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112th

Community Health

Advisory

Weekly Message from the Executive Director

Tony Anderson

By the Numbers

Good news. This week we reported a 45% reduction in the COVID positive cases. We reported 25 consumer cases, and 22 direct support professionals and we have at least 3 employees out with COVID. No hospitalizations were reported this week.

Office Building Site Status:

San Joaquin 9.6% – Exceeds 5% - Remote Quarterly Face to Face Recommended, Masks in the Office required.
Stanislaus 10.3% – Exceeds 5% - Remote Quarterly Face to Face Recommended, Masks in the Office required.
Calaveras 7.7% – Exceeds 5% - Remote Quarterly Face to Face Recommended, Masks in the Office required.

Amador is at 6.5% and Tuolumne is most recently at 9.9%. The below table show the 7 day average for people with developmental disabilities in California as of May 28, 2022:

Budget Committee Votes in the State Capitol Expected Next Week

We’re closing in on the final phases of the state budget approval for next year and among several items impacting our community, three of our large priorities are part of the final votes for the budget committees. These priorities include:

Core Staffing Formula – an accurate current reflection of the cost of regional center operations and positions. (The budget still includes almost $1 billion to meet caseload ratio requirements in all the regional centers.)
Permanent End to the Family Fees: Provides roughly $5 million ongoing to eliminate Annual Family Program Fee (AFPF) and the Family Cost Participation Program (FCPP) fees for regional center services., and
An acceleration of the service provider rate increase: We are asking policymakers to give the providers more of the promised rate increase now because of the exceedingly competitive job market and high cost of living.

Narrative Highlights from the Legislative Budget Committees on Developmental Services

Promoting Workforce Stability for Regional Centers and Direct Support Professionals (DSPs). Provides $185.3 million to address challenges in recruiting and retaining regional center service coordinators and DSPs. This includes funding for training stipends and a tuition reimbursement program for service coordinators.
Addressing Disparities in the Developmental Services System. Provides an additional $11 million for grants to regional centers and community-based organizations for projects to reduce disparities and increase equity in the developmental services system.
Improving Services for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities. Provides funding to accelerate the provider rate increases and rate reform approved in the 2021 Budget Act by one year. This action will also ensure that DSPs benefit from the accelerated rate increases and that individuals with developmental disabilities will have access to vital services.
Promoting Workforce Stability ($186.4 million TF, $186.2 million GF):
The Budget includes $185.3 million one-time funding and funding for seven headquarters positions ongoing to support efforts to address current and emerging workforce challenges among workers who provide direct services and regional center consumer service coordinators.

Highlights from the Governor’s May Revision

The Budget includes funding for the January 1, 2023 minimum wage increase from $15.00 to $15.50 for all employers.
Service Access and Equity Grant Program.
Financial Management Services (FMS) for Participants in the Self-Determination Program (SDP) to move payments for FMS for SDP participants outside of their individual budgets.
Additional funding for Early Start Eligibility to support revised eligibility rules including: lowering the eligibility threshold for developmental delay from 33 percent to 25 percent; separating communication delays into two distinct categories (expressive and/or receptive language); and identifying Fetal Alcohol Syndrome as a risk factor for developmental delays.
One-time funding for DDS to allocate to the City of Costa Mesa to facilitate disposition of the Fairview Developmental Center property.
The Budget includes funding to reflect the elimination of the half-day billing policy for service providers.
Continuing emergency planning and preparedness investments made in FY 2021-22, the May Revision includes $850,000 General Fund on an ongoing basis to continue the distribution of emergency go-bags and batteries and other foundational activities that protect the health and safety of individuals.

And Don’t forget these Items from the Governor’s January Proposed Budget. (Some are just modifications from last year’s budget but all are pending approval.)

The funding is allocated to six initiatives:
Service Provider Rate Reform,
Social Recreation and Camp Services,
Language Access and Cultural Competency,
Coordinated Family Support Services,
Enhanced Community Integration for Children and Adolescents, and
Modernization of Developmental Services Information Technology Systems.
Early Start – Part C to B Transitions: funding for six headquarters positions to enhance oversight and outcomes of services for children and their families.
Funding to reduce caseload ratios for children birth through age five, provide technical support for service coordinators, and promote inclusive preschool options.
Communications Assessments for Consumers Who Are Deaf
Subminimum Wage Phaseout funding for one headquarters position and funding for a three-year pilot of a service model focused on career readiness for consumers exiting WAP or secondary education.
Enrolling Vendors as Medicaid Providers
Fairview and Sonoma Developmental Centers extension of the warm shutdown funding for Sonoma Developmental Center and Fairview Developmental Center.

June 6^th Contract Performance Review Public Forum

In September of 2021 DDS set up a requirement for regional centers to report to the public the our prior year’s contract performance. This was a new requirement that was added during the middle of the COVID pandemic and VMRC as did other regional center missed that requirement. Therefore, this year we will be reporting on the 2021 outcomes and the 2020 our for the public on June 6^th. We have been posting this upcoming public hearing since April 22^nd.

After the hearing we will report any public comments to DDS and by October we will begin the development of our new policy measures we’ve commit to achieve the goals in the performance contract.

Valley Mountain Regional Center Communitàs Award* 2022

Don't forget Nomination forms should be completed and submitted by any interested person, including VMRC board members and employees, electronically through the below link by Friday, June 3, 2022. Incomplete forms will not be considered.

Click Here to Nominate an Agency or Individual for 2022

Upcoming Calendar of Important Events

Performance Contract Public Meeting (Hybrid)

June 6, 2022, 5:00 PM

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 885 7170 9612

Passcode: 143391

Board of Directors Meeting (Hybrid)

June 22, 2022, 6:00 PM

Join Zoom Meeting

Webinar ID: 844 7797 7692

Passcode: 434801

Howard Prep HAL Informational Session (Virtual)

June 24, 2022, 9:30 AM

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 813 5197 1961

Passcode: 480553

California Mentor Family Home Agency Informational Session (Virtual)

June 29, 2022, 9:30 AM

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 821 5693 4857

Passcode: 451938

View our Entire Calendar of Events Here

Case Management Update - Children

Tara Sisemore-Hester

Director of Consumer Services - Children

In case you missed our shout out, registration for this year’s Early Start Virtual Partners Symposium is now open until closing on June 3^rd! June 7^th and 9^th are the event dates and space is still available for this unique gathering of Early Start professionals and vendors from across the state! Be sure to check out the virtual venue site to learn more, obtain a conference brochure, and register on your favorite computer or mobile device today!

In this week’s blog post, Sign Language Use for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Hearing Babies: The Evidence Supports It, we’re highlighting a resource (English/Spanish), from the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center, focusing on the research and studies that support the use of signed language in early language development and learning. Supplemental links to a wealth of information are provided for further exploration on this important subject matter.

While live engagement has concluded for our Early Start Cultural Humility webinars, the course materials are still available for your review on the Early Start Online website. Be sure to make the most of this informative series and products.

As always, we appreciate your comments and ideas for implementing all the resources shared through the Neighborhood. Keep them coming!

Visit Early Start Neighborhood at: https://earlystartneighborhood.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network

The Importance of Parent/Child Attachment in the Latino Community

with Edgar Sierra, LMFT &

Leslie Manriquez-Jimenez, LMFT

Monday August 15, 2022

12:00pm-1:30pm (PDT)

Virtual Event

Can't attend the event live?

Session will describe the basic concepts of attachment theory. Attachment theory emphasizes the importance of having a healthy early attachment between a child and their main caregiver(s) during the first five years of life. We will also discuss the overall negative ramifications on the child’s behavioral health due to poor attachment patterns.

Presenters will characterize how healthy attachments look within the Hispanic/Latino community. Lastly, we will present examples of how to incorporate cultural factors while implementing attachment theory as a therapeutic approach with Hispanic and Latino families.

Learning objectives:

1. Identify current attachment patterns and trends in the Latinx community.

2. Explore mental health views in the Latinx community and common barriers.

Demonstrate interventions for building trust in the therapeutic relationship with Latinx community within context of an attachment based therapeutic approach.

Edgar Sierra, LMFT

Edgar Sierra immigrated to the United States at the age of 18. Edgar’s goal was to obtain a post-secondary education in the field of psychology. He attended Cal State San Marcos and graduated with a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Gender Studies in 2004. In 2010, Edgar received his master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University. Read more here

Leslie Manriquez-Jimenez, LMFT

Leslie is a bilingual in English and Spanish, licensed marriage and family therapist. Leslie has been working with families in the mental health field for over 13 years in the non-profit sector. She is passionate about serving the community where she was raised and has been providing services in South California's border area for her entire formal career. Read more here

Infant Development Association is committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging and in support of this mission

we are launching a series of events

Non-Member: $50

IDA Agency/Individual Member: $35

IDA Parent/Student/New Clinician Member: $25

IDA CE Hours: Nursing, PT, Speech and Language $15 (1.5 hours)

CDI CE Hours: LCSW, LMFT, LEP, LPCC

(you will be invoiced)

ADA Requests: Contact IDA @ mail@idaofcal.org

with ADA request by August 1, 2022

Limited number of scholarships available

The Summer Institute on Neurodevelopmental Disabilities

This annual event is intended to help participants keep pace with the latest in evidence-based treatment and research on neurodevelopmental disabilities and the implications for best practices in prevention, assessment, and treatment. We are excited to offer this inter-disciplinary event, bringing together researchers and self-advocates to share valuable information and personal experience. We welcome all health care professionals, educators, therapists, self-advocates and families/caregivers to this free virtual event.

This year’s Summer Institute is on August 3 from 9:00 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. The theme is We Belong: Preparing for Community Life and Fulfillment After High School.

Event Highlights:

o Keynote Presentation: The Journey to Adulthood for People with Disabilities – An ecological life course perspective

o Two Panel Discussions featuring self-advocates, individuals with disabilities, family members and providers

o Self-Advocacy: From Student Led IEPS to Person Centered Planning

o Living Your Best Life: Personal Experiences, Resources, and Strategies

Registration information coming soon!

https://health.ucdavis.edu/mindinstitute/events/summer-institute.html

We are excited to announce the following self determination orientation opportunities:

Thursday, June 16, 2022 1PM-4PM English with Spanish Translation

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_i925MfbBSR-GdKIDuJiegA

Monday, August 8, 2022 1PM-4PM English with Spanish Translation

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LO75PDOzRWSAzwZCOSkl_A

Case Management Update - Adults

Christine Couch

Director of Consumer Services - Adults

Resources for Independence Central Valley Virtual Self-Advocacy Summit is set for July 18-22. The sessions are for youth with disabilities age 14-26 and the people who support them. The Summit provides attendees with a week-long variety of relevant, topic-driven presentations to empower advocacy in their communities. It is designed to develop choice and decision-making skills, boost self-determination, build self-awareness and self-knowledge, strengthen goal setting skills, and intensify self-advocacy.

On Monday, July 18, the sessions will focus on self-advocacy and systems advocacy. Accessible education and employment disclosure will be the topics of Tuesday, July 19 sessions. Wednesday, July 20 will address the topics of meeting about me and all about consent. On Thursday, July 21 the sessions will be about voting accessibility, right and advocacy, and how to advocate for your healthcare. Sticking up for yourself, and disability pride and resilience will be the topics for Friday, July 22.

For information contact either Jordan Noble at jnoble@ricv.org, or Aubrey Alfano at aalfano@ricv.org.

June is Pride month - a time to honor the LGBTQ+ community, to lift their voices, celebrate their cultures, and recognize the progress and remaining work in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. Inspired by the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, a tipping point in the LGBTQ+ rights movement in the United States, Pride is part celebration and part political activism. While a lot has changed in the 53 years since the Stonewall Uprising, the LGBTQ+ community still faces discrimination interpersonally and systemically.

Inequity harms mental health. While being LGBTQ+ is NOT a mental health condition or concern, LGBTQ+ individuals experience mental health struggles at higher rates than their straight and cisgender peers. Mental health challenges among the LGBTQ+ community are primarily due to individuals facing stigma, discrimination, and bias in many forms.

LGBTQ+ individuals can be incredibly resilient and thrive in the face of adversity with the help of supportive families, peers, and communities. But the ultimate protective factor in LGBTQ+ mental health is removing these adversities altogether, which we can work to achieve through creating informed and affirming environments. MHA thanks Janssen: Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson and Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. for supporting our public education efforts.

How Is Pride Relevant To Mental Health In 2022?

With an increasing amount of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation being proposed and enacted across the United States, 2022 has been a particularly difficult year for many LGBTQ+ people whose identities are being politicized. Not only does each discriminatory bill harm the LGBTQ+ individuals that it directly impacts, it also sends a broader message that LGBTQ+ people don’t have the right to exist or thrive in the ways that non-LGBTQ+ folks do.

Fast Facts

LGBTQ+ people are twice as likely as non-LGBTQ+ people to have a mental health condition and continue to show disparities in mental health, even though they are more likely to use mental health services.

People who identify as LGBTQ+ have more frequent suicidal thoughts, and rates are continuing to rise. Fifty-six percent of LGBTQ+ individuals who took an MHA depression screen in 2021 reported having suicidal thoughts more than half or nearly every day of the previous two weeks - nearly 7% higher than the reported rate in 2019. (MHA Screening)

The Trevor Project reports that 73% percent of LGBTQ+ youth report experiencing symptoms of anxiety, 58% report symptoms of depression, and 45% report having seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year.

According to the U.S. Transgender Survey, 40% of transgender adults have attempted suicide during their lifetime, compared to less than 5% of the general U.S. population.

Asian Health and Healing Clinic Interest Form

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Y2M0_KH0djiahlEOH_srzwJYu34evOZeDntuXRI3lis/viewform?edit_requested=true

Hello, community! We invite you to join us for a day of free health and healing services and activities! Little Manila Rising is excited to be collaborating with University of the Pacific (UOP) School of Pharmacy and All Saint's Academy (formerly St. George Parish School) for this exciting event.

WHAT (*all services and activities are completely FREE):

- Health Education and resources on mental health, asthma, and diabetes

- Holistic Healing including Group Yoga, Sound Healing, Tai Chi, and Individual Massage Therapy

- Mindfulness activities including self care kits, creative arts, and letter writing

- Food will be distributed for lunch *limited, on a first come, first serve basis*

WHO: This event is open to all community members.

WHEN: Sunday, June 5th, 2022 (9:30AM to 2:30PM)

WHERE: St. George Parish/All Saints Academy (144 W. 5th Street, Stockton, CA)

**IMPORTANT** Masks may be required for all services and activities (depending on COVID-19 guidelines)

This event is also in partnership with local 209 Asian Pacific Islander Coalition, Empowering Marginalized Asian Communities, University of Pacific, The Abbot Fund and Future Well Communities Foundation and Blue Shield California.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns or need additional assistance with technology, feel free to contact healingpuso@littlemanila.org or call us directly at (209) 336-6332. Voicemails are checked regularly. Thank you and we look forward to seeing you!

Community Services Update

Brian Bennett

Director of Community Services

HCBS Compliance Assessments – Validation and Remediation Process Announcement

DDS in cooperation with Regional Centers is preparing for the implementation of the HCBS Final Settings Rule by assessing vendor settings that provide services to more than one individual in the same setting. This includes providers of residential, day program and employment programs. Between January and August of 2020 vendors were asked to complete an HCBS compliance self-survey. Then in 2021 DDS contracted with Public Consulting Group (PCG) to complete a full HCBS assessment for a representative sample of regional center vendors. VMRC had 60 providers who received this full assessment. Those reports have been received back from DDS and were emailed to providers on May 2^nd, 2022.

DDS has released a directive to regional centers on the validation and remediation process that our vendors with eligible service codes will need to complete. Emails will be sent to providers to advise whether they are to complete the validation process or the remediation process. Vendors will have 30 days to complete the process that they are assigned to complete. Validation and Remediation forms and all supporting documentation are due back to VMRC no later than June 30^th, 2022.

DDS Assessment Validation and Remediation Forms

VMRC will be hosting two trainings on the validation and remediation process. Providers are strongly encouraged to attend a session.

May 31, 2022 – 1:00-2:30pm

June 3, 2022 2:00-3:30pm

VMRC will also be hosting virtual office hours for our vendors to drop in via Zoom to ask questions related to the validation and remediation process.

June 6 ^th – 10 ^th every day from 1:00-2:30pm

June 13 ^th -17 ^th every day from 9:00-10:30am

June 21 ^st – 24 ^th every day from 1:00-2:30pm

Please do not wait to get started on your validation and remediation plans. An email will be sent to providers advising them of what step of the process, validation or remediation, they will be starting on. All documentation must be submitted electronically through email. Paper copies and handwritten documents will not be accepted. Your vendor # must be included in the file name of every document you submit, documents that are not named with the vendor number will be rejected.

VMRC Needs Your Help!

VMRC needs your input on the implementation of the HCBS Final Settings Rule and Person-Centered Practices! Please share your feedback with us through our new survey. This survey is open to all VMRC stakeholders, including persons served and their families, vendors and their staff, VMRC staff, VMRC Board Members and local advocacy groups. DDS has offered a new HCBS grant funding opportunity meant to encourage HCBS and Person-Centered Planning implementation for our catchment area and your input is vital to the planning process for this grant opportunity!

VMRC's HCBS/PCP Grant Funding Survey

Additional information about the HCBS Final Settings Rule can be accessed here:

VMRC's HCBS Page

California Department of Developmental Services - HCBS Page

HCBS Advocacy Coalition

Upcoming Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Trainings for Vendors

The HCBS Final Settings Rule applies to all vendors who provide services in a setting that serves more than one regional center consumer. The intent of the Final Settings Rule is to ensure that people with developmental disabilities receive services that integrate them fully into the community to the same degree as people without developmental disabilities. It ensures quality of life! They also ensure that the residential settings that services are received in are home environments rather than institutional environments. All settings must optimize and enhance choice rather than regimenting it. The HCBS Final Settings Rule protects consumers rights including the right to privacy, dignity, respect and freedom from coercion and restraint. The Final Settings Rule goes into effect March 17th, 2023, all providers with the service codes listed below, must be compliant by that date.

VMRC will continue hosting trainings for Residential Providers, Day Type Services Providers and Employment Services Providers. Service providers under the following service codes are strongly encouraged to sign up for one of the trainings provided. It takes time and effort to implement these requirements. Eligible service codes are Residential: 096, 113, 904, 905, 915, 910, 920; Employment Services: 950 and 954; Day Type Services: 028, 055, 063, 475, 505, 510, 515, 855

The attached flyers have registration links on them for the following trainings. You must register to take the training. Once you have registered you will receive a link for the zoom session on the date you have chosen. For attendance purposes please have each staff taking the training register with their own contact information including their email address. Any last-minute changes to the scheduled trainings will be communicated to the registered individuals by email at the email address they have provided.

HCBS Trainings for Residential Providers

June 7th, 2022, 10:00am - 11:00am

June 16th, 2022, 1:00pm – 2:00pm

July 7th, 2022, 1:00pm – 2:00pm

July 12th, 2022, 10:00am – 11:00am

HCBS Trainings for Day Type and Employment Services

June 7th, 2022, 2:00pm - 3:00pm

July 12th, 2022, 2:00pm – 3:00pm

Contact Anna Sims, SCSL, HCBS Program Evaluator with questions: (209) 955-3353, asims@vmrc.net

HCBS for Residential Providers April through July

HCBS for Day Program and Employment Providers May through July

Electronic Visit Verification (EVV)

DDS is hosting an EVV webinar on June 28, 2022, from 3pm-4pm. The webinar will provide information on resources available to providers and will begin an introduction to the next phase of EVV implementation.

Spanish and ASL interpretation will be provided. For additional accommodations, please email EVV@dds.ca.gov two weeks prior to the webinar.

Please click the link below to register.

DDS is hosting Office Hours during the month of June focused on the topic of how staff/caregivers record visits in CalEVV.

Please join us during any of the designated dates and times below for this topic.

June 21, 2022, from 3:00pm-4:00pm

Join Zoom Meeting (only available at the time/date above)

June 23, 2022, from 5:30pm-6:30pm

Join Zoom Meeting (only available at the time/date above)

June 25, 2022, from 10:00am-11:00am

Join Zoom Meeting (only available at the time/date above)

Office Hours are a time to join a Zoom call to ask questions regarding identified topics. Each Office Hour date, time and topic will be posted to the DDS EVV webpage under the ‘Meetings’ tab, https://www.dds.ca.gov/services/evv/ , and notifications will go out when new dates, times and topics are available. Advanced registration is not required. People may join the link at any time during the call to ask questions and do not need to remain on the call the whole hour.

For questions, please email EVV@dds.ca.gov.

Disability Thrive is hosting a webinar to discuss the Direct Support Professional “Crisis” in California

The webinar will be June 8^th at 3 pm

See flyer for enrollment information‌

PDF Version of Flyer Here

Please notice that VMRC has extended our request for proposal deadlines – see links for VMRC 2021-2022 Community Resource Development Plan projects- each project has $150,000 in startup funds available

Specialized RCFE 2nd RFP

Specialized-Children’s-Children’s-CDRP

VMRC’s Quality Assurance Department is offering Vendor Special Incident Report Training on Monday June 13^th 9-11:30 a.m. and Thursday June 16^th 1-3:30 p.m. Staff can earn 3 CEUs for this course and the training is $ 15/per person

Monday, June 13, 2022, from 9 AM to 11:30 AM

http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=pnnut8zab&oeidk=a07ej6jzx8zeccd18e4

Thursday, June 16, 2022, from 1 PM to 3:30 PM

http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=pnnut8zab&oeidk=a07ej6jzx9s22d4a2cb

Emergency Services Update

Aaron McDonald

Emergency Response Coordinator

Wildfire Safety Awareness Resources

Now that we have passed Memorial Day weekend and are in the month of June, we all need to be aware of increasing fire danger. During the moth of May we had three Tre Flag Warning periods that involved our catchment area, while there is no exact way to know what the coming months hold the best thing we can all do is be prepared.

Emergency situations increase our anxiety and fears. Making sure our surroundings are safe, having Go Kits/Stay Kits ready for you, your loved ones & pets. Being aware of the conditions that may be affecting the areas we live in, work in or may be visiting is key to staying prepared. One of the best resources to staying alert is through Wireless Emergency Alerts through California’s Office of Emergency Services also known as Cal OES. Here is the link to that website: http://calalerts.org/signup.html . Knowing as much information as soon as possible is key to being able to respond to these situations.

KCRA Channel 3 did an amazing presentation on Wildfire Preparedness, full on helpful guides and contact information for emergency resources. I would highly recommend watching it if you are able to: https://www.kcra.com/article/wildfire-safety-tips-home-hardening-kits-fire-containment/39843491 . Here are the listing of county resources and tips to stay informed about the areas that are most important to you: https://www.kcra.com/article/northern-california-wildfire-resources-where-to-find-county-evacuation-info-maps-alerts-and-more/39871165 . These are great recommendations and resources to assist with staying safe & being prepared.

North Valley Hills Update

Dena Hernandez, Regional Manager (209) 473-6930

The life cycle of legislation is not a straight line. For instance, what began as a quad of #Access and #Inclusion bills is now a trio co-sponsored by the California State Council on Developmental Disabilities.

We celebrate our victories with this systems change package as it moves through the #legislature and the bills switch houses.

How to connect to SCDD through Social Media

Family Resource Network (FRN) Update

Lisa Culley, Executive Director

Family Resource Network's Toy Lending Library in our Stockton office is open by appointment! Families of children receiving services through Early Start can check out 2 toys and books for 2 weeks. Toys are developmentally appropriate for children 0-3 years old. Please call the FRN office at 209-472-3674 or email to FRNfamilies@frcn.org to reserve a time to visit.