NYSACRA

NYSACRA Receives NYS Dept. of Health
Workforce Retraining Grant

Earlier this week, Commissioner of Health, Dr. Antonia Novello, informed NYSACRA that our Workforce Retraining Grant proposal that was submitted last year has been awarded funding of $516,538. This grant will fund Upstate New York agencies in the Direct Care Generalist Certificate Program. This program has previously been funded in the New York City Region and implemented by CUNY’s John F. Kennedy Jr. Institute for Worker Education, where many employees of NYSACRA member agencies have benefited from the grant that affords college tuition, books and proficiency in the Community Support Skill Standards. NYSACRA will be working closely with upstate Community Colleges, SUNY and the JFK Jr. Institute and will be providing our members with more information as soon as we meet with representatives from the Department of Health.

New Threshold Figures Out

 As a follow up to last week’s News & Views, please see faxed 2-page memo for OMR’s new Threshold Figures for each region or read the pdf version at http://www.nysacra.org/nysacra/thresholds2003.pdf. (80kb)

GAO Report o­n Medicaid HCBS Waivers: Federal Oversight Should Be Strengthened

The Government Accounting Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, was asked to review (1) trends in states' use of Medicaid home and community-based service (HCBS) waivers, particularly for the elderly, (2) state quality assurance approaches, including available data o­n the quality of care provided to elderly individuals through waivers, and (3) the adequacy of federal oversight of state waivers.  GAO is recommending that the Administrator of CMS take steps to (1) better ensure that state quality assurance efforts are adequate to protect the health and welfare of HCBS waiver beneficiaries, and (2) strengthen federal oversight of the growing HCBS waiver programs. Visit  http://www.nysacra.org/index.php for the full story and link to report.  Report: PDF , HIGHLIGHTS , TEXT

Governor Vetoes IBR Study Bill

The Governor vetoed Senate Bill, S. 5520, which would have created a commission to investigate the future of the Institute for Basic Research (IBR). Objecting to the low number of his appointees o­n the proposed Commission, he instead issued an Executive Order to study the future of IBR.

Organized HealthCare Delivery System
Gets New Name

OMRDD’s newly formed Organized Health Care Delivery System is picking up steam and with it is a suggested name change to New York Options for People Through Services or NYS-OPTS.  The various committees continue to meet to discuss and shape this new system.

Bush renamed The President’s Committee o­n
Mental Retardation

On July 25, President George W. Bush issued Executive Order #12994 to change the name of the President's Committee o­n Mental Retardation (PCMR) to the “President's Committee o­n Intellectual Disabilities”.  The name change coincides with the release of a study by the President's New Freedom Commission o­n Mental Health (Commission) revealing that the nation's mental health care system is beyond simple repair. The PCMR, founded in 1966, acts in an advisory capacity to the President and the Secretary of Health and Human Services o­n matters relating to programs and services for persons with mental retardation.

 Curtain Call for Potential Unlimited?

Due to budgetary constraints, Potential Unlimited Incorporated will perform what is possibly there last performance ever tomorrow, Saturday, August 9, 2003, at the Rensselaerville Institute’s Guggenheim Pavilion, from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm.  Call 854-473-3752 for information.

MiCASSA Rally: FREE OUR PEOPLE!

September 17, 2003 is the FREE OUR PEOPLE Rally at 1:00 pm in Upper Senate Park in Washington DC.  Thousands of advocates from across the nation will be at this historic event to show support for the Medicaid Community-Based Services and Supports Act (MiCASSA).

Reminder: Please Fax Us Your
Agency Information Forms!

We are in the process of updating our next Membership Directory and for those of you who have not yet done so, we would appreciate your prompt return of the Agency Information Form that we had sent you last month. This information is important for communication purposes and to note any changes in addresses, phone numbers and personnel. If you need another copy, please call the NYSACRA offices and we’ll be happy to send you a new o­ne.