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Information is below on two free virtual events happening this month related to employment and Transition Age Youth. Please share with anyone in your networks who may be interested in attending.
Your First Steps on the Pathway to Employment A collaborative summit for youth with disabilities and their allies Wednesday, May 12 from 2:00-3:30 PM This virtual conference will explore the expansion of Special Education Services to the age of 22, the importance of Work Experience, information on Social Security disability benefits, and how working impacts benefits for transition-aged youth. Hosted by the Maine Department of Labor Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Division for the Blind & Visually Impaired, and Maine Medical Center Department of Vocational Services Registration Required: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_AuYzyADaTSOn4eHDBA0Inw Disability Work Incentives for Teenagers & Young Adults Wednesday, May 26 from 2:00-3:00 PM This is a free webinar offered by Benefits Counseling Services at Maine Medical Center’s Department of Vocational Services. We will discuss the unique work incentives available to transition age youth, as well as important benefit transitions such as the Age-18 redetermination process. Registration Required: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_UKnLaWBzSEitcE2fHUtTlg Virtual Family Support Navigator Training
Are you the parent or caregiver to a child with a disability or special health care need? Would you like to share your knowledge and provide peer-to-peer support to Maine families but in the past haven’t been able to participate in a training? If so, this opportunity may be for you! Maine Parent Federation (MPF) is seeking parents, grandparents, and caregivers to children with disabilities and/or special health care needs who would like to become a trained Family Support Navigator (FSN) and provide peer support to other families in your area. The FSN program matches experienced parents with other parents who need support while learning to navigate systems such as Special Education, Vocational Rehabilitation, MaineCare, Adult Services, etc., and assists in locating local and statewide resources while helping parents learn to advocate for themselves. During the COVID-19 Pandemic all support is provided through phone, text, email, and social media platforms such as Zoom. One-on-one support will resume once the Pandemic is over. As a parent who has been involved with MPF in the past, we are contacting you to see if you would like to use your skills and knowledge to support other Maine families. A Family Support Navigator is a part-time independent consultant position. MPF contracts with you to provide up to 10 hours of support to each family you help. We pay $14.00 per hour of direct support to a family and .44 cents per mile travel reimbursement. This is a flexible opportunity as you set your own hours/schedule. MPF provides on-going supervision and technical assistance. We have divided the training into five two-hour modules that have been pre-recorded. This all virtual training will be held over the summer, June through August. If selected to complete this training, we will provide you with the links to access the training and guide you through the process. Once a module is completed you will be required to submit a one-page document outlining what you learned during the segment, including any questions you may have. You will be assigned a FSN Coordinator to assist you in completing this process. Once the 10-hour virtual training is complete we will provide you with a $150 stipend. Please contact Deborah Newcombe at (800) 870-7746 or E-mail: dnewcombe@mpf.org to receive an application and job description and to answer any questions. Maine Parent Federation| www.mpf.org Maine Parent Federation, Inc. | PO Box 2067, Augusta, ME 04338 207-588-1933 Public Vaccine Clinic WHERE: Woodfords Family Services Parking Lot – 15 Saunders Way, Westbrook, Maine WHEN: Thursday, May 6th, 8:30AM to 1:00PM HOW TO SCHEDULE: Call the Community Vaccination Line: (888) 445-4111 OR Drive-Up - No Appointment Necessary VACCINE TYPE: Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) Maine Parent Federation New Support Group for Parents of Children with Serious Illness We welcome you to join a group specific to those caring for a child with a serious illness whereby their condition may not allow them to live long into adulthood. These meetings are intended to provide a confidential opportunity to connect parents who can choose to share their stories, discuss their challenges and support one another. This group is structured on the peer support model of helping one another. Facilitators are Janet Duncan, MSN, CPNP a pediatric palliative care nurse practitioner now working with Courageous Parents Network and Christine Bennett, MD, a pediatrician with 30 years’ experience in private practice in Portland, and staff from Maine Parent Federation.
*We will start with 3 meetings held on May 13th, June 17th, and July 15th at noon via Zoom. Please register at links below: When: May 13, 2021 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZErcu6upz8sEtSF7BjGJSUmTvSJyU3DePz0 When: June 17, 2021 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUscOqqrzosGNAu90UjuYo7lHVBNB4CH1bE When: Jul 15, 2021 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qcu6vqT4pGdF4XLBezZ9GLt03MG6t2wCX After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. If you have any questions, please reach out to Christine Bennett cbennet4@maine.rr.com Maine Parent Federation| www.mpf.org Southern Maine Advisory Council on Transition WHEN: FRIDAY, May 7, 2021 TIME: 1:00 – 3:00 Due to the pandemic this meeting will be held via ZOOM. Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/94213933138?pwd=MWxyL09EaDBpUWNGWmFVODRlTEdhQT09 Join Us for SMACT’s May Meeting Presentation Cullen Ryan, Executive Director of Community Housing Maine will talk with us about the Blueprint for Effective Transition. This “Blueprint” provides a holistic vision that serves to integrate and give purpose to the work that we all do. Cullen will discuss the key elements of the plan and discuss how it has improved the working relationship between Office and Child and Family Services and the Office of Aging and Disability Services. The Blueprint provides a vision of transition services and is a guide for interagency collaboration
Be sure to check out our new website – note new address Website https://sites.google.com/portlandschools.org/smact Facebook Page www.facebook.com/someadvisorycouncilontransition The Brain Injury Association of America’s Maine Chapter, under contract with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (“the Department”), has engaged Koné Consulting to conduct a Needs Assessment of MaineCare funded brain injury services and supports, to include all other public and privately sourced funding opportunities.
They have developed two online surveys to gather input from people with brain injury, their family members, caregivers, and service providers. This is an opportunity to share experiences that will provide needed insight for the Department’s direction of efforts to strengthen Maine’s system of brain injury services and supports. It will be great to have strong participation and we are asking for your help to disseminate the survey links. Please share this email with your list servs and through any other method that gets these survey links to those with brain injury experiences and perspectives to share. And encourage your networks to pass this opportunity along. Survey Links: Below is the link for people with brain injury, their caregivers and family. It should take approximately 30 minutes and includes an opportunity to enter a random drawing for a $100 Visa gift card. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MaineBrainInjurySurvey - Below is the link for service providers and other interested parties. It should take approximately 20 minutes. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MaineBrainInjuryProviders We ask for completion of the survey by Wednesday, April 28th. If you need to request a paper survey or seek support in assisting groups of people in completing this survey, please contact Karin Ellis at Karin.ellis@koneconsulting.com. If you have other questions about this survey, please contact Sarah Jordan at BIAA-ME (sjordan@biausa.org). Please stay tuned for focus groups, which will be the next step in this process. Thank you so much for supporting the success of these efforts! Elizabeth Hardink, LSW Brain Injury and Other Related Conditions Waiver Services Specialist Office of Aging and Disability Services Department of Health and Human Services 41 Anthony Avenue Augusta, ME 04330 Elizabeth.hardink@maine.gov Telephone: 207-287-4207 Fax: 207-287-9229 TTY: Users call Maine relay 711 OHI Drive-Up COVID-19 Vaccine Pop-Up Clinic For Individuals with Developmental Disabilities, Autism and Brain Injury and their Families and Caregivers WHERE: OHI Parking Lot: 203 Maine Avenue, Bangor WHEN: First Vaccination Date: Friday, April 16th, 8:00AM to 12:30PM Second Vaccination Date: Friday, May 14th from 8:00AM to 12:00PM VACCINE TYPE: Moderna HOW TO SCHEDULE: Call Community Vaccination Line: (888) 445-4111 Monday-Friday 7:00AM to 7:00PM Or Saturday-Sunday 8:00AM to 2:00PM *** Ask to be scheduled for this OHI drive up clinic when you call ***  MaineCare Notice of Agency Emergency Rule-making Adoption, MaineCare Benefits Manual, Chapter III, Section 29, Allowances for Support Services for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder
Notice of Agency Rule-making Adoption AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of MaineCare Services CHAPTER NUMBER AND TITLE: 10-144 C.M.R., Chapter 101, MaineCare Benefits Manual, Chapter III, Section 29, Allowances for Support Services for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder ADOPTED RULE NUMBER: CONCISE SUMMARY: The Department is adopting this emergency major substantive rule in accordance with P.L. 2019, ch. 616, Part A, Sec. A-7, An Act Making Supplemental Appropriations and Allocations for the Expenditures of State Government, General Fund and Other Funds and Changing Certain Provisions of the Law Necessary to the Proper Operations of State Government for the Fiscal Years Ending June 30, 2020 and June 30, 2021. The Act provides funding to increase reimbursement rates for specific procedure codes in Chapter III, Section 29, Allowances for Support Services for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder. The Department has determined that these rate increases are necessary to avoid an immediate threat to public health, safety or general welfare. The Department’s findings of an emergency are as follows: delivery of Medicaid services is predicated on an adequate provider pool to treat and meet the unique needs of the most vulnerable populations of members, and the increases will seek to ensure reimbursement rates are adequate to provide members with access to important services through an adequate provider pool. The emergency major substantive rule increases the rates with a retroactive application date of January 1, 2021 for four (4) services including: Supported Employment Services, Career Planning Services, Employment Specialist Services, and Home Support-Quarter Hour Services. The Maine Legislature has authorized the Department to adopt rules with a retroactive application where the Department has determined that the change does not have an adverse financial impact on any MaineCare provider or Member. 42 M.R.S. § 42(8). Here, the rule change is a positive change for the providers. This emergency major substantive rule is effective upon adoption and filing with the Secretary of State. Pursuant to 5 M.R.S. § 8054 (3), this emergency major substantive rule may be effective for up 12 months, or until the Legislature has completed its review. The Department intends to proceed with major substantive rulemaking, which will be provisionally adopted, and then submitted to the Legislature for its review. http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/oms/rules/index.shtml for rules and related rulemaking documents. EFFECTIVE DATE: April 7, 2021 AGENCY CONTACT PERSON: Heather Bingelis, Comprehensive Health Planner AGENCY NAME: Division of Policy ADDRESS: 109 Capitol Street, 11 State House Station Augusta, Maine 04333-0011 EMAIL: heather.bingelis@maine.gov TELEPHONE: (207)-624-6951 FAX: (207) 287-6106 TTY users call Maine relay 711 MaineCare Notice of Agency Emergency Rule-making Adoption, MaineCare Benefits Manual, Chapter III, Section 21, Allowances for Home and Community Benefits for Members with Intellectual Disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder
Notice of Agency Rule-making Adoption AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of MaineCare Services CHAPTER NUMBER AND TITLE: 10-144 C.M.R., Chapter 101, MaineCare Benefits Manual, Chapter III, Section 21, Allowances for Home and Community Benefits for Members with Intellectual Disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder ADOPTED RULE NUMBER: CONCISE SUMMARY: The Department is adopting this emergency major substantive rule in accordance with P.L. 2019, ch. 616, Part A, Sec. A-7, An Act Making Supplemental Appropriations and Allocations for the Expenditures of State Government, General Fund and Other Funds and Changing Certain Provisions of the Law Necessary to the Proper Operations of State Government for the Fiscal Years Ending June 30, 2020 and June 30, 2021. The Act provides funding to increase reimbursement rates for specific procedure codes in Chapter III, Section 21, Allowances for Home and Community Benefits for Members with Intellectual Disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder. The Department has determined that these rate increases are necessary to avoid an immediate threat to public health, safety, or general welfare. The Department’s findings of an emergency are as follows: Delivery of Medicaid services is predicated on an adequate provider pool to treat and meet the unique needs of the most vulnerable populations of members; and The increases will seek to ensure reimbursement rates are adequate to provide members with access to important services through an adequate provider pool. The emergency major substantive rule increases the rates effective January 1, 2021 for four (4) services: Supported Employment Services, Career Planning Services, Employment Specialist Services, and Home Support-Quarter Hour Services. The Maine Legislature has authorized the Department to adopt rules with a retroactive application where the Department has sought CMS approval for such changes, and where the change does not have an adverse financial impact on any MaineCare provider or Member. 42 M.R.S. 42(8). This emergency major substantive rule is effective upon adoption and filing with the Secretary of State. Pursuant to 5 M.R.S. § 8054 (3), this emergency major substantive rule may be effective for up to 12 months, or until the Legislature has completed its review. The Department intends to proceed with major substantive rulemaking, which will be provisionally adopted, and then submitted to the Legislature for its review. http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/oms/rules/index.shtml for rules and related rulemaking documents. EFFECTIVE DATE: April 7, 2021 AGENCY CONTACT PERSON: Heather Bingelis, Comprehensive Health Planner AGENCY NAME: Division of Policy ADDRESS: 109 Capitol Street, 11 State House Station Augusta, Maine 04333-0011 EMAIL: heather.bingelis@maine.gov TELEPHONE: (207)-624-6951 FAX: (207) 287-6106 TTY users call Maine relay 711 |
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