NYSACRA

September 28, 2005: Part VIII

NYS OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE THROUGH SERVICES update as of September 28, 2005 NYS OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE THROUGH SERVICES September 28, 2005 News from the OPTS Administration Unit (#9-2005) 1. OPTS Questions 2. Proposal Status Report as of 9/23/05 3. Person-Centered Planning, the basis for Service Options under NYS-OPTS 4. Start-Up Funding Under NYS-OPTS 5. Technical Assistance – Documentation Review 6. NYS-OPTS Referral List of Non-profit Providers 7. Additional Brief Descriptions of Approved Proposals 8. DDSO OPTS Liaison Contacts 9. Information Sharing 10. Why You May Receive Multiple Copies of this Message 1. OPTS Questions The phone number for the OPTS Admin Unit is (518) 408-2744. E-mail addresses are: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it OPTS questions can be sent via e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Questions of general interest will be included in a “Frequently Asked Questions” listing being compiled. OPTS proposals must be submitted electronically through the OMRDD Secure Message Center to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Information on the NYS OPTS Initiative is available through the OMRDD Home Page: www.omr.state.ny.us Select button for - Information for Providers Select link for – Options for People Through Services New staff: This month we welcomed Cheryl Stoll to the OPTS Administration Unit. 2. Proposal Status Report as of September 23, 2005 Proposals Received 179 Proposals Complete 160 a Health Checks Complete 147 b Consumer Verifications Complete 121 c Team Review Meetings Held/Scheduled 122 d Awaiting Scheduling of Team Review Meeting 1 Proposals Approved 44 Implemented 18e Number of Proposals “On Hold” 25 f Number of Proposals “Not OPTS” 21 g a – Contact telephone numbers required as part of the OPTS Application. View the OPTS Application, including the Budget and Roster (Microsoft Excel document) through the OMRDD Home Page (specifics given in #1 above). b – Two proposals have been unsuccessful in completing the Health Check. c – Several proposals have “completed” the consumer verification step, but have been put “on hold” due to insufficient participation by the consumers, families and/or advocates. Five proposals have been unsuccessful in completing the Consumer Verification but are expected to proceed once participation by the consumers, families and/or advocates is demonstrated. d – Several proposals have been reviewed twice, the initial review and then upon receipt of supplemental information from the not-for-profit provider. e – Payments continue to be processed on a monthly basis under the Interim Payment Process. f – A non-profit provider may be asked to prioritize their proposals when they have multiple proposals submitted, this category includes proposals non-profit providers designate as a low priority. g – Proposals determined “Not OPTS” are either services OMRDD is not authorized to provide, have already been approved for implementation outside of OPTS, or the non-profit provider has withdrawn. 3. Person-Centered Planning, the basis for Service Options under NYS-OPTS Three of the NYS-OPTS Guiding Principles address maximizing opportunities for individual choice through person-centered planning, increased independence and inclusion, and enhanced flexibility within the service system. Program models that prescribe that each individual receive the same package of services usually limit the opportunities for choice and have minimal flexibility. Although the list of OPTS Service Types shown on the NYS-OPTS Budget includes ICF/DD and Day Treatment, OMRDD encourages non-profit providers to pursue service options which offer flexibility and person-centered planning. NYS-OPTS promotes individual and family participation in the development of the services to be provided, and one of the OPTS proposal review steps seeks to verify the participation and/or support of the proposed participants, their families, or advocates, in the development of the proposal. If requested, OMRDD will assist a non-profit provider in reviewing alternative service options which adhere to the NYS-OPTS Guiding Principles. 4. Start-Up Funding Under NYS-OPTS The OPTS spreadsheet submitted with each OPTS Application is intended to capture the estimated annual first year operating budget for a program. When changes from year to year are planned as part of the proposal, such as increase in the number of participants served, estimated budgets for subsequent years are informative during the proposal review. This type of explanation, as well as justification for the operating budget should be provided in the OPTS Application Program Narrative. Capital costs, that are usually approved for reimbursement through the Prior Property Approval (PPA) process are excluded from the OPTS spreadsheet. Non-PPA property costs, such as those associated with purely administrative functions, are properly included on the OPTS Budget spreadsheet in the administrative category. The OPTS Application Program Narrative section where justification for the proposed budget is explained should also include information on the Capital costs anticipated for implementation of the proposal. The section of the Program Narrative which describes “where the service(s) will be provided” should not only identify location, or area, but include the resources necessary to make the building, or space, available for services to be provided. Start-Up costs are not part of the estimated operating budget. If Start-Up costs are needed to implement a proposal, these should also be identified in the OPTS Application Program Narrative in the “justification for the proposed budget” section. The Start-Up costs included on the NYS OPTS – Funding Level Calculation Sheet (Attachment B to the OPTS Agreement) for first year pilot reimbursement will be based on an OMRDD determined “placeholder” value, and will only be included if OMRDD determines the OPTS pilot involves delivery of new services that qualify for Start-Up costs. The “placeholder” value in the initial NYS-OPTS – Funding Level Calculation Sheet will be revised by OMRDD after the non-profit provider has submitted cost documentation for verification and reasonableness review. If a non-profit providers needs to finance Start-Up costs, the financing should be limited to one year since OMRDD’s reimbursement will be over one year. As is the current practice, Start-Up costs will be included in the PPA if a PPA is required as a condition of NYS-OPTS contract approval. The non-profit provider should identify Start-Up cost needs in the Program Narrative “justification for the proposed budget.” If Start-Up costs are identified, but no PPA is required to be processed at the time of contract approval, the non-profit provider should still identify Start-Up cost needs in the Program Narrative “justification for the proposed budget” and indicate that no PPA is required to implement the pilot. This is necessary so OMRDD’s Rate Setting Unit will incorporate the Start-Up “placeholder” in the NYS-OPTS – Funding Level Calculation Sheet. 5. Technical Assistance – Documentation Review For each OPTS Pilot approved for implementation, a conference call with the non-profit provider is held to review the Service Documentation Requirements that are part of the Appendix B of the OPTS Agreement required to be executed with OMRDD. The Appendix B includes information on the update(s) needed to the Individualized Service Plan (ISP), or comparable document, and Habilitation Plan, when applicable, for individuals who will participate in the OPTS Pilot. The checklist and summary note, if applicable, are also discussed. The checklist and summary note must be in the format provided in the Appendix B unless the non-profit provider has obtained specific approval from OMRDD’s Training and Medicaid Standards Unit to use an alternative format. After the non-profit provider has received payment for the first month of services under the OPTS Agreement, OMRDD’s Training and Medicaid Standards Unit will request the non-profit provider to submit samples of ISPs, Habilitation Plans, checklists and summary notes for a Technical Assistance Review. The purpose of this Review is to insure that the non-profit provider is in compliance with Appendix B of the OPTS Agreement. The non-profit provider will be given a written report on any findings identified during the Technical Assistance Review, and the non-profit provider is expected to insure that subsequent documentation is in compliance with Appendix B of the OPTS Agreement. OMRDD’s Waiver Management Bureau assists in the review of the sample documentation. Annually, OMRDD’s Training and Medicaid Standards Unit will conduct sampling audits of ISPs, Habilitation Plans, checklists and summary notes to insure that documentation of service delivery continues to be in compliance with Appendix B of the OPTS Agreement. OMRDD’s Waiver Management Bureau will also assist in the annual audit review of documentation. 6. NYS-OPTS Referral List of Non-profit Providers In August 2005, Commissioner Maul invited non-profit providers who were willing to assist families and individuals with disabilities with the development of an OPTS Proposals to submit an Application to be included on a Referral List. We intend to have the Referral List available through the OMRDD website, but in the interim, each DDSO Director and DDSO OPTS Liaison has been provided with a list of the non-profit providers who submitted an Application through August 30, 2005. Families or individuals who are looking for a non-profit provider to work with to develop an OPTS Proposal can contact their local DDSO for a referral. 7. Brief Description of Approved Proposals OPTS #124 to serve 14 Individuals Target Implementation – November 2005 OPTS Service Type(s) = Supervised IRA Residential Habilitation Target Implementation Date = November 2005 - An existing home for 14 individuals will be downsized to serve only 6 with the development of two new homes, each to serve four individuals. “Rightsizing” the existing home will allow the agency to provide more personalized services in the areas of finance, self-care, communication and housekeeping. Individuals will also be able to pursue their interests in developing skills for independent living, while providing more opportunities for social activities of each individual’s choice. OPTS #121 to serve 5 Individuals Target Implementation – TO BE DETERMINED OPTS Service(s) – Supervised IRA Residential Habilitation and Blended Day Habilitation and Prevocational Services (Blended DP) - A new home to serve five individuals will be developed, opening opportunities in the residences where the individuals currently live. The five individuals are acquainted and have chosen to live together in a small intimate home environment. While they share several areas of common interests, each intends to pursue interests of their own. Increased independence is a strong desire of each proposed participant, with a long term goal toward employment. OPTS #28 to serve 25 Individuals Target Implementation – December 2005 OPTS Service(s) – Group Day Habilitation - An identified group of individuals expressed the desire to reduce the time they spend in workshop activities. They wanted the opportunity for more time to relax, to involve themselves in the local community but they also still wanted the opportunity for earning some income. This pilot will offer the individuals the opportunity for the relaxation and involvement in community activities they wish. Separate from the OPTS pilot, the individuals will be able to continue their activities in the workshop so they still have some income that is valued by them. OPTS #36 to serve 17 Individuals Target Implementation – TO BE DETERMINED OPTS Service(s) – Group Day Habilitation - This pilot has been developed for individuals who struggle in their existing day services due a diagnosis of mental illness and a developmental disability. These individuals seek the opportunity to learn skills that assist them in anger management, social functioning and maintaining good health. The goal of the individuals is to learn the skills they need so they can return to the productive activities that they wish in life. OPTS #70 to serve up to 4 Individuals at a time Target Implementation – TO BE DETERMINED OPTS Service(s) – Free-Standing Respite - The number of individuals identified to be served by this pilot is misleading because it represents the number of individuals the provider will be able to serve at any given time in the Free-Standing Respite center to be developed. Input from some families was part of the development of this proposal, but since the pilot will serve more families than those involved in the development, this proposal require specific support from the local district to confirm that an unmet need for respite services existing and the local district was confident the provider would be willing to serve individuals recommended to them for serve if they had openings available in the respite center. OPTS #123 to serve 21 Individuals Target Implementation – October 2005 OPTS Service(s) – Supervised IRA Residential Habilitation, At-Home Residential Habilitation and General Developmental Disability Monthly Service (Room and Board) - An existing Community Residence will be downsized and converted to an Individualized Residential Alternative (IRA) at the same time an existing IRA will also be downsized. A new IRA will open to serve all but one of the individuals leaving the two existing homes. One individual will leave the existing IRA to move into her own apartment. Through this pilot the individuals will have the opportunity to remain independent, have greater privacy, more personalized assistance and a more family-like home environment. OPTS #72 to serve 20 Individuals Target Implementation – TO BE DETERMINED OPTS Service(s) – At-Home Residential Habilitation and Supplemental Day Habilitation - The Young Adult Transition Housing Program will provide a Supplemental Day Habilitation and At Home Residential Habilitation program for twenty young adults who are experiencing living alone for the first time. The provider will develop program that includes both group and individual activities that focus on inclusion, choice, independence and full participation in their neighborhood. Intense supports will be provided and then fade away as skills and confidence to live independently increases. All individuals will live in the same apartment complex. OPTS #134 to serve 20 Individuals Target Implementation – TO BE DETERMINED OPTS Service(s) – Supplemental Day Habilitation - An after school program that will offer the students increased opportunities for socialization and remedial assistance coordinated with the student’s school plan. Community activities will be in small groups, offer the students the opportunity to interact with cashiers and to choose the activities of their own interests. Through socialization with the other students, learning to share and how to make friends, are objectives of the pilot. OPTS #139 to serve 11 Individuals Target Implementation – November 2005 OPTS Service(s) – Supervised IRA Residential Habilitation - An existing Community Residence will be converted to an IRA and the capacity of the home will be reduced by opening a four (4) person IRA. This will be accomplished in two phases; Phase I will convert the CR to an IRA during the fall of 2005 and Phase II will develop and open the new four person home IRA in the summer of 2006. The new home will be handicapped assessable to accommodate the individuals with ambulation difficulties. For those individuals who remain in the existing home, they will be able to enjoy life in a less hectic environment, with reduced noise and activity. OPTS #32 to serve 10 Individuals Target Implementation – TO BE DETERMINED OPTS Service(s) – Supervised IRA Residential Habilitation - An existing 10 person home will be downsized to five through the development of a new five person home. For a number of years the individuals in the home have sought single bedrooms which resulted in modifications to the existing home and resulted in the loss of shared living space. A group of the individuals have chosen to reside in another home which will allow for reconfiguration of the existing home so more shared living space is once again available. Living in homes with fewer individuals will provide each individual with the opportunity to participate in the activities of interest to them. OPTS #96 to serve 20 Individuals Target Implementation – TO BE DETERMINED OPTS Service(s) – Supervised IRA Residential Habilitation, Hourly Respite and At-Home Residential Habilitation - A five person home will be developed through this pilot that will also include a temporary use bed to be used for respite services. Additionally, 15 individuals will receive services in their homes. All twenty individuals are adolescents who have behavior management needs. Each youth will have home, community and school objectives they will be working towards. For the individuals who continue to reside with family, the respite opportunity at the IRA will be available to the caregiver. OPTS #84 – to serve over 80 Individuals Target Implementation – TO BE DETERMINED OPTS Service(s) - Group Day Habilitation, Supplemental Day Habilitation, Prevocational Services and Blended Day Habilitation and Prevocational Services (Blended DP) - This pilot provides a unique opportunity to provide habilitation and vocational training during the day, evenings and weekends. Participants will attend at different times throughout the week and will experience activities such as animal care, horticulture, cooking, riding lessons, educational nature trails, and fishing. Individuals will have the opportunity to provide pet therapy to other by taking the animals to community locations and sharing their knowledge of care. Individuals will also have the opportunity to interact with people who come for riding lessons and to enjoy the nature trails. 8. DDSO OPTS Liaison Contacts Bernard Fineson - Ronald Kassover (718) 217-5894 Bernard Fineson - Sheila Green-Gholson (718) 217-6117 Bernard Fineson – Carolyn Adams (718) 217-5596 Brooklyn – Michael Gilbert (718) 642-8546 Brooklyn - Donna Limiti (718) 642-8584 Brooklyn – Janet Strauss (718) 642-8629 Broome - Sandra Beach (607) 770-0248 Broome – Kathleen Schyndler (607) 770-0232 Capital District - Donald Going (518) 370-7443 Central New York - Judith Luyben (315) 473-6654 Finger Lakes - Patricia Barry (585) 461-8826 Hudson Valley - Virginia Leone (845) 947-6333 Long Island - Lois Kilkenny (631) 493-1745 Long Island - Deborah Hammargren (631) 493-1812 Metro New York (Metro) – Lisa Persante (718) 430-0474 Metro New York (Bronx) - Karen Prestwidge (718) 430-0713 Metro New York (Manhattan) - Janet Zampella (212) 229-3215 Staten Island - Richard Monck (718) 983-5232 Staten Island - Barbara Schubert (718) 982-1904 Sunmount - Paul Chartier (518) 359-2962 Sunmount - Jacci Gardner (518) 359-2962 Taconic - Robert Slawinski (845) 473-5050 x 151 Taconic - Gabrielle Canino (845) 473-5050 x 129 Western New York - JoAnn Niebel (716) 517-3636 Western New York – Richard Mahaney (716) 517-2144 9. Information Sharing We encourage you to share the information in this message with individuals who are interested in knowing more about recent activities associated with the NYS OPTS initiative. 10. Why You May Receive Multiple Copies of this Message This message is being sent to individuals on several distribution lists. If you appear on more than one of the distribution lists being used, you will receive multiple copies of this message. This message is being distributed to: OPTS Steering Committee OPTS Consumer and Family Subcommittee OPTS Implementation Subcommittee OPTS Provider Subcommittee FSS Statewide Advisory Committee Provider Associations Provider Council Parent-to-Parent Liaison Self Advocate Liaison DDSO Directors Central Office Leadership Team DDSO and Central Office OPTS Point People/Liaisons