Interim Guidance for Childcare, Day Camp and Overnight Camp Programs
ICF Supplemental Payments Effective March 18, 2020
The Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) announced a supplemental payment for Intermediate Care Facility (ICF) providers. The supplemental payment addresses people who are unable to participate in Day Treatment or ICF Day services provided by a different agency due to program closure due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The payment is retroactive to March 18, 2020. The interim guidance memo details the billing and services documentation standards as well as the billing identifiers used when accessing the supplemental payment.
OPWDD will be hosting a webinar on this topic and we will share the date and registration information as it becomes available.
CQL Study on COVID-19 Impact on Quality of Life
The Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL) conducted a study on the impact of COVID-19 on the quality of life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The study relies on data from over 2,000 Personal Outcome Measure (POM) interviews between 2018 and 2020. The study also references the reports published by Syracuse University that relied on The Arc New York COVID-19 data.
The CQL report draws attention to the funding cuts, closure of programs, and the escalating staffing crisis as influencing factors on decreased quality of life. This study offers bit of a different perspective than previous studies, as those have focused almost exclusively on health measures.
Article on Disparities in COVID-19 Experience
Georgetown University published an article on the impact of COVID-19 on low-income communities, specifically the impact on racial and ethnic groups in the District of Columbia. The article emphasizes the importance of collecting, analyzing, and reporting data that includes race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and other cultural factors.
The article also reinforces the importance of looking to qualitative data to better understand the experience of people, particularly when understanding their need during a public health crisis.
NYC Schools to Return to In-Person Learning
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday that the City's schools will fully resume in-person schooling in September, with no remote option. Asked about this announcement, Gov. Andrew Cuomo indicated that but based on the current trajectory, he anticipates schools will open statewide in September. Coverage of these announcements can be found in The New York Times, New York Post and other outlets.
Vaccine Incentive Program Announced
On May 20, the Governor announced a new "Vax & Scratch" program that will provide a lottery ticket to all New Yorkers who receive the COVID vaccine between May 24-28 at 10 specified sites across the state. The ticket provider a 1-in-9 chance of winning a prize, and the grand prize is $5,000,000. Additionally, many airports across the state will begin offering vaccines so that travelers can conveniently receive the vaccine.
