Another busy week is shaping up for The Arc.

Tomorrow, Shirley Perez, Executive Director of the Family Support Network, will
be meeting with Director Casey around the Ligas Consent Decree and other
disability issues.

On Wednesday, I’m back in Chicago for two meetings on the 1115 Medicaid
Transformation Waiver. You will recall that the Administration submitted the
new Waiver to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) that would place all
of the nine waivers under a single Mega Waiver. We will now be working on the
implementation of that waiver if it is approved by CMS.

The two working groups that I am on include:

  1. Services and Supports Work Group Meeting. This Work Group is to
    recommend implementation strategies to enhance the delivery system
    and the full continuum of care for children with behavioral health needs.
    Develop an implementation plan that assures access to services and
    supports for individuals based on functional need, rather than solely on
    disability. This Work Group is Chaired by Lorrie Rickman Jones, Ph.D.,
    Senior Behavioral Health Policy Advisor, GOHIT and Co-Chaired by
    Grace Hou, President, The Woods Fund of Chicago.
  2. Integrated Delivery System Reform. This Work Group is to recommend
    implementation strategies for transforming the fee-for-service payment
    and delivery system to an advanced system of care where patient
    outcomes and provider payments are aligned. This Work Group is
    Chaired by Michael Gelder, Executive Director of GOHIT and Co-Chaired
    by Derek Robinson, MD, Executive Director, Illinois Hospital Association
    Quality Care Institute.

Frequently Asked Questions on the 1115 Waiver


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@www.thearcofil.org