The following comments were submitted to the Dept. of Health Care & Family Services and the Division of Developmental Disabilities.
The new CMS Rules on Home & Community Based Services will be a topic at The Arc Leadership Conference.
Tony
Comments on Transition Plan for New CMS Rules on
Home & Community Based Services
December 29, 2015
The Arc supports the new CMS Rules on Home & Community Based Services because the rules’ focus will lead Illinois to a person-centered system based upon the needs of the individuals we are here to support.
The Illinois Developmental Disability Community System is terribly underfunded and relies heavily upon institutional services. If you analyze the spending, you will see that we fund day and residential services in groups not tailored to individualized supports required for person-centered planning. In my opinion, the Illinois system will have to change dramatically and invest in community supports if we are to achieve the standards set before us with the new CMS Rules.
New funding is necessary to carry out the intent of these new rules including funding to increase direct service professionals’ wages and benefits.
The proposed plan lacks detailed outcomes in order to comply with the new CMS rules.
We need a detailed plan that includes stakeholder involvement including individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities.
The detailed plan should also include continuing education of participants, family members, providers and state agencies to fully understand the transition process and what is changing.
The detailed plan should include a full range of integrated housing options as well as fully integrated day services.
The detailed plan should also specify a point in which the transition plan will stop placements in segregated settings.
Tony Paulauski
Executive Director
The Arc of Illinois
20901 S. LaGrange Rd. Suite 209
Frankfort, IL 60423
815-464-1832 (OFFICE)
815-464-1832 (CELL)
Tony@thearcofil.org