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OLTL

Due to feedback shared with the Department of Human Services (DHS) regarding the importance of providing behavioral health services in nursing facilities and making sure nursing facilities know how to access these services, DHS has developed a webinar entitled “Behavioral Health Services for the Nursing Facility Population.” The webinars, which all contain the same material being presented, is a joint effort with the DHS’ Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL), Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), the Behavioral Health (BH) Managed Care Organizations (MCO), and the Community HealthChoices (CHC) MCOs, and it is being hosted by the Pennsylvania Health Care Association (PHCA). Other collaborative partners include the PA Department of Health and LeadingAge PA.

The webinars are as follows:

Tuesday, April 26, 2022
2:00 pm–3:30 pm
1.5 CEUs for SNF
Please register using this registration link.

Tuesday, May 3, 2022
2:00 pm–3:30 pm
1.5 CEUs for SNF
Please register using this registration link.

The first webinar was conducted on April 12, 2022. The webinars will be interactive and are meant for nursing facilities to have the opportunity to ask questions and begin dialogue on how to improve behavioral health services in their facilities. The webinars will also allow the BH-MCOs, the CHC-MCOs, and the nursing facilities to further collaborate on this issue. The webinars will be recorded.

Webinar Presenters:

  • Jamie Buchenauer, Deputy Secretary, OLTL, DHS
  • Kristen Houser, Deputy Secretary, OMHSAS, DHS (April 12 and April 26)
  • Adair, Medical Director/Chief Psychiatric Officer, OMHSAS, DHS (May 3)
  • Kellie Mainzer, Director Western Operations, Bureau of Community and Hospital Operations, OMHSAS, DHS
  • Marjorie Faish, Program Analyst 3, Bureau of Policy Development and Communications Management, OLTL, DHS
  • Duncan Bruce, Director of MCO Integration, Community Care Behavioral Health
  • Rachel Lee-Price, Manager, Behavioral Health Clinical Services, Beacon Health Options of Pennsylvania, Inc.
  • Joe DiMeo, Jr., Behavioral Health Coordinator for Community HealthChoices, Community Behavioral Health
  • Lauren Keane, Magellan Behavioral Health
  • Dan Eisenhauer, Director of Operations, PerformCARE (April 26 and May 3)
  • Brian Gannon, Manager Behavioral Health Programs, PerformCARE (April 12)
  • John McFarland, Director, MCO Integration, Relations & Policy, UPMC CHC
  • Heather Clarke, Director Care Management, Complex Needs and Behavioral Health, PA Health & Wellness (April 12 and May 3)
  • Oliva Martin, Director of LTSS, PA Health & Wellness (April 26)
  • Sara Reitenauer, Manager of LTSS Behavioral Health and Collaborative Services, Community HealthChoices, AmeriHealth Caritas CHC/Keystone First CHC
  • Dyann M. Roth, President and CEO, Inglis
  • Tara Winter, Nursing Home Administrator, Former Senior Center Executive Director, Chapel Manor Genesis HealthCare®
  • Jessica Peacock, Director of Recovery and Community Outreach, Peerstar, LLC
  • Stacy Williams, Social Service Supervisor, Kane Regional-Scott

Questions should be directed to Marjorie Faish, OLTL.

The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) recently issued a reminder for Service Coordination Entities (SCEs) regarding the annual review process in HCSIS for the Act 150 Program and OBRA Waiver. Included in this reminder are the procedures and instructions for entering these service plans in HCSIS beginning April 4, 2022. OLTL encourages SCEs to use this annual review process to review caseloads and finalize any dis-enrollments or inactive service plans. The Waiver/Program Transfer instructions are here for reference. Please also reference the “OLTL Fiscal Year 2022/23 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 above forms in alternate formats, please contact Brian Lester at (717) 346-0716 or via email.

The Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has announced they will be conducting a webinar about the PA Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Savings Program on April 20, 2022, from 10:00 am–11:00 am. A PA ABLE account gives individuals with qualifying disabilities (eligible individuals) and their families and friends a tax-free way to save for disability-related expenses while maintaining government benefits. The webinar will be presented by a representative from the PA Treasury Department.

OLTL Service Coordinators (SCs), Direct Service Providers (DSPs), Community HealthChoices Managed Care Organization (CHC MCO) staff, and any individuals that work on employment are strongly encouraged to participate in this webinar, which will help you understand the PA ABLE Program and how it can benefit the OLTL participants you serve.

Please register using this registration link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Questions regarding this webinar should be directed to Edward M. Butler, OLTL, at (717) 214-3718 or via email.

Message from the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL):

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services is offering a webinar on the topic of the Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work Benefits Counseling, which provides individuals, their families, friends, and caregivers information relative to their benefits/services and competitive integrated employment. This overview will be presented by Ms. Joy Smith, AHEDD Work Incentive Planning and Assistance, Certified Work Incentive Coordinator, Regional Manager.

Office of Long-Term Living Service Coordinators, Direct Service Providers, CHC-MCO staff, and any individuals that work on employment are strongly encouraged to participate in this webinar on an overview of Benefits Counseling as it relates to the participants you serve.

The Overview of Benefits Counseling webinar is on April 21, 2022, from 10:00 am–11:00 am.

Please register using this register link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

If you have questions, please contact Edward M. Butler or call 717-214-3718.

The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) recently released the Request for Information (RFI) to gather feedback regarding the implementation of Agency With Choice (AWC) services for the participants of Medical Assistance (MA) managed care programs, the 1915(c) MA home and community-based services (HCBS) waiver program, and a state-funded program.

Through these programs, eligible participants receive long-term services and supports (LTSS) and other benefits, depending on the particular program. Specifically, this RFI seeks information to assist OLTL in determining how it may improve options for LTSS participants to self-direct their services in the Community HealthChoices Program (CHC), OBRA Waiver, and the state-funded Act 150 Attendant Care Program through the procurement and implementation of AWC.

Through this RFI, OLTL is seeking to become more aware of and knowledgeable about current efforts to increase opportunities for self-direction and feedback on the implementation of AWC through a potential, future procurement. OLTL encourages interested parties, including vendors and stakeholders, to provide feedback in response to this RFI or any part of it. An interested party may respond to all or any of the specific questions or topics included in this RFI.

RFI responses are due by12:00 pm on March 25, 2022. Responses must be submitted electronically with “OLTL Agency With Choice RFI” in the email subject line. While OLTL does not intend to respond to questions or clarifications during the RFI response period, interested parties and individuals may submit administrative questions related to this RFI electronically using “OLTL Agency With Choice” in the email subject line. OLTL may or may not respond based on the nature of the question.

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The next Financial Management Services (FMS) stakeholder meeting has been scheduled for April 1, 2022, from 1:00 pm–2:30 pm.

The purpose of this public meeting is to discuss upcoming changes for the administration of FMS under the Community HealthChoices (CHC), OBRA Waiver, and Act 150 programs. Representatives from the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) and CHC Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) will be in attendance to discuss upcoming changes.

Please register using this registration link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

If you choose to use your phone to call in, please use the numbers below:
Dial in: 1 (415) 930-5321
Access Code: 847510418#
Audio PIN: shown after joining the webinar

A Financial Management Services (FMS) stakeholder meeting has been scheduled for March 4, 2022, from 1:00 pm–2:30 pm. This public meeting will include a discussion on the upcoming changes for the administration of FMS under the Community HealthChoices (CHC), OBRA Waiver, and Act 150 Programs. Representatives from both the CHC Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) and the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) will be in attendance to discuss the upcoming changes.

Registration is required to participate. Once registered, participants will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

If you choose to use your phone to call in, please use the numbers below:
Dial in: (562) 247-8321
Access Code: 625418280#
Audio PIN: shown after joining the webinar

The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has updated its guidance about payments to strengthen the home and community-based services (HCBS) workforce and assist Adult Day Service (ADS) providers. The updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document is available under the “Strengthening the Workforce” heading on the DHS Long-Term Care Providers page.

To maximize the use of federal funding under Section 9817 of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021, OLTL has moved the date by which providers must spend “Strengthening the Workforce” and “Adult Day Services” funds from March 31, 2024, to October 1, 2023. This change allows sufficient time for providers to file an expenditure report and return unspent funds as applicable. OLTL will offer additional details about ARPA expenditure reporting in coming months.

Providers that have questions about this information should contact the OLTL Provider Helpline at 800-932-0939.

Message from the Office of Long-Term Living: 

As a reminder, the January EVV Public Meeting will be occurring on January 21, 2022, at 1:00 pm.  Topics to be covered include EVV system updates, a Home Health Care Services implementation update, general reminders, and a Personal Care Services data update, as well as others.

Please register for the January 21, 2022 EVV Public Meeting. Questions on this topic can be directed via email.