The winter 2023 edition of the Maine Parent Federation newsletter, Parent Connection, is now available on the Maine Parent Federation website: https://www.mpf.org/newsletters/
If you would like a printed copy of the newsletter or to be added to the MPF email list, E-mail abourque@mpf.org We hope you enjoy the holiday season! The MPF Staff Carrie, Allison, Anne, Dylan, Oleta, Robin, Linda & Kelly The Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS) is piloting an enhanced case management role for the newly proposed Lifespan waiver. We are seeking an experienced leader with case management and supervision experience to help OADS build a new team of Community Resource Coordinators to support individuals with IDD/ASD in their community.
Community Resource Manager: Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited educational institution in Social Work, Psychology, Education, Human Development, Nursing, Rehabilitation, or directly related human services field and a minimum of four (4) years’ experience in providing support services and/or (paid or unpaid) direct care to clients/families with disabilities or providing support services in a directly related human service field. Previous experience supervising others in the field of human services. Demonstrated Competency in person-centered and family-focused service provision. Knowledge of the public education system in Maine and an understanding of flexible funding and natural supports. Ability to drive, access to vehicle for travel, and ability to work from home and maintain HIPAA-compliant home office is also required. Preference will be given for applicants who meet the minimum requirements and also have: lived experience as an individual with a disability or an immediate family member of an individual with a disability; experience providing support services and/or (paid or unpaid) direct care to individuals who have intellectual/developmental disabilities and/or autism; extensive knowledge of, and connections to, local community organizations, people and resources, including employers; linguistic and cultural competencies; a Master’s Degree in the above listed degrees; or licensure as an LSW, LMSW, LCSW, or LCPC. Technical Skills: Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and Zoom. Duties: The Community Resource Manager will work with OADS to develop and supervise a team of Eight (8) Community Resource Coordinators. The responsibilities of those Community Resource Coordinators include: 1. Conduct face-to-face assessment with sections 21/29 waiver members, legal decision makers, and others identified by members. 2. Develops a strength-based, person-centered, and outcome-based Person Centered Plan (PCP) that includes important details and actions to prevent, reduce or resolve barriers to outcomes that team members need to know for implementation and follow-up. 3. Identify and outline interventions to facilitate members’ desired outcomes and clinical and functional goals that will support member outcomes. 4. The Community Resource Coordinator monitors the effectiveness of the psycho-social related interventions through a dynamic and fluid process that requires modification of the PCP as needed, based on member response to the interventions and the effectiveness of outcomes supported. 5. The Community Resource Coordinators and their Manager will serve as part of the OADS Transition Team and will meet quarterly to review caseload trends. These outcomes will be reported to DHHS leadership and will help inform the development of the Lifespan Program, ensuring adequate resources are available to those we serve. The Community Resource Manager will provide leadership and supervision to this team, ensuring resources are deployed in the most efficient way possible. This role will be part of a team developing a best practice model in case management that will then be used in the proposed Lifespan waiver. This pilot project is scheduled to run through March 2025. This is a remote role with some in state travel required for meetings. Work schedule is M-F during normal business hours. Pay is $40/hr, with a 40 hour work week, annually $83,200. No on-call required. Here is a link to the posting of the Community Resource Manager role Case Manager - Pilot Project in Augusta, ME | Allied Health Professional at Maxim Staffing Here is also a link to the posting for the CRC role. https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/lsw-lcsw-pilot-project-coordinator-at-maxim-healthcare-staffing-3775363524?utm_campaign=google_jobs_apply&utm_source=google_jobs_apply&utm_medium=organic Proposed HCBS Lifespan Waiver: Stakeholder Informational and Listening Session for Self-Advocates11/27/2023
Proposed HCBS Lifespan Waiver: Stakeholder Informational and Listening Session for Self-Advocates
Please join the Office of Aging and Disability Services as we host an informational listening session. This session is focused on individuals who are self-advocates for services related to Intellectual Disabilities or Autism. We would like to hear about the challenges this group faces with the current waivers and get input on how the proposed Lifespan Waiver could offer resources to improve this experience. We will include a brief high-level review of the Lifespan Waiver design and updates based on feedback from the Concept Paper comment period and the Fall 2023 presentations. Please use the link below to register for the Zoom session. Wednesday, December 13, 2023, from 1:00 AM to 2:30 PM Zoom Registration: https://mainestate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIod-uhqjkpG9Jzhtfp_LXY1wv3CfrRK2Sj If you need accommodation, such as real-time transcription and captioning (CART), American Sign Language (ASL), or other language interpretation, please get in touch with Miranda Whalen at miranda.whalen@maine.gov. 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:
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 Maine-SIS@maximus.com. 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
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: Maine-SIS@maximus.com. SIS-A Updates and Question and Answer Session
Please join the Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS) and Maximus, our SIS-A assessment vendor for a SIS-A Question and Answer session. The session will focus on the Supports Intensity Scale for Adults 2nd Edition (SIS-A) needs assessments and will also offer updates. The SIS-A needs assessments will be for Sections 21 and 29 members and those on the waitlists. The SIS-A needs assessment will eventually be required for participation in the Lifespan Waiver. We invite you to attend this session to learn about the SIS-A in Maine. There will also be time for attendees to ask questions. All attendees are required to register for the session using the link below. A link to join the Zoom session will be sent to your email after you have registered. November 16, 2023 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Registration Link: https://mainestate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwtdumsqjooGNMEha_dpfAB1PIRyL32fgrT If you need an accommodation, such as real time transcription and captioning (CART), American Sign Language (ASL) or other language interpretation, please contact Miranda Whalen at miranda.whalen@maine.gov. OADS Proposed HCBS Lifespan Waiver: Family/Guardian/Youth Stakeholder Info and Listening Session10/17/2023
Proposed HCBS Lifespan Waiver: Announcing a Family/Guardian/Youth Stakeholder Informational and Listening Session
Please join the Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS) and Maine Parent Federation (MPF) as we receive questions and comments in a listening session. The session is oriented toward families and youth (14-22 years old) who are currently managing or anticipating a transition to adult services. We would like to hear about the challenges this group faces and also hear input to how the proposed Lifespan waiver could offer resources to improve this experience. This Zoom session will also allow youth and their families to learn more about the proposed waiver concept. We will include a brief high-level review of the Lifespan design and updates based on feedback from the Concept Paper comment period. Please use the link below to register for the Zoom session. Dates/Times:
https://mainestate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0ud-2rqT4oGt1NdfO2nj5KoLeouCv1pFcp Section 1915(c) Waiver Appendix K Updates
Oct 16, 2023 At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) declared a national public health emergency (PHE) and relaxed certain requirements ensuring the health and safety and continued access to healthcare services for Medicaid members. In response to the federal PHE, Maine established temporary changes to its five existing federally approved section 1915(c) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers through a standalone Appendix K: Emergency Preparedness and Response amendment. In accordance with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) policy, the default expiration date for Appendix K flexibilities is six months following the end of the federal PHE. However, CMS indicated in its August 2, 2023, State Medicaid Director letter (SMD #23-004) that Appendix K flexibilities may be extended past the original November 11, 2023, deadline. States can avoid a lapse in authority for Appendix K flexibilities that the state has incorporated into section 1915(c) waiver renewals and/or amendments that are still pending approval as of the November 11, 2023, default expiration date. Maine has submitted five-year renewal applications, and received CMS approval effective July 1, 2023, for waiver sections:
Guidance for Section(s) 19 and 20 Providers: Flexibilities not continued through Maine’s recently approved Section 19 or Section 20 1915(c) waiver renewals will revert to current rule as described in the corresponding section of the MaineCare Benefits Manual. The Department will issue guidance in the near future detailing the flexibilities continuing through the approved 1915(c) waiver renewals and those that will expire on November 11, 2023. Guidance for Section(s) 18, 21, and 29 Providers: Appendix K flexibilities related to Section 18, 21, and 29 are extended until such time as CMS approves the submitted 1915(c) waiver amendment applications. The Department will issue guidance in the near future detailing the flexibilities extending past the November 11, 2023, expiration date. Additional resources are available on MaineCare’s COVID-19 and End of the PHE webpage. We plan to update our website resources and provide information through additional e-messages over the coming weeks as information becomes available. In the meantime, please send questions related to this announcement and the end of Appendix K to DHHSMaineCareEndofPHE@maine.gov. This mailbox is specifically for MaineCare-enrolled providers. If a MaineCare member is seeking PHE Unwinding information, please direct them to the Unwinding webpage at mainecare.gov/unwinding. In accordance with federal law and the MaineCare Benefits Manual, the Department must give members the opportunity for a hearing if requested 1) When their service request is denied or takes too long to be processed or 2) the member believes the Department made a mistake stopping, reducing, or suspending their medical eligibility or covered services. Community Connect Screening of Invisible: Personal Stories from the Front Lines of Disability10/10/2023
Join us for a screening of Invisible: Personal Stories from the Front Lines of Disability, a collection of short videos about the lived experience of Mainers with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families and caregivers. The screening, followed by a conversation with the filmmakers, is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, in Callahan Hall at Lewiston Public Library, 200 Lisbon St, Lewiston. This ongoing, multi-year project was developed, with grant funding from the Maine Developmental Disabilities Council, by Community Connect Maine, a non-profit organization dedicated to the vision that all people have the support they need, when they need it, to live a full life in their communities of choice. A barrier to achieving that goal is that many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are invisible in their community. We hope to overcome that barrier by helping people in the disability community share their stories. Admission to the screening is free, but attendees are strongly encouraged to register in advance at https://communityconnectme.org/events-and-workshops. Everyone has a story to tell, and stories are meant to be heard. Come hear our stories. Are you the parent of, 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 other Maine families? If so, this virtual training 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 attend this training to become a Family Support Navigator (FSN) and provide peer support to other Maine families. 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 them in locating local and statewide resources while helping parents learn to advocate for themselves. During the Pandemic all support was provided through phone, text, email, and social media platforms such as Zoom. Now that restrictions are easing if both parent and Navigator agree, meetings can be held in-person. 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 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 $15.00 per hour for direct support to a family, provide a $40 monthly stipend for phone/internet when actively working with families, and .46 cents per mile travel reimbursement. This is a flexible opportunity where you set your own hours/schedule. MPF provides on-going supervision and technical assistance. This in-person training will be held on Monday, October 23rd from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, There will be four other pre-recorded segments to the training that you can complete at your convenience. Once you have completed the training we will provide you with a $150 stipend. Please contact Anne Bourque at (800) 870-7746 or E-mail: abourque@mpf.org to receive the application and job description and/or to answer any questions DHHS OADS: Proposed HCBS Lifespan Waiver: Family/Guardian/Youth Stakeholder Info & Listening Session9/27/2023
Proposed HCBS Lifespan Waiver: Announcing a Family/Guardian/Youth Stakeholder Informational and Listening Session
Please join the Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS) and Maine Parent Federation (MPF) as we receive questions and comments in a listening session. The session is oriented toward families and youth (14-22 years old) who are currently managing or anticipating a transition to adult services. We would like to hear about the challenges this group faces and also hear input to how the proposed Lifespan waiver could offer resources to improve this experience. This Zoom session will also allow youth and their families to learn more about the proposed waiver concept. We will include a brief high-level review of the Lifespan design and updates based on feedback from the Concept Paper comment period. Please use the link below to register for the Zoom session. Dates/Times:
https://mainestate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0ud-2rqT4oGt1NdfO2nj5KoLeouCv1pFcp State-Wide Tour OADS also is offering a series of in-person events across the state with Providers, Waiver Members, and their Family Members. Providers will be asked to attend the provider-specific sessions to promote active interaction. The meeting spaces have a person limit, and we want to house the meeting adequately, so we need to know how many people to expect. Meeting locations may change depending on the size of the response to the sessions. If that happens, we will notify registrants. Registration Form for In-Person Events: https://forms.office.com/g/g6wrMSxJAr There will also be online video sessions: Please use the link below to register for the Zoom sessions. We are hosting two sessions with Waiver Members and their Families. Zoom Session Schedule:
If you need accommodation, such as real-time transcription and captioning (CART), American Sign Language (ASL), or other language interpretation, please get in touch with Miranda Whalen at miranda.whalen@maine.gov. Maine Department of Health and Human Services Administrative Bldg. Friday, September 22nd 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM: Providers 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM: Families and Members 109 Capitol Street Augusta Conference Rooms Maine A and B – to the right as you enter the building Caribou District Office Monday, September 25th 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM: Providers 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM: Families and Members 30 Skyway Drive, Unit 100 Caribou Conference Rooms A and B Bangor District Office Tuesday, September 26th 9:00 AM -10:30 AM: Providers 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM: Families and Members 19 Maine Avenue Bangor Room CR 2 Lewiston District Office Wednesday, September 27th 9:00 AM - 10:30AM: Providers 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM: Families and Members 200 Main Street Lewiston Conference Rooms A and B Portland District Office Thursday, September 28th 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Providers 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM: Families and Members 151 Jetport Boulevard South Portland Rooms CR 139 A and B |
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