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Financial Management Services Stakeholder Meeting Planned for June 28
A Financial Management Services (FMS) Stakeholder meeting has been scheduled for Monday, June 28, 2021, from 11:00 am – 12:30 pm. This purpose of this public meeting is to discuss the upcoming changes for the administration of FMS under the Community HealthChoices (CHC), OBRA Waiver, and Act 150 programs. There will be representatives from OLTL and the CHC Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) in attendance to discuss the upcoming changes.
To participate, please select one of the following options:
Join from the meeting link
https://pa-hhs.webex.com/pa-hhs/j.php?MTID=m15e2e495a802f00df6fa38c9e645237d
Join by meeting number
Meeting number (access code): 132 280 2499
Meeting password: Stakeholder
Tap to join from a mobile device (attendees only)
+1-408-418-9388,,1322802499## United States Toll
+1-202-860-2110,,1322802499## United States Toll (Washington D.C.)
Join by phone
+1-408-418-9388 United States Toll
+1-202-860-2110 United States Toll (Washington D.C.)
Global call-in numbers
Join from a video system or application
Dial 1322802499@pa-hhs.webex.com
You can also dial 173.243.2.68 and enter your meeting number.
Questions about the meeting should be directed to this email.
RCPA & Lockton Companies Present Cybersecurity in Health Care Webinar June 25
RCPA members are invited to join the next Member Update Webinar on Friday, June 25, 2021 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm. We are pleased to offer a presentation on Cybersecurity in Health Care, sponsored by Lockton Companies. The presentation will provide members with a better understanding of the FBI’s perspective on nefarious cyber techniques and trends targeting the health care industry, and discuss how health care industry employers can streamline and improve the training and skills of their employees to protect the organization from cyber-attacks.
Cybersecurity in Health Care
In October 2020, the FBI warned that the US health care system is urgently vulnerable to cyber-attacks to an unprecedented magnitude. While COVID cases continue, the US health care sector saw a 71 percent increase in ransomware attacks in October, compared to September. At the same time, a 2020 study by Emsi, a national labor analytics firm, found that the demand for cybersecurity professionals is twice as great as the supply in the job market. Because of this shortage, the study recommends that employers focus time and money in training and promoting current employees within the organization to best protect the business from cyberattack.
Presenters include:
- Paul Bingham, Associate Dean in the College of IT and Academic Program Director for the Western Governors University (WGU) cybersecurity degree
- Cerena Coughlin, FBI Special Agent, Employment Recruiter and Applicant Coordinator for the Philadelphia Field Office
- Al Wilson, Information Security Specialist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
- Caroline Chapman, Assistant Vice President, Account Manager and member of the Cyber Technology Practice within Lockton Financial Services
Please register here to attend this webinar. We look forward to your participation!
Reminder: Retention and Culture Workshop — Just Days Away
*If you have already registered, please disregard this reminder*
Time is running out to register for the June 8, 2021 workshop. This workshop should be attended by HR directors, supervisors, and anyone involved in recruiting and hiring. Attendees will leave with simple tools they can use immediately. During the workshop, attendees will collaborate with their peers and leave feeling empowered. All participants in these workshops will leave with a workbook and clear next steps to take back to their organizations to implement what they have learned. Note that you do NOT need any new consultants or software.
Cost — RCPA Members: $99 per session / Non-members: $125 per session
Retention and Culture: Tuesday, June 8, 2021 • 9:00 am–12:30 pm
Retention and Culture: You will learn how to overcome two big challenges that cause new Direct Support Professional (DSP) turnover and how to nurture your culture when you do not have enough time. Learn clear and fast steps to an improved onboarding / training experience so new employees are more likely to stay. You can register for this event here.
Space is limited, so do not delay in registering! For any questions, please contact Carol Ferenz, Director, IDD Division.
A New Tool Tracks Health Disparities in the US — and Highlights Major Data Gaps
Notice to Providers Regarding Health Risk Screening Tool Deadlines and Future Planning
ODP Announcement 21-044 provides instructions to residential provider agencies who do not anticipate being able to meet the current June 30, 2021 deadline for Health Risk Screening Tool (HRST) screens for individuals receiving residential services.
As of June 30, 2021 — the date that ODP established as the extended deadline for completion of the initial Health Risk Screening Tool (HRST) screens for individuals receiving residential services — draws near, ODP recognizes that some providers may having difficulty meeting this timeline. Providers who will not complete all required screenings by June 30, 2021, should contact the Regional Program Office and convey to the Regional Program Manager (RPM) the agency’s current plan to complete the required HRSTs, including the date by which these screens will be completed.
Providers with locations in more than one ODP Region should contact the RPM associated with your assigned Administrative Entity responsible for completing provider qualifications.
Though providers will determine the order in which the remaining HRSTs will be completed, ODP has the following recommendations to help providers ensure that the health and safety needs of the individual are being met:
- New admissions should be screened as soon as possible following admission once the individual is accessible in the HRST database.
- Individuals should have an HRST completed within 14 days of any of the following situations:
- Hospitalization;
- Injury or illness resulting in treatment beyond first aid;
- Medication ordered for a new diagnosis;
- Change in current physical condition or behaviors resulting in increases in the acuity of the service needs;
- Prescribed change in diet;
- Choking episode;
- Unexplained weight loss or gain;
- New onset of or change in seizure activity;
- Fecal impaction;
- Pressure ulcers;
- Dehydration;
- New onset or unstable diabetes; and
- Individual is unable to or declines to follow physician orders for treatment, medication, or other intervention.
As noted in the Pennsylvania Health Risk Screening Tool Protocol Update, each residential provider will identify staff from within the provider organization who will become the trained HRST rater(s). The initial and subsequent HRST screenings must be completed by a trained rater who has completed the HRST online rater training. Assistance with access to the HRST online rater training can be obtained by contacting this email.
Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS): What Are They and Why Are They Important?
Wednesday, June 9, at 3:00 pm ET
Nicole T. Jorwic, JD, Senior Director of Public Policy at The Arc and an expert on the topic of home- and community-based services (HCBS), will provide an overview of the HCBS program. She will describe how it helps people living with paralysis access the supports and serves they need to live independent lives. Nicole will also discuss how Congress and the administration are aiming to protect, invest in, and modernize this system.
ODP Urges Participation in 2020 Staff Stability Survey
ODP is reminding providers of the importance to complete the 2020 Staff Stability Survey for your organization. We are particularly interested in having a robust response rate this year due to the impact of the pandemic on your workforce. We expect to use the data from this survey to help inform the rate-setting work.
If you are one of the 120 or so who have already completed the survey or determined that your agency is not eligible to complete, thank you, and there is nothing further to do. While we are well on our way to a statistically significant response, over half of our providers have not yet clicked on the survey to open it.
Responses are due by June 30. You should have received an invitation and the personalized survey link from staffstability@hsri.org. Please be sure to check your spam folder or contact Rick Smith if you cannot locate the message. Thank you for your attention to this important survey.
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