March 9, 2022
The Office of Community Living (OCL) within the Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (Department) has the following information below:

Announcement:

  • Members Needed to Join the Community First Choice Council

Memo:

  • Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Rate Increase Continuation

Meetings:

  • Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) General Stakeholder Meeting

  • Human Rights Committee (HRC) Stakeholder Engagement Meeting

  • Nursing Facility Advisory Council (NFAC)

  • Webinar for the Disability, Older Adult, & Advocacy Communities - Topic: OCL Updates

  • EVV Listening Session

  • Updates & Technical Assistance Webinar for LTSS Providers - Topic: OCL Updates

  • Direct Care Workforce Compensation & Benefits Action Group
Announcement

Members Needed to Join the Community First Choice Council

The Department needs your help to develop and launch the Community First Choice Option (CFC). CFC is a national health care program that will support Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) members with disabilities to be more independent and live in their community by providing expanded access to home and community-based services.

Please consider applying for the CFC Council, which will be a diverse group of individuals with disabilities, adults 65 and older, or their representatives. The CFC Council will help design and start CFC through regularly scheduled CFC Council meetings, recommendations to the Department, and participation in policy discussions on CFC and its potential effects.

CFC Council meetings will be held via webinar and call-in using Google Meet. The main Council meeting will be held on the first Wednesday of each month, and will likely have opportunities to participate in smaller ad hoc workgroups. The monthly time commitment is estimated to be about five hours with the design and launch work of the Council estimated to last one year.

The Department is dedicated to the full inclusion and diversity of our members, which includes race, color, ethnic or national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, creed, political beliefs, and disability. We encourage all interested Health First Colorado members and stakeholders to apply, especially:

  • People with disabilities, their parents, people 65 and older, or their representatives

  • Rural, frontier, and urban disability community members

  • Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC)

  • Those familiar with home and community-based services

  • Those familiar with consumer-directed services

  • Those familiar with the experiences of people with disabilities or older adults

The Department is accepting applications for ten CFC council positions. Applicants may submit the CFC Council Member Application Form or contact Jordan Larson, CFC Policy Advisor, at 303-866-3580.

Please help us spread the word by sharing this flyer in English or this flyer in Spanish within your organization or networks.

Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 1, 2022.

Stay up to date with CFC! Please sign up for the CFC Updates Email List or you can email us.
Memo

Please find a new memo listed below. This memo is also on the Department's 2022 Memo Series Communication webpage. Viewing the Memo Series webpage will show other memos of interest.
Meetings

Please find meeting announcements listed below. Other meeting information is on the OCL Stakeholder Engagement webpage.

EVV General Stakeholder Meeting
 
The purpose of this meeting is to engage providers, members, and all other stakeholders as the Department works to implement the EVV program.

All interested stakeholders and all EVV stakeholders are welcome.

For more information, see the EVV Stakeholder Workgroup webpage.

The next meeting will be held:
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
10:30 - 11:30 a.m. MT
 
Join by Zoom:
Meeting ID: 976 3310 3112, Passcode: 042323

Join by Phone:
(Toll-free) 1-833-548-0276, Passcode: 042323

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HRC Stakeholder Engagement Meeting
 
The Department is conducting stakeholder engagement meetings to review processes for the Human Rights Committee (HRC) and make recommendations for possible expansion of the HRC. The HRC meeting on March 15 will be directed mainly towards members and guardians.

The meeting will be held:
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
12:30 - 2 p.m. MT
 
Join by Zoom:
Meeting ID: 811 9849 3243, Passcode: 440403

Join by Phone:
(Toll-free) 1-877-853-5257

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NFAC
 
The Nursing Facility Advisory Council (NFAC) focuses on Medicaid-related developments related to Nursing Facility reimbursement and benefits. This includes, but is not limited to, procedural reviews, benefit interactions, policy clarifications, and cyclical business operations.

The NFAC meets on the third Wednesday of the month. All interested stakeholders are welcome.

The next meeting will be held:
Wednesday, March 16, 2022
3 - 4:30 p.m. MT
 
Join by Google Meet:

Join by Phone:
1-315-992-6052, PIN: ‪258 504 157 #

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Webinar for the Disability, Older Adult, & Advocacy Communities
Topic: OCL Updates

An update for members, family members, and advocates on key projects within the OCL. Interested stakeholders include advocates, caregivers, families, long-term services and supports (LTSS) stakeholders, members, older adult stakeholders.

Webinar documents will be posted on the OCL webinar page.

The next meeting will be held:
Thursday, March 17, 2022
9:30 - 10:30 a.m. MT
 
Join by Zoom:
Meeting ID: 993 1700 7314, Passcode: 396389

Join by Phone:
(Toll-free) 1-877-853-5257
Passcode: 396389

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EVV Listening Session
 
Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) listening sessions are bi-monthly informal opportunities for stakeholders to bring questions to the Department about EVV implementation. No new policy or technical processes will be announced in these listening sessions. New information will be discussed in the general stakeholder meeting and published on the EVV Stakeholder Workgroup webpage.

Please email EVV@state.co.us to have a calendar invitation sent for this ongoing session.

For more information, see the EVV Stakeholder Workgroup webpage.

The next sessions will be held:
Thursday, March 17, 2022
11 a.m. - 12 p.m. MT

Join by Google Meet:

Join by Phone:
1-208-715-5308, PIN: ‪438 295 119 #

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Updates & Technical Assistance Webinar for LTSS Providers
Topic: OCL Updates

An update for LTSS providers about key projects within the Office of Community Living and responses to recent frequently asked questions. Audience includes case management agencies (CMAs), community centered boards (CCBs), HCBS providers, nursing facilities, providers, and single entry point (SEP) agencies.

Webinar documents will be posted on the OCL webinar page.

The next meeting will be held:
Thursday, March 17, 2022
3:30-4:30 p.m. MT

Join by Zoom:
Meeting ID: 993 1700 7314, Passcode: 396389

Join by Phone:
(Toll-free) 1-877-853-5257
Passcode: 396389

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Direct Care Workforce Compensation & Benefits Action Group

Supporting the Direct Care Workforce Collaborative, this combined Action Group meeting brings stakeholders together to develop solutions that recognize the diverse needs of this workforce. All interested stakeholders are welcome.

For more information, please see the Direct Care Workforce Collaborative webpage.

The next meeting will be held:
Friday, March 18, 2022
1-2 p.m. MT

Join by Zoom:
Meeting ID: 993 1700 7314, Passcode: 396389

Join by Phone:
(Toll-free) 1-877-853-5257
Passcode: 396389

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Reasonable accommodations will be provided upon request for persons with disabilities. Auxiliary aids and services for individuals with disabilities and language services for individuals whose first language is not English may be provided upon request. Please notify John Barry at 303-866-3173 or John.R.Barry@state.co.us or the 504/ADA Coordinator at hcpf504ada@state.co.us at least one week prior to the meeting to make arrangements.
Have you signed up yet for the *New* Community First Choice (CFC) Newsletter? It's where you will find all the latest updates on project news, stakeholder engagement, and more! Stay up to date with CFC by signing up for the CFC updates Email List. For more information visit the CFC Webpage or email us.
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