Who Moved My Cheese?

Dear Friends of Full Access:

 

I love this book!  I have been reminded again about the challenges of change when re-reading it.  Here is just a brief statement about the book written by Spencer Johnson:

“Most people are fearful of change because they don’t believe they have any control over how or when it happens to them. Since change happens either to the individual or by the individual, Spencer Johnson shows us that what matters most is the attitude we have about change.”

For me,  I am having to work on my attitude about change and it is not an easy challenge!   I definitely feel that the changes happening are out of my control.  I think there is too much happening at once for everything to go well. As Who Moved My Cheese points out, change can be difficult.  We can deny it, fight it, be smothered by it and even try to ignore it.   Change can also be confusing, frustrating and overwhelming.   Sometimes all three.   What I am hoping for and working for, is to make sure our mission stays first and foremost in the thinking and work of myself and all our staff.   I was reminded of this in a very painful way this week.  One of our long time providers called to ask me about what is going on.  We both expressed deep concerns for our clients, their families, and the movement of self determination that has been our calling.  As two people in this system that experience our work as our own personal missions, we cried a bit, laughed very little and recognized we are in this fight together.  And, it does feel like a fight.

So as all these changes go on around us, and within our agency, and particularly with client services, the “main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing”.  And that is our attention to our clients, their supports and the self determined future they deserve and have been promised.  I have to say truthfully, I think our Personal Agents and the support staff at Full Access have been SUPER AMAZING!  Against the odds, they continue to problem solve and ensure our clients have the supports they need.  We continue to be successful (not perfect!) in this regard, so please let me know if you think differently!

To speak to some of the specific changes upon us, here are reminders for clients and providers both!

 

For our clients there are a couple things to pay particular attention to.

• There are 35 working days left between now and the end of the current fiscal year, June 30, 2014. Over the past year, that date has been a target for many changes in the Oregon’s developmental disabilities brokerage system.  This includes significant changes such as ensuring all 7,500 or so brokerage clients have been assessed with the new Functional Needs Assessment, ensuring that all providers are signed up in the state’s payment system, and preparing for having the state take over direct payment to all brokerage providers.  For Full Access and other brokerages and counties, clients are changing fiscal intermediaries as well.
•  Be sure to respond to your Personal Agent’s (or a state worker’s) call to complete the new Functional Needs Assessment. It’s essential these are completed for everyone by June 30th. This allows the state to draw down increased federal funding via the new K Plan.  Be ready to revise your plan to make some language changes. Your PA or extra staff we temporarily hired will contact you about this.
• If you have a provider, be sure that s/he has filled out a Provider Enrollment Agreement. We want to be sure they can continue to get paid after the state takes over payment (currently planned for July 1st.)

 

If you’re a provider of brokerage services there is quite a list!

• Make sure the customers you serve have scheduled a Functional Needs Assessment with their PA (or a state worker.) If they need some support during the assessment and would like you to assist, offer your help.
• If you have not already, you must apply for and receive a Medicaid provider number. Sign up by filling out the Provider Enrollment Agreement form as soon as possible.  The website for the PSW forms needed is http://www.oregon.gov/dhs/spd/Pages/adv/hcc/tools_psw.aspx
•  If you have already applied for a provider number, but haven’t heard back from the state, please contact them directly at 1-800-241-3013 or email  SPD.ProviderNumber@state.or.us
• If we’ve contacted you about updating your Criminal History Check, be sure you respond quickly. All PSWs must have a CHC completed every two years. You cannot be paid without a current check on file.
• Attend one of the upcoming Personal Support Worker webinars. There are currently three scheduled. The webinars will give you basic details on the state’s payment system (eXPRS) and how the way you’ll be paid is changing. See details below.
  • Thurs, May 15th @ 6:00 pm – To register for this date/time, click here: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/268795474
  •  Thurs, May 22nd @ 1:00 pm – To register for this date/time, click here: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/73388009
  • Mon, June 2nd @ 10:00 am – To register for this date/time, click here: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/522914722

Once registered, participants will receive an email with the training site link, conference phone number and instructions on how to connect to the training on the date you are registered to participate. If you have questions, contact Julie Harrison at JULIE.A.HARRISON@dhsoha.state.or.us

 

I am sure there will be more to come on these changes, so stay tuned!

With thanks to Larry Deal at INW Brokerage for writing much of the detail in this blog!

 

MT, CEO

Message for Families and Self-Advocates: K Plan Update

Dear Friends of Full Access:

This is important information for our clients and families so we are sharing it with you.  Please spread the word!

MT, CEO

 

February 12, 2014

To:          Families and Self Advocates using Oregon Developmental Disability Services

From:    ODDS Interim Director and Chief Operating Officer Trisha Baxter

Re:         K Plan Implementation Update

Because it is important for you to have the best information for yourself and your families, I want you to know about the work that is happening in Oregon’s Developmental Disability Services (ODDS) program. Each month, I will be writing a new update for families and self-advocates so you’ll have the most current information. We will post the updates on the ODDS Facebook page and send them to your provider, CDDP or brokerage so they can get the update to you.

The new “K Plan” brings changes to some of our DD services, but leaves other services as they were and adds new services. To help you understand what the DD system now offers, ODDS created two new brochures, one for services to children and one for services for children and adults:

Services for Children: http://www.oregon.gov/dhs/k-plan/Documents/Developmental%20Disability%20Family%20Brochure-form%200339.pdf

Services for Children and Adults: http://www.oregon.gov/dhs/k-plan/Documents/Children%20and%20Adult%20Service%20Brochure-form%200338.pdf

Brokerages and CDDPs will have these publications at their offices, but you can also print them from the links provided here.

I have heard many questions from families and self-advocates about the changes in ODDS services and one of the most common is about why we have to assess what you need before your Individual Support Plan (ISP) and what you can expect at your next assessment.  I will address that in today’s message.

Why you have to have an assessment:

• In order to understand your goals, strengths, choices and needs as they relate to your disability, the K Plan requires Oregon to do a face-to-face assessment.

• The assessment helps ODDS and those who help you develop your ISP understand which services you need to help you meet your goals.

• You will have the assessment once a year, but you can ask for a new assessment before a year has passed if you want a new assessment.

What to expect at your assessment meeting:

• You will be treated with respect.

• The person asking the questions will listen to you.

• ODDS needs to know about your goals and strengths, but also needs to know when you need help and what kind of help you need.

• During the assessment, you will be asked questions that will help ODDS understand what kind of supports will help you meet your goals.

• Before the assessment, you should think of all the different kinds of support you use. Think of the supports you use in the community, at work and at home.

• Remember: the assessment helps ODDS understand what you need to be successful, so stay positive and think about all the supports you need to meet your goals.

I encourage you to send your questions to me and I will answer them. You can also find a lot of current information on our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oregon-Developmental-Disabilities/179862702153136?ref=hl

Trisha Baxter

ODDS Interim Director and Chief Operating Officer

 

What happens after months of waiting?! Sometimes, more waiting!

Dear Friends of Full Access:

Several months ago I began writing about changes in our state IDD service system (that means the service system that supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities).  Many of these changes went through a start and stop process.  Some are beginning to take shape this week and instructions are being sent to the field (that is Full Access and others who coordinate or deliver support).   We are expecting the new system to take a little more concrete shape, so here is what we are planning:

• All of our Personal Agents will be taking an on-line training and test to be eligible to perform a new plan assessment document.    It will be the first thing necessary for us to develop Individual Support Plans starting this Friday.  Assessments, once Personal Agents are qualified to do them, will be required for all plans written from November 1 forward.
• The assessment will produce what we used to call clients’ budgets.  The assessment  will issue hourly units of services, not dollar amounts.
• Some services will require a supplemental assessment.  Some support may also require an exception pre-approved by DHS (The Department of Human Services) who contracts with Full Access to do support services.
• Client ISP forms will remain the same, but there will be new requirements for how things get written.  These requirements will be defined in a new Expenditure Guideline (that will be made available this week).   The guidelines will have many familiar parts but the section for K Plan (sometimes called Community First Choice) services will be new.
• There are new rates being paid to our clients’ workers.  They will not cause people to lose service hours!  Plans written from November 1 forward need to include the new rates per the CBA (collective bargaining agreement for PSW’s).

For some of the DHS information on these changes you can read about them here: http://www.oregon.gov/dhs/k-plan/Pages/index.aspx

I am expecting all of these changes to raise more questions than we can answer right now.  The important thing is that we remain focused on each individual person we support.  All of us, especially our PA’s, are learning as much as we can to continue to provide quality support services.  This will continue to change and take time to do well!  So, my hope is we can all be patient in the process.

MT, CEO