<![CDATA[MAINE COALITION FOR HOUSING & QUALITY SERVICES - Postings]]>Tue, 22 Sep 2026 17:59:52 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[Openings at 20 E Street in South Portland]]>Tue, 22 Sep 2026 17:08:20 GMThttps://www.maineparentcoalition.org/postings/openings-at-20-e-street-in-south-portland6966532 ]]><![CDATA[Understanding and Protecting Your Disability Rights Under Olmstead, the ADA, and Section 504]]>Thu, 13 Aug 2026 17:31:37 GMThttps://www.maineparentcoalition.org/postings/august-13th-2026Please join us on Wednesday, August 19th, from 4 PM - 5:15 PM ET for our webinar, Understanding and Protecting Your Disability Rights Under Olmstead, the ADA, and Section 504.

This webinar is presented by the American Association of People with Disabilities, in partnership with the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, the Center for Public Representation, and the George Washington University Hirsh Health Law and Policy Program. 

Recent Justice Department actions have threatened to undermine disabled people’s rights under foundational disability civil rights laws. The webinar will address the importance of the Supreme Court's Olmstead decision and the rights that disabled people have under the ADA and Section 504 to live in their own homes and communities, how recent threats may affect these rights, and what you can do to protect them. The "integration mandate" of the ADA and Section 504 is one of the most fundamental rights that disabled people have, and it is critical that we take collective action to preserve it.

Come hear from a group of policy leaders who are fighting for our rights: Maria Town, President and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities, Jennifer Mathis, Deputy Director of the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Cathy Costanzo, Executive Director of the Center for Public Representation, and Alison Barkoff, Hirsh Health Law & Policy Associate Professor and Hirsh Program Director at George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health.

ASL and CART will be provided. Please contact digitalcomms@aapd.com to request any other accommodations. RSVP for the webinar at this link.

 
Register For The Webinar]]><![CDATA[Help Your clients Access Maine's Relief Payment-$300]]>Wed, 29 Jul 2026 17:50:52 GMThttps://www.maineparentcoalition.org/postings/help-your-clients-access-maines-relief-payment-300FOR PROVIDERS
Help Your Clients Access Maine’s Relief Payment      $300

Maine will provide a one-time $300 relief payment to eligible residents in the coming months. 
Individuals who have already filed the required state tax forms will receive the payment 
automatically. Those who have not may need help completing the Property Tax Fairness Credit form.

Join a Southern Maine Agency on Aging Resource Specialist for a virtual training on how to complete and submit the form online for the individuals you support.
MONDAY
August 17
3–4 p.m. • Zoom
REGISTER: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Uqxoj3AJQ7qT4CnxccQEYg#/registration

TUESDAY
August 25
9–10 a.m. • Zoom
REGISTER
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Uqxoj3AJQ7qT4CnxccQEYg#/registration

Please note: SMAA Resource Specialists will provide general guidance on completing the form. They 
are not certified tax preparers and cannot offer tax advice or determine an individual’s 
eligibility.

SOUTHERN MAINE AGENCY ON AGING • SMAAA.ORG]]><![CDATA[Medicare 101 for Providers]]>Wed, 29 Jul 2026 17:35:18 GMThttps://www.maineparentcoalition.org/postings/medicare-101-for-providersWe, SMAA, are also offering a Medicare 101 for Providers, in case you know anyone interested. They will be held on Wednesday, July 29th at 12:00 PM and a session on Friday, August 14th at 10:00 AM.  The seminar description is below:
 
Do you work in healthcare, social services, or another profession that works with people who have Medicare?  This Zoom-based session is a great place to start understanding the basics of Medicare.  Our SHIP Counselors offer current, relevant, and unbiased information you can use to better understand Medicare and the options Medicare beneficiaries have for health insurance. You will learn:
  • The differences between Medicare parts A, B, C, D, and Supplements
  • When and how people can join Medicare
  • How to use Medicare.gov to view plan information
  • How Southern Maine Agency on Aging can help the people you work with understand and access Medicare
Please register at the link below:
https://www.smaaa.org/events/
​]]><![CDATA[NADSP Condemns Justice Department’s Attempt to Weaken the Right to Community Living]]>Wed, 24 Jun 2026 14:31:51 GMThttps://www.maineparentcoalition.org/postings/nadsp-condemns-justice-departments-attempt-to-weaken-the-right-to-community-living
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A Note from Joseph Macbeth, NADSP President & CEO

The National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals is profoundly disappointed by the June 18 legal opinion issued by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel. This is not a ruling by the Supreme Court or another federal court, and it does not overturn Olmstead or eliminate protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act. It represents the legal interpretation of the Justice Department official who authored it and remains subject to review by the courts.

Nevertheless, it is a hostile action by the Administration that seeks to weaken one of the most important civil rights protections secured by people with disabilities.

The opinion argues that neither the ADA nor Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requires states to serve people with disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs. It also contends that federal regulations protecting that right are unlawful and that Olmstead v. L.C. did not establish the broad, enforceable right to community services recognized by the federal government for decades.

That interpretation is wrong in both law and principle.

The Supreme Court held in Olmstead that unjustified institutional isolation is discrimination. It recognized that unnecessary confinement reinforces the false belief that people with disabilities are incapable or unworthy of community life and severely limits their family relationships, education, employment, independence and participation in society.

The DOJ opinion attempts to reduce that ruling to little more than a prohibition against institutionalization without any stated justification. Under this reasoning, states could point to limited resources, inadequate community capacity or policy preferences to justify segregation, even when those conditions resulted from years of underinvestment.

A state should not be allowed to neglect its community system and then use that neglect as a reason to keep people institutionalized. For decades, federal enforcement has required states to confront unnecessary segregation, expand community services and develop alternatives for people confined because adequate supports were unavailable. Those efforts did not force people from appropriate placements. They required individualized decisions, reasonable accommodations and meaningful choices.

Senior Policy Advisor Nicole Jorwic provides a policy update.

​Families have spent years, and often lifetimes, building those community supports. They have fought institutionalization, endured long waiting lists and demanded that their loved ones be treated as full members of society. They have every reason to feel furious and betrayed that their own government is now attacking the legal foundation of that progress.

Because this opinion does not settle the law, it may instead trigger years of costly litigation. People with disabilities and their families may again be forced to go to court, state by state and case by case, to protect rights they believed had been firmly established nearly three decades ago. The Justice Department itself acknowledges that its interpretation may be challenged and that states relying upon it could still face lawsuits.

The timing could not be more dangerous. The administration and Congress have already approved nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid reductions through the reconciliation bill earlier this year. Medicaid is the principal source of funding for home and community-based services. Cutting those resources while weakening federal civil rights enforcement places people with disabilities at greater risk of losing services, being separated from their families and being forced into institutions.

Direct support professionals make community living possible, but this fight is fundamentally about the freedom, dignity and civil rights of people with disabilities. NADSP calls upon the Department of Justice to withdraw this dangerous opinion and reaffirm its obligation to enforce Olmstead, the ADA and Section 504. People with disabilities and their families should not have to endure years of uncertainty and endless litigation to preserve rights recognized by the Supreme Court 27 years ago.

People with disabilities belong in their communities. Their freedom cannot depend upon a state’s willingness to fund services, an administration’s hostility toward disability rights or their ability to survive another prolonged court battle.

The disability community fought too hard to escape institutional segregation. We will not allow this administration to lead America backward.
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Joseph M. Macbeth
President and Chief Executive Officer
National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals

​SHARE THIS EMAIL

The vision of the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) is a world with a highly qualified and professional direct support workforce that partners with, supports, and empowers people with disabilities to lead a life of their choosing. NADSP works to elevate the status of direct support professionals by improving practice standards, promoting system reform, and advancing their knowledge, skills and values, through certification, credentialing, training, professional development, and accreditation services.
]]><![CDATA[MaineCare Notice of Agency Waiver Amendments -Section 21 & 29]]>Fri, 27 Feb 2026 14:50:07 GMThttps://www.maineparentcoalition.org/postings/mainecare-notice-of-agency-waiver-amendments-section-21-29SECTION 21:
Notice of Agency Waiver Amendment, MaineCare Benefits Manual, Section 21, Home and Community Benefits for Members with Intellectual Disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder
Feb 27, 2026
The Division of Policy posts all proposed and recently adopted rules on MaineCare’s Policy and Rules webpage. This website keeps the rules on file until they are finalized and until the Secretary of State website is updated to reflect the changes. The MaineCare Benefits Manual is available on-line at the Secretary of State’s website.
Below, please find a MaineCare Notice of Agency Waiver Amendment. You can access the complete rule at http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/oms/rules/index.shtml.
____________________________________________________________________________
Notice of Agency Waiver Amendment
AGENCY:  Department of Health and Human Services, MaineCare Services
RULE TITLE OR SUBJECT: Chapter 101, MaineCare Benefits Manual, Section 21, Home and Community Benefits for Members with Intellectual Disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder
WAIVER: ME.0159, Home and Community Services for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder
CONCISE SUMMARY: The proposed changes include the following:
Waiver Appendix C
  • The Department is updating service specification requirements for Direct Care Worker staff to reflect changes in the certification curriculum and ongoing training requirements.
  • The amendment also updates the annual limits (caps) on combined services in Appendix C-4.
Waiver Appendix F-3
  • The Department is updating its grievance procedures for members served under any of the 1915(c) waivers to comply with new Federal requirements Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services (CMS-2442-F)  (Access Final Rule, CMS 2442-F).  The Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS) is promulgating rules related to the new grievance process.
Waiver Appendix J
  • Updates Cost Neutrality and Derivation of Estimates for Waiver Years 1 through 5.
Finally, as part of this waiver submission, the Department has made technical revisions, formatting updates, and other non-substantive changes to the application. Please see the accompanying draft application for a complete list of all proposed changes included in the waiver amendment. 
DHHS is accepting comments through 11:59 pm, March 29, 2026. Any interested party may obtain a copy of the waiver amendment by going to the website noted below or at any regional Office for Family Independence (a list of the offices and locations can be found at this link http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ofi/offices/index.html).
A printed copy may be obtained by calling Lisa Weaver at (207) 624-4050 or emailing lisa.weaver@maine.gov.
See http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/oms/rules/index.shtml for waiver amendment and to submit comments.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY:              42 CFR §441.304
DEADLINE FOR COMMENTS:        Comments must be received by 11:59 pm, March 29, 2026.
AGENCY CONTACT PERSON:         Heather Bingelis, Comprehensive Health Planner II
AGENCY NAME:                                MaineCare Services
ADDRESS:                                           109 Capitol Street, 11 State House Station
                                                              Augusta, Maine 04333-0011
                                                              Heather.bingelis@maine.gov
 
TELEPHONE:                                    207-624-4951 FAX: (207) 287-1864 TTY: 711

SECTION 29:
MaineCare Notice of Agency Waiver Amendment, MaineCare Benefits Manual, Section 29, Support Services for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder
Feb 27, 2026
The Division of Policy posts all proposed and recently adopted rules on MaineCare’s Policy and Rules webpage. This website keeps the rules on file until they are finalized and until the Secretary of State website is updated to reflect the changes. The MaineCare Benefits Manual is available on-line at the Secretary of State’s website.
Below, please find a MaineCare Notice of Agency Waiver Amendment. You can access the complete rule at http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/oms/rules/index.shtml.
____________________________________________________________________________
Notice of Agency Waiver Amendment
AGENCY:  Department of Health and Human Services, MaineCare Services
RULE TITLE OR SUBJECT: Chapter 101, MaineCare Benefits Manual, Section 29, Support Services for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder
WAIVER: ME.0467, Support Services for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder
CONCISE SUMMARY: The proposed changes include the following:
Waiver Appendix C
  • The Department is updating service specification requirements for Direct Care Worker staff to reflect changes in the certification curriculum and ongoing training requirements.
  • The amendment also updates the annual limits (caps) on combined services in Appendix C-4.
Waiver Appendix F-3
  • The Department is updating its grievance procedures for members served under any of the 1915(c) waivers to comply with new Federal requirements Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services (CMS-2442-F)  (Access Final Rule, CMS 2442-F).  The Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS) is promulgating rules related to the new grievance process.
Waiver Appendix J
  • Updates Cost Neutrality and Derivation of Estimates for Waiver Years 1 through 5.
Finally, as part of this waiver submission, the Department has made technical revisions, formatting updates, and other non-substantive changes to the application. Please see the accompanying draft application for a complete list of all proposed changes included in the waiver amendment. 
DHHS is accepting comments through 11:59 pm, March 29, 2026. Any interested party may obtain a copy of the waiver amendment by going to the website noted below or at any regional Office for Family Independence (a list of the offices and locations can be found at this link http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ofi/offices/index.html).
A printed copy may be obtained by calling Lisa Weaver at (207) 624-4050 or emailing lisa.weaver@maine.gov.
See http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/oms/rules/index.shtml for waiver amendment and to submit comments.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY:              42 CFR §441.304
DEADLINE FOR COMMENTS:        Comments must be received by 11:59 pm, March 29, 2026.
AGENCY CONTACT PERSON:         Heather Bingelis, Comprehensive Health Planner II
AGENCY NAME:                                MaineCare Services
ADDRESS:                                           109 Capitol Street, 11 State House Station
                                                              Augusta, Maine 04333-0011
                                                               Heather.bingelis@maine.gov

]]><![CDATA[DHHS-OADS: Follow Up to OADS Lifespan Waiver => FAQ Notice]]>Tue, 24 Feb 2026 18:18:07 GMThttps://www.maineparentcoalition.org/postings/dhhs-oads-follow-up-to-oads-lifespan-waiver-gt-faq-noticeOADS Lifespan Waiver FAQs
Thank you to all who attended the OADS “Lifespan Overview” Zoom webinar on 1/21/26 and/or the “SIS-A and Levels” webinar on 1/23/2026.
The videos and presentations can be found on the HCBS Lifespan Project web page.
We are pleased to announce that the Lifespan FAQ document we have been working to finalize is complete and ready for your review.  You will also find it on the HCBS Lifespan Project web page (see link above) in the Lifespan Resources section of the page.

Please consider registering today for one of our upcoming SIS-A information sessions outlining the need for the SIS-A and how scheduling and the assessment will work.  These are targeted for different audiences including Case Managers, Providers, members, families, and/or guardians.  The first info session is tomorrow (2/25). See below for info on the sessions and to register:

All sessions will be recorded and the slide deck and video will be available on the SIS-A Implementation Project web page following the last presentation.

We appreciate your involvement with Lifespan.  The input we receive from you will help to improve the program.
]]><![CDATA[DHHS-OADS: SIS-A Assessments are Scheduling Now - Register today for upcoming sessions to learn more!]]>Tue, 17 Feb 2026 13:43:33 GMThttps://www.maineparentcoalition.org/postings/dhhs-oads-sis-a-assessments-are-scheduling-now-register-today-for-upcoming-sessions-to-learn-moreRamping Up SIS-A AssessmentsThe Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has been working on the Lifespan waiver for several years. People with disabilities, families, advocates, and providers have helped shape this work.
The Department plans to post the draft waiver for public comment soon.
When the new waiver launches, new services and new rates will also begin. These rates will include tiered levels based on support needs identified from the SIS-A. Because of this, everyone enrolled in Section 21, Section 29, or the new Lifespan waiver will need to complete a SIS-A assessment.
Since many people will need an assessment, the Department will begin increasing the number of assessments completed each month starting in February and March 2026.
To learn how this increase will work, how scheduling will happen, and what to expect during the assessment, please register to join one of the following webinars.
If you are unable to attend these sessions, recordings will be posted afterward on the Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS) web page: SIS-A Implementation Project | Department of Health and Human Services
If you need an accommodation or support to take part in one or more of these meetings, please contact April.Keyes@maine.gov. We look forward to hearing from you all and working together to improve services and service delivery.
~ The OADS Team

]]><![CDATA[DHHS-OADS: NOTICE: SIS-A Assessments Ramp Up in March 2026]]>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 15:04:38 GMThttps://www.maineparentcoalition.org/postings/dhhs-oads-notice-sis-a-assessments-ramp-up-in-march-2026SIS-A Assessments Ramp Up in March 2026For MaineCare Section 21 and Section 29 Members
How Scheduling Works:
  • At first, OADS will focus on participants in provider agency homes.
  • Beginning this month (February), a Maximus scheduler will call your provider agency to set up a Supports Intensity Scale - Adult (SIS-A) Assessment. 
  • If needed, Maximus may also contact the member and/or guardian to confirm a date and time.
What is the SIS-A?
The SIS-A is not a test. It is a guided conversation about the supports you need to be safe, healthy, and successful in daily life.
  • Most interviews take about 2-3 hours (breaks are OK).
  • You can have people who know you well join you (guardian/family, case manager, staff). They need to have known you for more than three months.
Why are we doing this?
The Department is using the SIS-A for all individuals on Sections 21 and 29, as well as Lifespan. The SIS-A provides additional information to support the person-centered planning process. Also, Maine is using the SIS-A so providers can be paid based on the level of assessed support needs across several services for the people they support. For those with higher needs, the provider can receive a higher reimbursement. Taking an assessment now can prevent later backlogs of assessments. It is important that you schedule an assessment with Maximus.
How to get ready (simple tips)
  • Think about how your family and provider(s) support you each day; both regular days and on a hard day, especially if hard days are frequent.
  • Bring people who know you best and can help you describe the services and supports and what you need to live your best life.
  • Tell the scheduler what you need to be comfortable (breaks, communication supports, etc.).
Questions or need to schedule?
Maximus Maine SIS Help Desk: 833-771-4639 | Maine-SIS@maximus.com
Look for an invitation soon to join SIS-A information sessions via Zoom in late February, beginning of March.

]]><![CDATA[Follow Up to OADS Lifespan Waiver Presentations]]>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 16:25:02 GMThttps://www.maineparentcoalition.org/postings/follow-up-to-oads-lifespan-waiver-presentationsHome and Community Based Supports (HCBS) Sections 18, 20, 21, 29, and New Lifespan Waiver: Comment Summary with Department Response and Final Draft Rate Models

The final draft rate models for Sections 18, 20, 21, 29, the new Lifespan Waiver, and a summary of all comments resulting from the public forum from April 14, 2025, is available on the MaineCare Rate System Reform webpage, along with all related notices and presented materials to date. The comment summary includes the Department’s written responses, with an explanation of whether and how feedback was incorporated into the final draft rates. We thank all those who contributed.
Background
  • In September of 2023, the Department initiated a rate determination for sections 18, 20, 21, 29, and the New Lifespan Waiver
  • The Department kicked this work off publicly on September 15, 2023, in conjunction with vendor Burns & Associates, a division of Health Management Associates (HMA-Burns),
  • Next, in collaboration with a Provider Advisory Group, HMA-Burns developed a provider survey that was distributed in December of 2023. The survey collected data on current service delivery models and expenses, which was a key element in the development of recommendations related to payment rates for services included in this rate determination.
  • Then, in April of 2025, the Department and vendor held a public forum to present the recommended draft rates and methodology for the new Lifespan Waiver to interested parties and allowed for public and written comments.
  • Finally, based on written comments, on September 11, 2025, the Department and vendor presented revisions to the previously proposed rates and models.
For questions on this process, please contact Jessica Levesque, MaineCare’s Rate Reform Lead. 
This notice is sent pursuant to *Rate Reform law.
For questions and comments on the rate determination process, or suggestions for the next Annual Rate Determination Schedule, please submit to RateReform.OMS@Maine.gov. Learn more about this process on the Rate System Reform webpage.
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