DHHS A Path for ME Highlights - October 2024

​A Path for ME Highlights - October 2024

In this new bi-monthly newsletter, we will be highlighting important information about the SIS-A assessment tool, the Lifespan Waiver, and other services relating to A Path for ME. We hope you find this newsletter helpful and welcome your feedback.  

Listening Session Announcement: SIS-A Updates and Question & Answer Session – November 16, 2023

The Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS) invites Section 21 and 29 members, their families and guardians, as well as waitlist members to attend the upcoming listening session: SIS-A Updates and Q & A. This event will take place from 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, November 16, 2023. This session will give members and their support teams an opportunity to learn about important Supports Intensity Scale for Adults ® (SIS-A) updates. They can also answer questions about the Lifespan Waiver planning and SIS-A processes. The SIS-A is the assessment tool being used by OADS to gather data and develop new and better member services.
Click here to register for the November 2023 SIS-A Updates and Q & A Session

Learn More About the New $100 SIS-A Incentive Launched for Section 21 or 29 or Waitlist Members
The Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS) uses the Supports Intensity Scale for Adults ® (SIS-A) to support the design of a variety of proposed services through the new Lifespan Waiver. The SIS-A is a high-quality data collection tool that informs the Person-Centered Planning process. We encourage all members to take the SIS-A.
Read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) below to learn more about this special offer.
Q: Who is eligible for the new Member Incentive for the SIS-A assessment?
A: There is a new Member Incentive to take the SIS-A right now. The previous Maximus SIS-A Training assessment incentive ended on March 15, 2023. A new incentive for people interested in taking the SIS-A assessment was announced in late July 2023. It is available for those who are:

• A Section 21 or 29 member or on the waitlist for these waivers.
• Among the first 800 members who received an assessment.
• Someone who has fully completed a valid, non-training assessment earlier in 2023.

Please keep in mind, training assessments do not qualify, as there has already been reimbursement for training assessments. Other attendees at a SIS-A assessment do not qualify as this incentive is for the member only. 
Q: How do I request more information about the new SIS-A Member Incentive?
A: Contact the Maximus Help Desk to schedule a SIS-A assessment. Tell them you are also interested in the $100 SIS-A Member Incentive: call 833-771-4639 or email [email protected]. Click the link to see these and other frequently asked questions. SIS-A Assessment FAQs – Updated August 8, 2023

Meet The Team: Siobhan Ahearn, Clinical Assessments Coordinator I
For this edition of “Meet the Team”, we introduce you to Clinical Assessments Coordinator I, Siobhan Ahearn. In her role, Siobhan gets to interact with all the individuals involved in the SIS-A process – from Member and Assessor to Community Case Manager and other vital team members who will attend the interview.
Tell us in a few sentences about your professional background or work history as it relates to your current role:
At State Home Care, I developed and enhanced programs to support and maintain an individual’s independence while living in the community. As a Medical Social Worker with Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice, I completed evaluations for care, emotional support, counseling, and continued case management. I was also the Director of Social Services for a Skilled Nursing Home Care and Assisted Living.
What area(s) of the state do you service in your role?
Bangor to the north.
What is your favorite part of the work you do?
I enjoy encouraging individuals to realize their potential and looking at the positives.
Have you lived in other places besides Maine – other states, countries?
I have previously lived in Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, as well as time spent in the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, and the Philippines.
What are your dream vacation spots?
Dream destinations on my wish list include the Galapagos Islands, a train ride across Canada, and finishing hiking all of the U.S. National Parks.

SIS-A Support Resources 
The SIS-A Assessment Process Cycle

Other SIS-A Guides & Supports 

• SIS-A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Updated 8/9/23
• OADS Website - "A Path for ME" Needs Assessments
• SIS-A Assessment Report – AAIDD Sample
• Maine SIS-A Resources – Maximus Website
• OADS Presentation – Orientation to “A Path for ME” Needs Assessment
• American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) Website

 
Contact the Maine SIS-A Assessments Help DeskIf a member would like to schedule a SIS-A assessment or has other SIS-A assessment related questions:
Contact Maximus - Maine SIS Help Desk from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST, Monday – Friday by calling 833.771.4639 or email: [email protected].