Another information filled Executive Forum on Wednesday with presentations from Washington D.C. and Springfield!
DIRECTOR FENTON The meeting started with Director Fenton giving us an update on a number of topics including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) visit to Illinois to review the monitoring of the Home & Community Based Waivers sometime between July to September. CMS will be reviewing providers of developmental disability waiver services at that time.
The Director then shared with us progress the Dept. of Human Services (DHS) has been making on submitting to CMS a new 1115 Medicaid Transformation Waiver of the 11 state departments involved with health and human services. The Secretary intends to engage stakeholders and hold town hall meetings on the new 1115 Medicaid Transformation Waiver.
The four pillars of the Waiver are:
- Prevention and Population Health
- Pay for value, quality and outcomes
- Moving from institutional to community care
- Education and self sufficiency
The first phase of the waiver will focus on behavioral health in year one and then move to long term care and developmental disabilities.
See 1115 Health & Human Services Strategy Briefing PowerPoint.
The 1115 Transformation Waiver is on the fast track and the Administration intends to submit it to CMS July/August.
The Director also encouraged us to check out the progress being made on the DHS Website on the Life Choices Project.
The Director then fielded questions on the recent passage of the Direct Support Professionals wage legislation that is on its way to the Governor’s office. The Director indicated his support of increasing rates in light of the current recruitment and retention crisis, but without a state budget, this is problematic.
OVERTIME RULES Nicole Jorwic, Director of Rights Policy with The Arc of the United States, joined us from Washington D.C. to discuss the new overtime rules for non-profits and in particular disability services. See The Arc’s Dept. of Labor New Overtime Final Rule – Including Non-Enforcement for Some Medicaid Providers comments.
VALUE THE WORK Kim Zoeller, President and CEO of the Ray Graham Association, presented on the Value the Work Coalition. She talked about the formation of this diverse coalition and the progress we have made including the passage of our wage bill in both the House and Senate. She then reviewed the excellent resources the Coalition has developed. The Coalition will meet on Friday to review next steps with the Governor on the wage bill.
View Kim’s PowerPoint and the Value the Work resources.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Phil Milsk, The Arc’s Governmental Affairs Consultant, gave a legislative update that we will send out shortly.
EXECUTIVE SEARCH Bob Okazaki, Executive Director at Avenues for Independence, and also a member of The Arc’s Executive Director Search Committee talked about the search and the individuals on the search committee. Members include:
Terri Devine, Chair: Terri is the President of The Arc of Illinois Board of Directors and the parent of a young man with Down syndrome.
Brian Rubin: Brian is Immediate Past President of The Arc of Illinois Board of Directors; he is an attorney specializing in special needs estate planning and the parent of an adult son who is on the autism spectrum.
Nancy Webster: Nancy is the Immediate Past President of The Arc of the United States, and a past president of The Arc of Illinois. Nancy is the sibling of an adult sister with I/DD.
Sheila Romano: Sheila is the former Executive Director for the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities and a lifetime advocate for the rights of individuals with I/DD. She is a champion of the Arc and its mission.
Bob Okazaki: Bob is the Executive Director of Avenues to Independence, a service provider based in Park Ridge. He is also a member of the Arc of Illinois Board of Directors and past president of the Executive Forum.
Bob Peterson: Bob is a member of the Arc of Illinois Board of Directors; he is a self advocate who is passionate about the rights of individuals with I/DD to have personal choice and to be valued and empowered in representing themselves.
Steve Boisse: Steve is the Executive Director of DayOne/PACT, two service providers that recently merged and are based in Lisle. He is the incoming President of the Executive Forum and serves on the Arc of Illinois board as their representative.
Tony & Kyle Rick
GOOD BYE KYLE! This was also the last meeting for our President of the Executive Forum Kyle Rick. Kyle has served for the past three years with distinction. She is also retiring this July. I appreciate her advocacy over the years and her strong support of The Arc. Good luck to you good friend. You will be missed.
NEW OFFICERS of the Executive Forum for a one year term:
- Steve Boisse – President
- Kim Zoeller – First Vice President
- Jeff Dean – Second Vice President
Congratulations to all!
Great meeting!
The schedule for the next fiscal year’s Executive Forum meeting will be sent out in August.
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