DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES
DIVISION OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES SERVICES
GOVERNOR’S ADVISORY COUNCIL TO THE DIVISION OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES SERVICES
March 20, 2012
A meeting of the Governor’s Advisory Council to the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services was held on March 20, 2012 at 1056 Woodbrook Conference Room, Dover.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT:Timothy F. Brooks, Ed.D.
Anthony Horstman
Thomas Rust
Angela Sipple
Robert Spengler
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT:Ernestine Brittingham
STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:Roy Lafontaine
Warren Ellis
Barbara Ross, Recording
GUESTS PRESENT:Vicki Haschak
CALL TO ORDERThe meeting was called to order at 1:01p.m.
NEXT MEETINGApril 17, 2012, 1056 Woodbrook Conference Room, Dover
APPROVAL OF MINUTESFollowing changes the minutes stand approved.
Advisory Council Chair
Tim reported he discussed the Council Chair with Angie and she was not interested in being the Chair at this time. Tim said he will take over the Chair from Tony, but that anybody who wishes to be Chair, at any time, just let him know and we will work out a favorable accommodation.
Roy asked if the entire Council members have joined the List Serve System. Two members have not and were given the form to join. Tim thinks it is great.
Additions to the Agenda
(1)Expansion of the Authorized Provider system
(2)Advanced mailings of pertinent information
Budget
Tim noted the article in the newspaper today said that DEFAC came in a little bit low, 1% down.
Valerie stated that regarding the FY 2013 budget, there is no new information to report. The FY 2012 budget is on target. Tony asked when we anticipatethe JFC mark up of the FY 2013 budget will be. Valerie said it is usually after Easter. Tony asked what happens if you have additional funds, and Valerie said we work with the Executive Staff to make sure all appropriations are expended. We do ask people internally and externally throughout the year if they have needs. Tony asked can any money be used for the equalization of the ICAP program. DDDS has attempted to do this in the past with no success.
Tim asked how everyone thought JFC went. Roy said he thinks that JFC went very well for us, and that Jane was very well received. JFC members did not have many questions.
Tim asked if there is any sense that there is going be to movement in the 1%. It is thought that it will hold at 1% (this includes the day and residential providers and also shared living providers). Roy said we have asked for very clear direction on how that is to be done in the contracts.
Pact Accounts
Pact stands for patient and client tracking.
Tim said his son has an account with his Case Manager, has another account that is his own, theoretically, that sits with the provider. Money from Social Security for him also gets distributed in his account. DDDS pays the provider directly for room and board. His son receives a stipend each monthfor his needs. Tim asked whywe have two accounts set up when DDDS monitors both accounts. Valerie said by law we have to make sure that the room and board comes out of SS or SSI account. The Division serves as the representative payee for individuals in community based programs. We are required by law as representative to segregate all the funds that come in on behalf of beneficiaries. That is the reason we established a pact account system. For SSI individuals, all the money that comes in goes out. For people receiving SS only, there is a residual amount some times (patient pay collect). They should be getting more as a result of their parents work record. Whenthe State started having budget issues, the Division was given approvalto go ahead and start collecting those funds (patient pay collect). Valerie said we are behind on collecting residual funds, and are in the process of getting patient pay collect notices from Medicaid.
JFC Budget Hearings
Tim shared a copy of his presentation representing the Advisory Council at the JFC budget hearings in which he thanked the Governor and Secretary Landgraf for their support, talked about Family Support Services, Respite Care, and Dental Care.
Community Services
Warren reported DDDS received funding for 75 placements, and there are five remaining for the end of this fiscal year. Because of the amount of funding we received, Warren said we were able to serve a few people in the High Risk Category. One of the impacts that has begun to happen is the increasing amount of people who are going through the ICT process where we are now picking up residential. We have also had to place a few people residentially, where we are also picking up the educational component. The kids are getting younger and younger and the parents are saying they want them placed. The Council asked to have a report at the next meeting where the 70 placements are being served.
Warren said that there is a lot of activity on training case managers on Therap and ELPs. We have had a couple of state wide meetings. We have introduced two revised components and are making sure our staff knows what they are.
Tony said, as you know, he was one of the first to get into Therap and he is now unable to get in. Warren said there was a change last summer. Because Therap is going to have all the information, it was suggested the Division have training to educate parents and guardians. Roy said there is a caveat that Therap may not be the system that we will be ultimately using. We need to bid the Therap system.
Warren said the other thing that has been going on is the whole authorized provider process for clinical services. That is moving forward. Warren was meeting with B.A.’s on how to set that up, how it will work, and how many hours re: screenings etc. Nurses will be a simple process because there is less fluctuation for the level of service. People who are receivingpsychotropic medications are eligible for B.A. services. Individuals willbe able to choose the agency, B.As. and nurses. What is driving these changes in services is CMS Medicaid. The biggest challenge for DDDS is getting services for families.
Governor’s Advisory Council Membership
Tony asked what is the status of Tina Brittingham, Council member, and Jami Doame, a recommendation for Council membership. Roy said there is nothing to report at this time and he will follow up with Lydia Pregg.
Communication Committee
Roy wanted to alert everyone to the fact that we have an internal Communication Committee. It is small and we want to keep it that way for the time being because we are trying to do a comprehensive assessment of the entire system where, what, and why we communicate within the Division in an effort as to where we need to focus, where we need to improve. Roy said the Department had a Communications Committee meeting and there is another system that some of the other Divisions are using with regard to soliciting which seems to be pretty effective. We might look into that system. We are going to try to be more effective in communicating. We need to make sure we have a system of current contact information. The two primary systems we use are the Client Registry and Therap. It has always been a challenge for case managers to keep the Registry information current.
Quality Council
Jane has discontinued the Quality Council.
Advanced Mailings of Pertinent Information
Bob asked to have advance mailing of pertinent information that will be discussed at the next Advisory Council meeting. This will give the members a chance to review the information and if they have questions, they will be able to discuss at the next meeting.
Tim asked that an email be sent out a week to ten days before the next meeting to ask each member if they have any agenda items.
Announcements and Informational Items
- Angie asked do we have cameras in the residential homes. Roy answered no. It is primarily a privacy issue.
- Tim asked if anyone has done an evaluation of DART. Tony said at the State Council meeting Paratransit came up. During the budget hearing or the bond bill discussions a suggestion was made that DART Paratransit be transferred from DOT to DHSS and that was turned down.
- A future agenda item for the next Council meeting – Sheltered Workshops, employment and regular employment.
The meeting adjourned at 2:57 p.m.
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