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Tags Posts tagged with "Community Participation Supports"

Community Participation Supports

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Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

A message from ODP Deputy Secretary Kristin Ahrens:

On February 3, 2021, pursuant to authority granted through an approved Appendix K, the Department announced temporary enhanced rates for Community Participation Supports and Transportation Trip services for services rendered January 1 through June 30, 2021. The end dates for the temporary rates were programmed in HCSIS consistent with the timeframe announced in the PA Bulletin; therefore, rates effective July 1, 2021 reverted to the previously published rates for these services.

In May 2021, CMS published SMD# 21-003 RE: Implementation of American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 Section 9817: Additional Support for Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) during the COVID-19 Emergency. The SMD addresses requirements to receive the increased federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) rate for certain Medicaid expenditures for HCBS, including that federal funds attributable to the increased FMAP must be used to supplement existing state funds expended for Medicaid HCBS in effect as of April 1, 2021.

CMS has advised the Department that it must continue the temporary enhanced rates until the end of the approval of its Appendix K for the Commonwealth to receive the increased FMAP. Accordingly, subject to further CMS guidance, the enhanced rates will continue through the approval of the Appendix Ks. The Appendix Ks for the Consolidated, Person/Family Directed Support (P/FDS), Community Living and Adult Autism Waivers are authorized for 6 months after the federal Public Health Emergency ends.

ODP anticipates that the temporary enhanced rates will be loaded in HCSIS during the week of August 1, 2021. Additional information for handling individual plan authorizations will be transmitted via an ODP communication prior to the rate load in HCSIS.

RCPA, along with the other ID/A Coalition members, requested that CMS require ODP to continue these enhanced rates, so we are pleased to share this news.

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ODP reissued Announcement 19-049 in order to remind providers of the continued opportunity of

Getting Connected to the Community: Practical Skills for Building Person Centered Community Connections and to provide contact information for interested parties.

This interactive, three-hour training serves as a foundation for individuals receiving the Community Participation Support (CPS) service and their support teams. During this training, individuals, families, and their support teams (provider staff, Supports Coordinators) come together to brainstorm about and plan for building/enhancing person centered community connections. Training participants will practice utilizing person-centered thinking resources and techniques in the context of CPS. Information gathered using these skills can help teams develop meaningful plans for the implementation of CPS.

Provider agencies are invited to host this training at their local sites. Trainers will work with the provider agency to schedule the training on a date and time that work for the individuals, families, support teams, agency staff, and trainers. The training is designed for a maximum of 30 participants. The provider agency is asked to provide a space to hold a maximum of 30 people working in small groups. The trainers bring all of the training equipment and supplies.

If you are interested in hosting this training at your agency or have any questions, please submit your request via email. You can also call Jeff Wheeler at 800-446-5607 ext. 6881 or 412-826-6881, or Melissa Mecke at 717-901-2164.

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