The Arc of Illinois: NEW DATE: HCBS Settings Webinar & New In Person Meetings!
Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities and The Arc of Illinois are hosting a webinar:
Keeping the Community in HCBS Funded Services:
Understanding and Commenting on the Statewide Transition Plan
Tuesday, Feb 25 (PLEASE NOTE NEW DATE)
2-3:30 pm
*Due to the scheduling of a DHS townhall on Feb 27 (see below for details), we moved our webinar to Feb 25 in order to ensure people feel prepared to give in person testimony.
Join US! Here are the DDD events to hear from people with disabilities, families and community organizations:
- February 20, 2020, 1pm to 2:30pm, Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities, 830 S. Spring Street Springfield, RSVP to Kimberly.Mercer-Schleider@illinois.gov
- February 27, 2020, 10am to 11:30am, Community Alternatives Unlimited, 8765 W. Higgins Rd. Ste. Suite 300, Chicago, Ill. 60631, RSVP preferred, but not required, to Elizabeth at eramossosa@cau.org
- March 3, 2020, 10am to 11:30am, Springfield – Location TBD, No RSVP necessary
Do you wan to help make sure that community services and supports for people with disabilities offer choice, control and self-determination to people? The state just released a plan on how to make sure money spent on community based services and supports offers choice, control and self-determination to people with disabilities. We need YOUR HELP to comment on it. The webinar will include:
- Overview of the federal HCBS settings rule
- Timeline review of the draft statewide transition plan and the process
- Review of what is in the plan
- Review how to share commends
Who is the webinar for: self advocates, families and community organizations.
Register for the webinar here.
Background:
In 2014, CMS added to these rules so that people with disabilities who get services through Waivers have even more choice, control and self-determination. While every person gets different services that are unique to them, the new rules emphasize that community participation and integration should be the standard and that everyone should have access to more than one community. Illinois is one of five states that still do not have approved statewide transition plan and per the federal government, the HCBS settings rule must be implemented as of March 2022.
Illinois released last week an updated DRAFT statewide transition plan and is required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to gather comments from community members. We NEED YOUR HELP to ensure that the settings rule is implemented fully and the state puts FUNDING to support transition of HCBS services to meet the settings rules.
The Department has completed a revised Statewide Transition Plan (STP) after receiving feedback from Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS). The revised STP is available for public review and comment for a period of 30 days beginning on February 4, 2020 and will continue through March 5, 2020. Providers are encouraged to share this information with their residents, representatives, and other interested parties. The next submittal of the transition plan to CMS is scheduled for March 23, 2020.
The revised Statewide Transition Plan is accessible through the HFS website: https://www.illinois.gov/hfs/MedicalClients/HCBS/Transition/Pages/TransitionPlan.aspx#Subhead6
Comments may be submitted online HFS.SWTransitionPlan@illinois.gov or written comments may be mailed to:
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, Attn: Waiver Management
201 South Grand Ave East, FL 2 Springfield, IL 62763
Persons who are unable to access the Internet may request a hard copy of the revised draft plan by calling HFS at (217) 524-4148.
The great news is that ICDD has previously funded a lot of training about the settings rule. Here are some important background information if you want to learn more or share this!
THE HCBS ADVOCACY COALITION 3-PART TOOLKIT:
- The HCBS Settings Rules: What You Should Know!
- The HCBS Settings Rules: Settings Presumed to be
Institutional & the Heightened Scrutiny Process
- The HCBS Settings Rules: How to Advocate for Truly Integrated Community Settings | Download Abridged Version
Check out the HCBA-ACT website: https://c-q-l.org/HCBS-ACT
DDD Update:
INDIVIDUAL SERVICE TRANSITIONS WITHIN THE ADULT DD WAIVER
The Division has heard from individuals, families, and stakeholders that there needs to be a transparent process to request transitions between services offered under the Adult DD Waiver. Currently, individuals receiving Waiver services are able to choose a preferred setting at the time of funding selection but run into barriers when there is a need to transition to different services, in a different setting. For example, if someone is in Home Based Services and would like to transition to 24-Hour CILA based on their changing needs.
In addition, we know there are individuals currently receiving Waiver services who are also on the PUNS list seeking different services. What is not known is what services these individuals are seeking and what their timetable is for changing services. As such, between now and July 1, the Division plans to collect information regarding the need of this population by requiring that each individual, currently in services and on the PUNS list, to complete a form that will be provided by the Division. The form will let the Division know what changes the individual is likely to request and the timing of that change request. The form and an informational letter will be mailed in the coming weeks. Once the data has been collected, the Division will use this, in conjunction with other activities, to outline a process for service transitions.
In the meantime, the Division will continue to process and fund changes to individuals’ services as allowed by the current budget, considering crisis placements and moving individuals from the PUNS list into service per the Ligas Reasonable Pace plan. The Division is hopeful this change will better meet the needs of individuals and families!
Comment on this from the Arc: Please note – we remain concerned that a person is able to access all the services in a waiver if it is reflected in a person centered plan. Therefore, if you are experiencing any barriers with changing services in your waiver, please let me know as we are interested in ensuring consistency in application of the current language. We understand there is also a resource issue, but we look forward to working with the state to be able to fully implement the CMS guidelines. We appreciate the Division’s efforts to try to understand the current and future needs of people on PUNS and those on PUNS waiting to change services and look forward to working with the Division to creating opportunities to ensure people can get the services and supports they want and need.
Did you know that the Secretary of State’s Office offers an Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) Communication Wallet Card to help notify law enforcement that a person may have difficulty communicating? Applicant’s may request one at any Illinois Secretary of State Driver’s License Facility. A person needs to have a Type 2, or 5, Persons With Disabilities ID Card to be eligible to receive the additional wallet card. More information can be found here: https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/services/persons_with_disabilities/communicationimpairments.html