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The Pennsylvania Office of Developmental Programs (ODP), Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL), Temple University, and the University of Kansas have established the PA Technology Accelerator, a series of activities intended to support PA in becoming the next Technology First State. As a Technology First State, programs and policies are modernized and harmonized to ensure seamless deployment and training on innovative technology solutions.

Providers play a critical role in achieving this goal and are invited to complete an online survey to inform technology resources and supports for providers across the state.

Providers are requested to complete one (1) survey per organization and submit responses by June 13, 2025. The survey should take less than one hour to complete. Responses will provide critical information to build and enhance programs to ensure providers have the necessary information and tools to advance access to technology solutions for their clients across the Commonwealth.

If you have questions or would like to preview the survey content before responding, please contact Kaley Day. For additional information, view the Provider Survey Recruitment Flyer.

Take the Survey

Or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser:
https://kusurvey.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9Hoe5ZKZEClXU5E

The Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Subcommittee meeting was recently held on May 7, 2025. During the meeting, a number of presentations were given. In addition to the presentations, the agenda and a document that provided follow-up items from the LTSS Subcommittee meeting on April 2, 2025, were provided.

Members should take time to review the PowerPoint presentations from the meeting below:

The next LTSS Subcommittee meeting is scheduled for June 4, 2025. The meeting will be held from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm in the Forest Room at the Commonwealth Keystone Building, which is located at 400 North Street in Harrisburg, PA. The option to participate virtually is also available.

If attending virtually, please register here. The option to call in is also available by dialing (415) 655-0052, access code 886-801-808#.

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) is offering a webinar on the PA Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Savings Program on May 21, 2025, from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm. Register here.

A PA ABLE savings account gives individuals with qualified disabilities and their families and friends a tax-free way to save for a wide range of disability-related expenses while maintaining important benefits. The state and federal tax-free investment options are offered to encourage eligible individuals and their families to save private funds to support health, independence, and quality of life.

Some of the agenda topics will include eligibility requirements for opening a PA ABLE account, federal and state tax benefits of PA ABLE, and how a PA ABLE account interacts with current benefits.

OLTL Service Coordinators, Direct Service Providers, Community HealthChoices (CHC) Managed Care Organization (MCO) staff, and any individuals who work in employment supports are encouraged to participate in this webinar, as it will help them understand the PA ABLE Program and how it can benefit the OLTL participants they serve.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. If you require accommodations to participate in this webinar, please contact OLTL via email.

Questions regarding this webinar should be directed to Randy Loss, OLTL.

The agenda for the May 7, 2025, Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Subcommittee meeting has been released by the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL). The meeting will take place from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm in the Forest Room in the Commonwealth Keystone Building located at 400 North Street in Harrisburg. The option to participate via webinar and remote streaming is also available.

To participate in the meeting, please refer to the information below:

Providers are reminded of the requirement to report the use of American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) funding. The Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) requires providers who received supplemental funding from the ARPA to report on their use of the funding by Friday, May 30, 2025. Reporting on the use of ARPA funding is critical to ensure compliance with federal requirements as the 2026 spending deadlines approach for the 10% enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) funds for Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) and State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. ARPA funding disbursements subject to this reporting requirement include the initiatives listed below. Please note that you may have reported on the use of ARPA funding received in 2021, including Act 2021–24 and Strengthening the Direct Care Workforce payments; this reporting is in addition to previously reported initiatives.

  • Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Quality Improvement Funding
    • Authorized in May 2022
    • Available to HCBS providers
    • Funded by 10% enhanced FMAP funding for HCBS
    • Eligible uses include activities and expenses that expand, enhance, or strengthen HCBS, as outlined in the notice of the funding opportunity as well as the reminder notice

To complete a report, please log in to the ARPA Funding Portal, select the appropriate funding type, and then select “Create a New Funding Report.” The portal will prompt users to select a provider name (for individuals authorized to submit reports for multiple facilities or locations) and the applicable reporting period. Upon selection, review the prepopulated information and complete all required fields in the form.

For additional instructions on completing a report, please refer to the ARPA Funding Reporting Portal Business Partner Guide. For questions about registration and user access, please refer to the ARPA Portal Registration Guide. OLTL has also published a Frequently Asked Questions document and a Summary of ARPA Funding online at Long-Term Care for Providers | Department of Human Services | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Providers that received supplemental ARPA-funded payments must report to OLTL on their use of the funding so that the Commonwealth can produce documentation required by federal audits. Additionally, providers must retain detailed supporting documentation for the eligible use of supplemental ARPA-funded payments for a minimum of five (5) years from the payment date. Failure to submit a report may result in the recovery of funding through collection activities, audits, or legal action.

If you have questions regarding this message, please contact the Office of Long-Term Living via email.

Due to the PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) Order of Selection (OOS) operations memorandum, effective April 1, 2025, the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) is providing guidance to the following entities regarding the referral of participants to OVR:

    1. Managed Care Organizations (MCO);
    2. Service Coordinators (SC);
    3. Service Coordination Entities (SCE); and
    4. Service Providers.

OVR recognizes three (3) disability categories:

    1. Non-Significant Disability (NSD);
    2. Significant Disability (SD); and
    3. Most Significant Disability (MSD).

The April 1, 2025, OOS is a wait-listing of customers who fall within the NSD and SD categories. Customers who are determined by OVR to fall within the MSD category will continue to receive OVR-funded services. Due to this being a partial OOS closure, OLTL participants who are requesting employment services/supports must continue to be referred to OVR for determination of eligibility.

Page three of the OLTL Employment and Employment Related Services Bulletin indicates that during a full OOS closure, “a participant who has not been referred to OVR may receive OLTL Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) employment services without a referral to OVR.”

Due to the current OOS being a partial closure and not a full closure, participants still need to be referred to OVR for evaluation of eligibility for services. As detailed in the 1915 (c) waiver and page two of the Employment Services Bulletin, participants do not need to be referred to OVR for Benefits Counseling Services.

MCOs and SCs should continue to monitor cases referred to OVR as detailed on page three of the Employment Services Bulletin, which states, “Prior to adding one of the OLTL HCBS employment services to a participant’s Person-Centered Services Plan (PCSP), the SC must determine the status of the participant’s case with OVR.” Additionally, SCs should continue to follow the guidance on page two of the Employment Services Bulletin, which states, “If OVR has not made an eligibility determination within 120 days of a referral being sent, then OVR services are considered to not be available to the participant, and OLTL employment services may be provided under an OLTL HCBS program.”

Please refer any questions to Randall Loss electronically.

The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) issued the following update to Service Coordination Entities of the Annual Review process in Home and Community Services Information System (HCSIS) for the Act 150 Program and OBRA Waiver. Found here are the procedures and instructions for entering these service plans in HCSIS, starting Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

The Annual Review process is a good time to review your caseloads and finalize any dis-enrollments or inactive service plans. The Waiver/Program Transfer instructions can be found here for your convenience. Please also reference the attached “OLTL Fiscal Year 2025/26 Annual Review Instructions for HCSIS” for additional information on how file closures may impact the current Annual Review process.

If you have any additional questions or wish to receive the attached forms in alternate format, please contact Brian Lester at (717) 346-0716 or via email.

The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has published responses to questions brought up at the Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Subcommittee meeting held on February 5, 2025.

The highlights include:

  • All consumer questions about the specifics of the Assisted Living In Lieu of Services should be addressed to the MCOs.
  • The information about Personal Needs Allowance in Personal Care Homes has been corrected. “SSI recipients will receive a PNA deduction of $52.10 ($30 SSI plus the individual state supplement of $22.10).”
  • Any organization who is interested in participating in the Direct Care Worker Quality Grant should contact Abigail Peslis, Director of Penn State Harrisburg Continuing Education.

If you have any questions, please contact Fady Sahhar.