Creating a flexible, person-centered, family-oriented system of supports so people can have full lives.
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The Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) Transformation Update
The DDA Transformation Newsletter | June 28, 2019
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Waiver Amendments #1 2019 Approved
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We are pleased to inform you that the Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved our three
Amendment #1 2019
requests to amend the State of Maryland’s Family Supports, Community Supports and Community Pathways Waivers. Amendment #1 2019 aligns the services scope, requirements, limitations, qualifications, and effective date for the three home and community-based service waiver programs that support individuals with developmental disabilities which goes into effect on July 1, 2019.
Each waiver program approved application includes a transition plan related to the changes or amendments made to the program.
Coordinators of Community Services (CCS) will continue to share information with participants and families about new service opportunities and changes to existing services during their annual person-centered planning process and when new needs arise.
The DDA Regional Office staff are also available to assist individuals, families, CCS, and providers with the Amendment #1 2019 transition process.
If you have any questions or comments on the attached guidance, please send fiscal questions to
[email protected]
and program questions to
[email protected]
with the subject line “Amendment #1 2019 – (insert question subject).” For example “Amendment #1 2019 – Respite Question”.
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State of Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration Statute Announcement
In close collaboration with the DD Coalition, the Developmental Disabilities Administration has been updating the Statute governing the delivery of services to people with developmental disabilities in the State of Maryland. Last reviewed in 1986, these revisions are designed to bring the statute into alignment with the DDA’s transformation. Every effort was made to make them person- and family- friendly. The changes focus on the array of new services and operational functionality reflected in the newly approved waivers.
All constituents impacted by these statutes were represented by their advocates in the DD Coalition which participated in the review and updates incorporated into this draft document. We are now seeking feedback on these changes directly from people in services, advocates, families and providers before bringing them to the legislature for approval. Therefore, we have posted the proposed new statutes
here
,
along with this
summary document
of the major changes. Click
here
to see current statutes.
If you are a person eligible for, or receiving supports, an advocate or a family member, please come to share your recommendations and feedback from 6 to 8 p.m. at any of the town hall sessions below:
Monday, July 8 in the Southern Region
College Park Holiday Inn
10000 Baltimore Ave.
College Park, MD 20740
Tuesday, July 9 in the
Eastern Region
Cambridge Holiday Inn
2715 Ocean Gateway
Cambridge, MD 21613
Wednesday, July 10 in the Western Region
Ramada Plaza
1718 Underpass Way
Hagerstown, MD 21740
Monday, July 15 in the
Central Region
Owen Brown Interfaith Center
7246 Cradlerock Way
Columbia, MD 21045
The provider feedback session will take place on
Thursday, July 11 from 1 to 3 p.m.
, after the DDA Quarterly provider meeting, which is being held in the Theater Arts Building at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) 800 S. Rolling Road, Catonsville, MD 21228.
If you are unable to attend please feel free to send your feedback via email to
[email protected]
. We will welcome your feedback through July 19, 2019.
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The DDA and several Marylanders attended the national
APSE
(
Association of People Supporting Employment First)
conference in St. Louis Missouri this month.
Each year, APSE honors individuals, organizations and employers for their individual and collective contribution to Employment First. During this year’s
APSE
conference, a Maryland individual and a Maryland provider organization received recognition for their contributions to employment for people with developmental disabilities. Staci Jones, DDA's Statewide Career and Employment Services Coordinator was recognized for her Public Policy Leadership and
SEEC
was recognized as a Best Practice-Organization. Congratulations to both and thank you for helping move Maryland forward!
For more information about the awards click on the following link:
Nominations
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Did you know…
You can contact NaToya Mitchell, Statewide Coordinator of Self-Directed Services to share ideas and provide feedback and recommendations through our designated self-directed email address. The email address is
[email protected]
.
We’ve heard you…
We thank all of you who participated in the statewide stakeholder town hall meetings providing insightful recommendations and feedback to further develop a robust self-directed service delivery model framework. As a result, Amendment #2 has been updated to expand Individual and Family Directed Goods and Services. Some of the additional resources will include:
- Fitness memberships
- Fitness items that can be purchased at most retail stores
- Toothbrushes or electric toothbrushes
- Weight loss programs and services other than food
- Dental services recommended by a licensed dentist and not covered by health insurance
- Nutritional consultation and supplements recommended by a licensed professional in the relevant field
- Therapeutic interventions to maintain or improve function, such as art, music, dance, therapeutic swimming, or horseback riding with a recommendation from a licensed professional in the relevant field
Individual and Family-Directed Goods and Services relate to a need or goal identified in the Person-Centered Plan; maintain or increase independence; promote opportunities for community living and inclusion; and are not available under a waiver service or Medicaid State Plan service. Additional information will be provided for the effective date of Amendment #2.
Click the following links for information on the Budget Modification for use of Staff Recruitment and Advertisement Allowance as well as the Self-Direction Interim Plan Annual Update
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Community of Practice Supporting Families - Charting the LifeCourse
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The Supporting Families Community of Practice hosted its 2019 Annual Meeting on June 25 and 26 at the Hussman Institute for Autism in Catonsville. Deputy Secretary, Bernie Simons and the MD CoP Statewide Leadership Team welcomed the National CoP Consultants and the Lewin Evaluation Group to celebrate and review
our work of the last 3 years.
The National Consultants assisted MD in strategic planning to strengthen its structures, Leadership Team and Local CoPs to enhance its work to better support MD families and their family members with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the lifespan. The Lewin Evaluation Group, contracted by the Administration on Community Living (ACL) to evaluate the activities of the National CoP, asked to observe and learn about the unique work we’ve done.
The MD CoP for Supporting Families looks forward to sharing its plans and strategies to enhance the lives of families and their family members in the upcoming year.
Stay tuned…
To learn more, please contact Mary Anne Kane Breschi by calling (410) 767-8880 or by email at
[email protected]
.
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Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS)
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The DDA continues to work aggressively on the development of additional LTSS (Long Term Services and Support System ) functionality to further the long-term goals of creating a more flexible, person-centered, and family-oriented system of supports so that people can lead full lives. We wanted to provide a quick update on the roll-out of this important functionality.
July 2019 - New Waivers and Detailed Service Planning Functionality
The next major release of the LTSS system will include functionality for the DDA’s Community Supports and Family Supports waivers which are currently managed outside of the system. It will also include detailed service planning tools and authorization functionality necessary to support the provision of new services authorized in the waivers and the coming transition of the provider payment system. This release has been delayed slightly, but is planned for late July (7/22) and all Coordinators of Community Services (CCSs) are being trained on how to use this new functionality. Starting in late July, all individuals will begin having services planned using this functionality.
December 2019 - DDA Provider Billing Pilot
To help minimize risk associated with service billing through LTSS, the DDA is planning to conduct a limited pilot beginning in December. While the pilot will use full billing functionality in LTSS, it will be limited to a small subset of providers and individuals receiving DDA services. The pilot will begin in December and run through July 2020. Additional information will be provided directly to providers and individuals who will be participating in the pilot.
February 2020 - Electronic Acceptance of Service by Providers
To reduce service authorization errors and speed the process of revising plans as needs change, DDA providers will be able to electronically accept services and review plan authorizations in LTSS beginning in February 2020. In advance of this functionality going live, DDA providers will be training on how to use the LTSS provider portal.
July 2020 - Provider Billing and Payment through LTSS
Beginning in July 2020, DDA providers will bill for all services through functionality in LTSS and will receive payment for services rendered under the new rates and payment process. As part of this effort, DDA continues to work with a small group of providers to discuss the functionality and help to ensure that it is as user friendly as possible for all providers.
Below is a high-level overview of the DDA LTSS release timeline for the next 18 months. We will continue to provide updates as we approach each of the major milestones in this schedule.
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Maryland's electronic Provider Revalidation and Enrollment Portal (ePREP)
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The DDA and Medicaid will be hosting a webinar for service providers to ask specific questions related to ePREP provider application process. We will clarify DDA's and Medicaid's roles related to the review process, communication, site visit, approval and next steps.
Time is critical in getting your base application Medical Assistance (MA) number and specific site registered within ePREP, within 2 weeks of receiving your Base MA number.
The webinar is for DDA certified, licensed providers only, as Coordinators of Community Service (CCS) agencies will not be included for this session.
Please click on the links below to download the DDA Memo, which contains information you will need prior to logging into the webinar, as well as any contact information for questions and help.
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DDA Webinar Educational Series will Resume after the Summer. Stay Tuned...
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In September, the DDA will resume conducting weekly webinars to inform and educate all stakeholders related to DDA's service delivery system. Webinars will include an overview of the topic with opportunities for questions and answers specific to the presentation topic.
All stakeholders (people in services, self-advocates, families, providers, advocacy organization, state staff, etc.) are encouraged to participate to be informed of current standards and practices.
We want to hear from you on the training topics you think would be of interest to you during the Fall series. Please email
[email protected]
with your feedback and recommendations by August 16.
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The DDA is looking for qualified providers to support children and adults in the DDA waiver programs. This is a great opportunity to support children, adult and their families who need DDA supports. Providers who are interested should review the provider requirements, available
here
, and submit an
application
as directed.
If you are an individual or family seeking services but are unable to find a provider to meet your needs, please contact your regional office.
If you are a provider who is currently certified or licensed and seeking to expand your services to new people, please contact your regional office.
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STAY CONNECTED TO DDA THROUGH FACEBOOK
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Maryland Department of Health
201 W. Preston St. | Baltimore MD, 21201
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The Maryland Department of Health promotes the health and safety of all Marylanders through disease prevention, access to care, quality management, and community engagement. The state of Maryland pledges to provide constituents, businesses, customers, and stakeholders with quality customer service.
Take our Customer Satisfaction Survey.
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