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CCPA advocates at Connecticut executive branch agencies on behalf of rehabilitation and behavioral health service providers. Our Board of Directors and Divisions develop positions on proposed regulations, governmental policies and other issues related to provision of services for people with disabilities. CCPA works closely with State Agencies. See our Links Section to view these and other websites.
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| Click on the hyperlinks to access specific information:
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Behavioral Health Partnership (DCF/DSS)
Department of Children & Families
Department of Developmental Services
Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services
Department of Public Health
Department of Social Services
Governor's Office
Office of Policy and Management
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| Behavioral Health Partnership (DCF/DSS) |
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- Rick Calvert, Associate Director of Programs at the Child and Family Agency of Southeastern CT~ was appointed to the Behavioral Health Partnership Oversight Council in the Providers of Children's Behavioral Health Care position. He will represent the child guidance clinics. Click here to read the 2/12/08 appointment letter from Senator Toni Harp, Chair of the Medicaid Managed Care Council.
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- Testimony on the Behavioral Health Partnership Regulations~ was submitted by CCPA. Click here to read her testimony, dated November 16, 2007, to Brenda Parrella.
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| Department of Children & Families
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- Foster Care Stipulation from Karl Kemper~ Click here to access the document.
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- DCF Service Re-Procurement Plan~ Click here to read the document, revised and approved July 2008, or click to access the DCF
Re-procurement Timetable
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- DCF Operations Work Group~ Click here to read the 6/12/08 meeting notes.
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- EMPS RFP Process~ Click here to read the 4/16/08 letter from Commissioner Susan Hamilton.
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- DCF 2008 Legislative Proposals~ Click here to access.
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- Table of Organization~ Commissioner Hamilton has releasted DCF's latest table of organization, updated April 2008.
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- Successful completion of the Emily J. settlement for detention-involved children~ Click here to read the October 26, 2007 memo from Commissioner Hamilton.
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- Legislative Program Review & Investigations Committee DCF Study: This study is designed to, “identify strengths, gaps, and redundancies, as well as possible needed improvements to the existing DCF accountability system.” Click here to access the April 2007 Scope of Study as well as the July 2007 Study Update. Click here to access the PowerPoint Presentation slides from the September 25, 2007.
Click on the links to access the testimonies regarding
DCF Evaluation and Monitoring
given on September 25, 2007.
Susan Niemtiz, of Hartford Behavioral Health.
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Department of Children & Families Related Documents |
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| March 2007
| Juan F. Action Plan regarding Outcome Measure # 15 - Foster Care
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| Department of Developmental Services |
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- CMS Technical Guidance for the Home and Community Based Waiver – January 2008~ Click here to view this document.
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- Cost Settlement Analysis and Fund Raising~ Click here to access the document.
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- Draft CLA Licensing Regulations~ Click here to access the document.
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- DDS has issued its latest version of Executive Briefs~ Click here to read the July updates on DDS Initiatives.
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- Appropriations Health & Hospitals Subcommittee Workgroup~ Click here to view the 2/19/08 presentation to the subcommittee.
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- DDS Position Trends~ Click here to access the 2/20/08 detailed memo from Kathryn du Pree, Deputy Commissioner to Terry Edelstein, President/CEO of CCPA regarding DDS Position Trends. This comes as a response to the CCPA request for further information following last month's Developmental Disabilities Division meeting.
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- New Rate Structure and the Rate Analysis Spreadsheet~Through the feedback of providers and regional staff, a number of issues regarding the interim rate structure adopted in 2005 were identified. These included a lack of clarity in determining whether a staffing modifier was needed, how to calculate the amount of hours a staffing modifier was needed, the inadvertent disincentive for an individual to participate in a work program due to a lower reimbursement rate and the complexity of billing on an hourly basis for group settings.
In consultation with the Waiver Workgroup, a subcommittee of the Provider Council, a proposed alternative rate structure for group programs was developed. The proposed new rate structure has four levels of supports (minimum, moderate, comprehensive, and 1:1 staffing). The single rate and the modifier would be eliminated.
The Department is asking all providers to analyze the effect the new Fee for Service rate structure will have on their agency based on FY2007 attendance. Click below for Instructions and the Excel spreadsheet agencies should use to compare the proposed new rate structure with the current Master Contract allocation.
Instructions for Rate Analysis
Fee For Service Rate Anaylsis- Excel Spreadsheet
Draft Rates- 11/01/07 Day Rates- Excel Spreadsheet
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- Budget Summary for the Department of Mental Retardation (DMR) for Fiscal Years (FYs) 2008 and 2009~ Click here to read the 7/2/07 memo from Commissioner Peter H. O'Meara regarding the DMR Budget Summary for FYs 2008-2009.
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- DMR has released its Five Year Plan- Please click here for details.
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DMR Day Program Bonding Funding Still Available~
CCPA had advocated for Day Program Bonding funding throughout the 2005 session. The Legislature appropriated $4M for that purpose. Several providers have taken advantage of this funding, however, at this point significant dollars are still available. We urge providers to take advantage of this funding opportunity. This bonding funding does not have to be repaid. Below is an excerpt from the March Executive Briefs.
The Department’s Revolving Loan Fund continues to have funding available for mortgages to finance CLA development and to provide funding for capital repairs and improvements to existing CLAs. Private agencies that request loans must be nonprofit organizations under the IRS 501(C)(3) code, and the funds must be for the operation of licensed residential facilities. As a “Revolving Loan Fund” program, mortgage and loan repayments that are received each month are added back into the program to allow new loans to be made for CLA development and capital repairs. Interest rates have remained at 6%. Mortgages on CLAs are typically repaid over 30 years; capital repair and improvement loans are repaid over the life of the improvement that has been established by DSS for approved projects. Ed Morettini, Budget Director, should be contacted at (860) 418-6023 to determine availability of loan funds or to answer any specific questions on the Revolving Loan Fund.
The Grant In Aid Program provides grant funds for day program sites operated by IRS 501(C)(3) non-profit Day Service providers. The Legislature provided a $4 million prior authorization for a Grant Program to fund alterations, repairs and improvements to fire, health and safety systems, and/or infrastructures such as electrical, plumbing and energy conservation measures for the efficient operation of programs. Currently $3.5 million is available for new grants. Projects are prioritized to fund code compliance, code recommendations, and upgrades that are necessary for the current needs of day program participants. Individual projects must be recommended by the Department and approved by the Legislature’s Bond Commission before any work to be funded by the Grant can be performed. As a grant program there is no repayment of the funds, however a lien in favor of the State of Connecticut is required to be placed on the property that grant funds are awarded for a period of 10 years. Should the DMR funded day program at the site cease to exist, or if the program is moved from the site prior to 10 years after the grant has been awarded, agencies are required to repay the grant minus 10% for each full year the program was at the site after the date of the grant award. Lori Hall, Fiscal Manager should be contacted at 860-418-6080 to answer any specific questions regarding the Grant In Aid Program.
Additional information and applications for the Revolving Loan Fund and the Grant In Aid Program can be found on the Department’s Web Site under Publications, under the sub section Private Provider Forms.
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- ACOR Reports Available ~ CCPA requested the 2004 and 2005 ACOR Management reports from DMR. Please email swoolley@ccpa-inc.org if you would like the reports emailed to you.
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| Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services
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- DMHAS Plan for Competitive Procurement of Human Services ~ Click here to read the document, dated June 19, 2008.
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- Stephen DiPietro has been appointed as the Chief Fiscal/Administrative Director for the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services ~ Click here to read the official announcment from Commissioner Kirk.
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- DMHAS Provides Legislative Session Summary~ Click here for the May 8, 2008 updates from DMHAS that
will touch on bills that passed and failed during the 2008 legislative session. More information will be forthcoming.
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- DMHAS FY09 Letter to OPM Secretary, Robert L. Genuario~ Click here to read the letter from DMHAS to OPM regarding Midterm Budget Adjustments dated October 19, 2007
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- FY09 Budget Options ~ Click here to access the complete document.
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- DMHAS 2008 Legislative Proposals~ Click here to access.
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- General Assistance (GA) Provider Alert on Co-Occurring Disorders~ Click here to read the alert that addresses an issue raised at a recent Trade Association Group (TAG) meeting regarding GA claims payment for individuals presenting with both a substance use and mental health disorder.
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- DMHAS Re-bidding Process: Click on the following links to access the documents:
Draft- RFP Checklist for RFP Development Group-6/28/07
Dr. Thomas Kirk's Letter to Robert Genuario of OPM regarding- 3/15/07
Mr. David Crompton's Memo to Providers on the Rebid Process- 4/30/07
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| Department of Public Health |
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| Department of Social Services |
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CCPA LETTER TO DSS REGARDING ICF-MR RATE CAP~ CCPA has sent correspondence to Gary Richter, Director of CON and Rate Setting, DSS, regarding concerns about the impact of the rate freeze on ICF-MR providers. Click here to read the letter dated, July 17, 2008.
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- Application for a 1915 (c) Home and Community Based Services Waiver~ Click here to download the application.
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- Fee for Service Medicaid Mental Health Clinic Fee Summary~ 5/23/08. Source: Source: Dr. Mark Schaefer, DSS. Click here for the document.
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- DSS/Targeted Case Management State Plan Amendment ~ Click here to read the CCPA comments and DSS response, May 2008
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| Governor's Office |
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Private Providers ($1,950,000)
This 5% cut in the private provider account represents funds that were not allocated for the annualization of the FY08 COLA adjustment. (OPM calculated that of the $39 M allocated for the FY08 COLA, only $36.8 M was needed to fund the private provider COLA. This left a balance of $3.2 M in the account in FY09 not utilized for annualization.)
While this sum doesn’t affect an individual provider agency or service, the $1.95 M could have been used by community providers to offset increases in energy costs and other unanticipated expenses.
DMHAS
Housing Supports and Services ($629,927)
CCPA is seeking clarification from DMHAS about this 5% reduction in funding. Does this represent start-up delays or does it reflect program cuts?
DSS
Housing/ Homeless Services ($2,122,341)
Does this 5% cut represent start-up delays or does it reflect program cuts?
DCF
Board and Care – Residential ($150,000)
This reduction is less than a .1% reduction in the account.
Judicial
Alternative Incarceration Program ($2,840,242)
Juvenile Alternative Incarceration ($1,546,824)
Juvenile Justice Centers ($158,469)
Youthful Offender Services ($454,465)
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- Governor Vetoes Community Based Human Services Cabinet ~ We are shocked and disappointed that the Governor vetoed PA 08-165, An Act Establishing a Health and Human Services Cabinet. This was a key piece of legislation to develop long term solutions to the community provider funding system. Click to access the Governor’s veto message. CCPA is working to bring the media’s attention to this issue and emphasize the long-term and short-term funding needs of the system.
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- CCPA Writes to Governor Rell~ Click here to read the May 20th letter from Terry Edelstein, President/CEO of CCPA requesting the Governor to place the issue of adequate funding for the community provider system on the agenda for the Legislature's Special Session.
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- Findings and Recommendations of the State Contracting Standards Board~ Click here to read the full report on contracting and uniform procurement. The report includes recommendations for a uniform procurement code and guidelines for privatizing state services. Click here for a summary of their recommendations on privatization written by Elizabeth Petroni, State Contracting Standards Board.
The report recommends that state agencies do business case studies prior to privatization of services to determine if privatization would be in their best interest. If privatization of a particular service results in the significant layoff of state employees, the state agency will go before the State Contracting Standards Board. Providers will not be required to do any cost-benefit analysis on their part.
The key points of the report can be found at this link (December 28, 2006 report):
http://www.das.state.ct.us/Purchase/SCSB/SCSB_Consolidated_Uniform_Procurement_Code%20Report_122806.pdf
Consolidated Uniform Procurement Code Report, Dec. 28, 2006.
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| Office of Policy and Management |
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- Updated Re-Procurement Plans~ DMHAS and DCF have released their updated plans for re-procurement of human services. Click to access the documents along with the DCF Re-procurement Timetable.
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- The Connecticut Nonprofit Human Services Cabinet~ responds to OPM's report, Principles and Procedures for the Competitive Procurement of Human Services. CCPA is part of this group that wrote to Gale Mattison of OPM on February 21, 2008. Click here to access the letter.
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- OPM Releases Purchase of Service Report to Legislature~ The Office of Policy and Management issued “Principles and Procedures for the Competitive Procurement of Human Services” on February 1, 2008. This report to the General Assembly required under PA 07-195 AAC the State Purchase of Service Contracts for Health and Human Services is meant to outline a framework for rebidding/ reprocurement. CCPA worked on concepts to be included in the report and participated in negotiations with OPM about the contracting/ rebidding protocols in conjunction with the Nonprofit Human Services Cabinet.
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- Cost Accounting Standards~ Click here for the latest updates from the Office of Policy and Management~ OPM released a new policy for state-wide cost accounting standards. Click on the link to view the list of Frequently Asked Questions. These standards will override the DMR Cost Standards and will become the uniform cost standards for all providers who contract with human service state agencies.
- All new State awards effective on or after January 1, 2007
- All contract amendments modifying funding effective on or after January 1, 2007
- All State awards effective on or after July 1, 2007
Read this Memo from Gale Mattison, Executive Financial Officer, OPM, to Purchase of Service Agencies and Providers regarding Implementation of Cost Standards, 11/1/06.
Follow this link to review the OPM Cost Standards – Issued 9/1/06 and the accompanying cover letter describing the standards implementation timetable as well as the resolution of the 18% administrative cap issue:
http://www.opm.state.ct.us/finance/pos_standards/coststandards.htm#Documents
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