
OCTOBER IS NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH
The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability employment Policy dedicates October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Posters are available
online
.
SEPTEMBER 16-22 IS SAMHSA'S NATIONAL WELLNESS WEEK
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration sets aside one week a year to promote prevention and wellness for individuals with mental and/or substance use disorders. Additional information and resources are available
online
.
PA DUAL DIAGNOSIS CONFERENCE NOVEMBER 13 -15
The Office of Developmental Programs and the Office of mental Health and Substance Abuse Services are hosting the conference on November 13- 15 at the Blair County Convention Center in Altoona. More information to be released for registration.
PEOPLE AND PLACES
Kristin Ahrens
becomes Acting ODP Deputy Secretary as Thaler retires August 28.
Sylvia Herman,
retired as MH/ID Administrator for Cumberland Perry the end of July. Please contact Robin Tolan at rtolan@ccpa.net with any questions or concerns.
Julie Barley,
Eastern Operations Manager for OMHSAS, retired in July.
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