November 2014
By Laura McKenzie
FEE FOR SERVICE – July 01, 2013
More accountability for
resource coordination
services rendered.
Restructuring to
accommodate the new
demands of documentation
and fee structure led to less
accessibility
What are units? – One unit = 8-22 minutes
(Activities: Emails, Phone Calls, Faxes, Face to Face Visits, Documentation)
Assigned Categories for Clients
Units Available per Category
Waitlist Categories:
Current Request
Crisis Prevention
Crisis Resolution
- 60
- 112
- 168
In Services:
Community Coordination
- 212
MORE UNITS CAN BE REQUESTED BUT THERE’S NOT AN ENDLESS SUPPLY
Which Transitioning Youth does
FFS affect the most?
• Students needing residential services
• Students with especially challenging
behaviors
• Students who are medically fragile
Make the most
of the units available :
• Travel together for tours
• Schedule phone
conversations
• Complete provider
applications
• Have as much information
prepared on your child as
possible
• Ask how you can be
helpful
Still not getting the help you need?
• Parent contacted me saying the RC stated she was unavailable for
tours and she also had no suggestions for providers outside of her
county of origin. What is a parent to do?
• Parent was blind sided by a school system’s announcement that
they would not be paying for an additional year as promised
leaving her to locate a day and residential provider in three
months. Her son was especially low functioning and needed 1:1
support. The RC was communicative and helpful at first but then
all of a sudden stopped responding via email explaining she was
busy and that she was out of units and would need to keep her
contacts brief via email since from this point forward she wouldn’t
be getting paid for services rendered. What is a parent to do?
• Parent of a student who graduates next year - My son’s resource
coordinator has refused to give me a list of providers. She says I
have to wait until his exit year to get it. What is a parent to do?
Transition Coordinator –
Filling the resource coordination service gap
• Providing provider specific information - DDA Homepage
• Guidance on what to ask a provider –
Residential services: Guide for Choosing a Residential Service
Provider for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities
Day and Residential Services: Finding Developmental
Disabilities Services for Your Loved One: Help in Navigating Ohio's
Maze
• Taking tours with families
• Communicating directly with the Resource Coordinator/Provider
• Assisting with completing applications
Meeting the need not stepping on toes
• Understand the division of
responsibility
• Make sure everyone is connected
• Communicate your concerns and
any steps you have taken towards
finding a provider
• Communicate frequently –
weekly, monthly, as needed.
• Send updates in a team format
when possible
• Ask for contact information for
the level above
Know the timeline
18 years old
Two years
before exit
• Consider
• Start
guardianship
researching
options and
providers
make a decision • For students
• SSI
needing
residential, is
• DDA – Is your
DSS involved?
child on the
waitlist? Do you
have a resource
coordinator?
Summer
before Exit
Year
• Working on
applications
• May need to
start earlier if
you know the
provider is in
high demand
December
of Exit Year
Around
February of
Exit Year
• Ideally, have a
• Waiver
provider chosen
paperwork
but at least have
must be signed
three legitimate
and submitted
options set for
after graduation
Know the services –
Medicaid Waiver funded
Services that require additional
Transitioning Youth Services approval
• Supported Employment
• Employment Discovery
and Customization
• Day Habilitation
• Community Learning
Services
• Residential
• Community Supported
Living Arrangements
(CSLA)
• Individual Support
Services (ISS)
Know your rights
• You can choose your resource
coordination provider
• Be informed – Attend meetings as much
as possible whether through your local
school system, DDA, or a provider. Family
Education Series - ARC
• Share information
References
Finding developmental disabilities services for your loved one: Helping in
navigating Ohio's maze. (n.d.). Retrieved October 3, 2014, from
https://doddportal.dodd.ohio.gov/Documents/handbookdevelopmentaldisabilities.pdf
Guide for choosing residential service provider for individuals with
developmental disabilities. (n.d.). Retrieved October 3, 2014, from
http://www.opwdd.ny.gov/opwdd_regulations_guidance/guidance_documen
ts/guide_for_choosing_a_residential_service_provider_for_individuals_with_
developmental_disabilities
Overview of DDA. (n.d.). Retrieved October 3, 2014, from
http://dda.dhmh.maryland.gov/SitePages/Home.aspx
Parent Support and Education. (n.d.). Retrieved October 3, 2014, from
http://www.thearcbaltimore.org/family_workshops.html