Care Planning and Service Options
The Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) issued a memorandum on August 2 outlining requirements for person-centered planning for individuals post-pandemic. All parties are required to engage in Life Plan updates between 7/1/21 and 6 months of the end of the public health emergency to ensure informed choices regarding new or different services are made in a timely and thorough manner.
New SSA Guidance Documents
The Social Security Administration (SSA) issued two new guidance documents, which reflect advocacy efforts by The Arc US. The policies require that all stimulus checks and unemployment insurance payments (as well as other COVID-related relief) are not to be counted as assets or resources for SSI. The Arc US developed a fact sheet summarizing these new policies, and the full guidance documents can be found below.