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Conference Program (PDF)
Conference Registration/Hotel Information
Sponsor/Ad/Exhibit
Flyers & Forms
Conference Schedule
WEDNESDAY,
October 7, 2009
8:15 am to 11:45
am: PPAT Member
Meeting and Annual Board Elections
1:00 pm to 4:45
pm:
Welcome
& Key Note -
Managed Care vs Managing Care
Robert M. Gettings,
national expert on public policy and former Director of the National
Association of State Directors of Developmental Disability Services
(NASDDDS), will conduct a two-part session on
trends in service delivery across the states and
implications of national health care reform legislation for persons
with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Given the
deliberations and ultimate directive to develop a plan to implement
a capitated and non-capitated managed care pilot for the IDD service
system resultant from the 81sth
Legislative Session, it is critical we are familiar with the managed
care designs used in other states and their respective impact on
those providing the services and, more importantly, those receiving
the services.
(two part session)
5:00 pm to 7:30
pm: Welcoming
Reception & Silent Auction Opening
Hors D'Oeuvres & Cash Bar
THURSDAY, October
8, 2009
7:00 am to 8:00
am:
Breakfast with Exhibitors
7:00 am to 6:00 pm:
Exhibit Hall Open
7:30 am to 5:00 pm:
Registration Open
8:00
am to 8:45 am:
Concurrent Sessions
-
Section 48:
Transfer of Case Management,
Cheryl Craddock-Melchor, DADS; Mary Skillman, DADS; Debbie
Little Smith, DADS; Ken Collins, MHMRA of Harris County; Susan
Garnett, MHMR of Tarrant County; Melissa Rasco, CALAB, Inc.;
Richard Hernandez, EduCare and
Amy Mizcles, The Arc, If you have not heard, the 81st Texas
Legislature directed the transfer of the case management function
from the HCS provider to the MRA. The targeted implementation date
for the transfer to occur is June 1, 2010. This session will
review the impetus for the mandate, the plans for implementation,
the delineation of the responsibilities of the provider and those
of the MRA and other processes related to this legislative
mandate. If you are an HCS provider, MRA or family member or
person receiving HSC services, you will not want to miss this
session! Time will be allotted to ask questions and share ideas on
how to ensure the success of this initiative – not only ideas
related to regulatory and policy issues, but also ideas on how
providers and MRAs can adjust their current organizational
structure in fulfilling their roles and ideas on how families and
persons receiving services can smoothly navigate the transition to
this change in HSC service provision.
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Texas
Microboard Collaboration,
Lisa Rivers, ARC of
Texas:
Don’t know what a microboard is? This session will provide the
answer, as well as, other details about the Texas Microboard
Collaboration including how to form a microboard under the Texas
Medicaid program for your family member with a disability and the
benefits of managing a “natural support microboard.”
-
Fair Housing,
Garth Corbett, Advocacy, Inc.: Join us for a
discussion of how local governmental entities, neighborhood groups
and unrelated persons violate the premise that single family homes
are for those who are actually related by family. A review of
disability-based discrimination laws related to a national
commitment to end the unnecessary exclusion of persons with
disabilities from the American mainstream will also occur.
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The Ethics of Touch,
Cema Mastroleo, SafePlace,
Attendees will learn ways to establish and maintain appropriate
boundaries in service provision to people with disabilities based
on the work of Dave Hingsburger. Topics will include a review of
and discussion on touches exchanged during social opportunities -
from affection expression to intimate services such as bathing and
toileting - in ways that respect people with disabilities dignity
and safety, as well as staff appropriate professional boundaries.
9:00 am to 10:00 am:
Concurrent Sessions
-
Section 48: Transfer of Case
Management, cont’d.
-
Positive Behavior Support (PBS)
Collaborating to Support Individuals w/ Challenging Behaviors,
Nancy Rosenau & Michael Tucker, Every Child, Inc., An
overview of PBS and outline of its critical features will be
presented. The session will also explore the benefits of
implementing PBS on an organization-wide basis and provide details
about current collaborations and opportunities for future
collaboration with providers to achieve this goal.
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Texas Medicaid Buy-in Program for
Eligible Working People with Disabilities, Elizabeth
Gregowitz, DARS, This exciting new program offers affordable
health coverage to eligible people with disabilities who are
employed and need health insurance, or who want to significantly
increase their earnings while keeping their Medicaid benefits.
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Abuse: Indicators, Response, and Safety
Planning, Cema Mastroleo, SafePlace, A dialogue
with providers regarding possible indicators of abuse against
people with disabilities; tips on how to sensitively respond to
the various ways people with disabilities may disclose abuse; and
referrals for safety planning to reduce the risks of violence.
10:00 am to 10:30 am:
Refreshment Break in Exhibit Hall
10:30
am to Noon:
Concurrent Sessions
-
Emergency Preparedness Update,
Chris Adams, Director of Survey Operations, DADS, DADS
Regulatory Services staff will present an update on the statewide
plans for emergency preparedness/response for long-term care
providers including ICFs/MR and IDD waiver providers to include
provider developed emergency response plans, use of the FIVES
reporting system, transportation and relocation resources
identification, sheltering in place and re-entry preparedness
planning. Additionally, time will be allocated for questions and
answers for attendees to gain additional information about
regulatory compliance requirements related specifically to
emergency preparedness and response.
-
Aging Consumers: A Crisis in the Making,
Angela King, Volunteers of America, Inc., As people
with developmental disabilities are aging in increasing numbers
the service system is struggling to find answers to address the
service support issues they face. Across the country new options
are appearing and sometimes old options are being resurrected.
This session will focus on various support services being
developed in other states and how these options might be applied
in Texas.
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Labor Laws, Dana Stripling,
Garlo Ward, P.C., Understanding and complying with labor laws
is a never-ending challenge with ever-changing requirements. The
current Administration has vowed to crack down on wage and hour,
discrimination, immigrant employment and other abuses and has
recently authorized significant funding for more agency auditors
and investigators. Immigration agents have been specifically
instructed to shift focus from rounding up illegal workers to
identifying and penalizing violating employers. This session will
discuss the most problematic laws for providers including: wage
and hour exemptions, overtime and deductions; managing employee
leave time; latest developments in Supreme Court decisions and new
legal requirements under several 2009 and other recent amendments,
including FMLA, anti-discrimination laws, I-9 compliance,
increasing union activities affecting even non-unionized
providers, and employee fraud and theft issues. Attendees will
receive training, practical tools and forms to craft effective and
compliant employee policies and practices that can be implemented
to insulate their companies against employee claims. The session
will also review policies and practices related to recovering
expenses from employees, including losses for stolen, unreturned
or damaged facility property as well as DADS training and policy
Compliance for Corporate Compliance/Fair Debt Reduction Act
requirements.
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HCS Nursing Services Billing Issues Under
the Current and Proposed Guidelines, Jan Strickland,
JCS Consulting and Ton Blackwell, D & S Residential, Many
providers have voiced a number of concerns regarding the billing
of HCS Nursing Services. Some of these issues involve what
services can be done by unlicensed personnel. It also includes
what services must be done by an RN rather than an LVN. We will
address justification for nursing based on consumer needs. This
presentation will provide a format for addressing such concerns
through an open discussion with questions and answers.
Noon to 1:15 pm:
Lunch on your own
1:15
pm to 2:45 pm:
Concurrent Sessions
-
How to Protect Yourself from Personal
Liability, Julie K. Plowman, Garlo Ward, P.C.,
This session will address a range of legal issues that must be
considered to run your business most efficiently while reducing
your risk of legal claims. The session will also provide a brief
overview of recent changes in employment law.
-
Swine Flu: What You Need to Know,
Neil Pascoe, DSHS, Information on infections in the
community that have been of concern for years such as MRSA (Methicillin
Resistant Staphylococcus aureus), have changed epidemiology
(Clostridium difficile) or new infections that are emerging
(pandemic influenza H1N1) will be discussed. Mr. Pascoe, senior
epidemiologist in the infectious disease control unit at DSHS,
will share his observations on these conditions as well as general
control measures that can be applied to any setting.
-
Say What You Need to Say,
Joanalys B. Smith, Law Offices of Joanalys B. Smith, A year in
regulatory review, this presentation will survey the recurring
themes in survey, billing and cost report reviews. In addition to
arming you with the information to prevent the problems of the
recent past from becoming your own, the presentation will provide
tips on potential pitfalls in new regulation.
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Building A Professional Direct Support
Workforce, Linda Petrini, Web Footed Friends, Inc.,
This presentation, based on a special study created by Ms. Petrini,
outlines the participation of many industry leaders across the
country in and the application of a unique project involving
approximately 1,000 Direct Support Professionals (DSP) in
different work settings. Not “just another study,” this effort was
designed to develop new systems to indentify the unique DSP roles
based on work setting and characteristics of those served.
Researchers have mapped top performance traits of DSPs to help
providers understand what characteristics they should be looking
for when hiring staff. This strategy has been successful in other
industries, increasing productivity, retention, and cost control
and customer satisfaction. The applications of the information
system created from the research are vast. Ms. Petrini will
discuss the impact on turnover, recruitment, training,
communication, management and increasing capacity. She will also
discuss how this can be accomplished without the need to find more
money and how these improvements will save money for the public
and private sectors. Learn about the Return on Investment (ROI)
that is better than Wall Street offered in the good old days! This
is a project “for the industry, by the industry” so please be
prepared to share your comments and questions!
2:45 pm to 3:15pm:
Refreshment Break in Exhibit Hall
3:15 pm to 4:45pm:
Concurrent Sessions
-
Cost Report Regulations, Pam
Peters, Garlo Ward, P.C., This session will introduce the
intersection of legal and regulatory issues in the ICF/MR and HCS
cost reporting processes.
-
End of Life and Advance Directives,
Jerri Ward, Garlo Ward, P.C., This session will discuss
current issues and regulations related to end of life and advance
directive decisions.
-
Why Can’t We Be Friends?
Joanalys B. Smith, Law Offices of Joanalys B. Smith,
Solicitation is a growing concern in our industry as well as a
barrier to collaboration and cooperation among providers. This
presentation discusses the current status of the law in the area
of solicitation and permissible responses to events which give
rise to a concern about solicitation. Participants will receive an
agreement for use with their staff, intended to limit the
opportunity for solicitation.
-
TCDD, Enabling Technology
Grant,
Joanna Cordry, TCDD Planning Coordinator,
and Melissa Loe, TCDD Communications Coordinator, The Texas
Council for Developmental Disabilities is a federally funded state
agency with a mission to “create change so all people with
disabilities will be fully included in their communities and
exercise control over their own lives.” The Council consists of
27 governor appointed individuals, at least 60% of whom are adults
with disabilities or parents whose children have disabilities.
The Council staff, at the guidance of the Council, actively
advocate for policies that support the Council’s mission and
manage a variety of grant projects around the state. Speakers
will provide a brief overview of the Council and discuss one
specific future grant project, “Enabling Technology.” Through
this grant, the Council intends to promote the formation of
partnerships between organizations that serve people with
developmental disabilities and organizations in the technology
industry and to support those partnerships to develop and
demonstrate technology that assists people with developmental
disabilities to be more independent.
5:15 pm to 7:00
pm: Happy Hour &
Silent Auction Closing - Cash Bar
FRIDAY, October
9, 2009
8:00 am to 3:30 pm:
Registration Open
8:15
am to 9:15 am:
Concurrent Sessions
-
Provider Reimbursement: Impact of Changes
for FY 2010-2011, Dennis Henegar, Henegar &
Associate, LLC, Between the 81st Legislature and mandated
changes from CMS, the reimbursement structure that will be
effective in FYs 2010-2011 will have a significant impact on
provider operations. The changes include: a 1.75% ICF/MR rate
adjustment; redistribution of the HCS administrative and
operations fees across HCS services; application of the HCS “hold
harmless” funds resultant from the transfer of the case management
function and related funds from the provider to the MRA; and
implementation of HHSC Rider 67 related to replacement of the
current fiscal accountability requirements with either a wage
enhancement program or some other performance measure to monitor
provider spending. This session will review these changes and
related factors in detail, including: a) impetus for the changes,
b) factors used in determining the rates, c) how such factors
affected the rate models, hence the rates, d) how the changes will
impact cost reporting, and e) how providers will need to adjust
their operations to accommodate these changes.
-
Investigating Abuse, Neglect and
Exploitation: Update From and Discussion with APS,
Karl Urban, DFPS and Wendy Ivy, DFPS, SB 643 (Senator Nelson) - 81st Texas
Legislature - changed responsibility for investigations in private
ICFs/MR from the Department of Aging and Disability Services to
the Adult Protective Services (APS) program under the Department
of Family and Protective Services. Other legislation also affected
the overall investigation program. This session will provide an
overview of APS implementation plans, discuss other current or
potential program changes/issues, and provide an opportunity for
provider feedback and dialogue with program leadership.
-
Supported Employment,
Adrienne Nevola, DADS, Calling HCS, CLASS and ICF/MR providers
– this session will provide an overview of DADS' Supported
Employment Initiative including the Employment First pilot in the
HCS program and expansion of the state supported living center
pilot in collaboration with the Department of Assistive and
Rehabilitative Services (DARS).
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Adhering to HCS Behavioral Restraint
Regulations, Mike Messinger, MGM Consulting,
This presentation will (1) review statistics for physical
holds, and injuries and deaths resulting from physical holds; (2)
examine the latest trends on reduction of physical holds;
(3) cover changes in the Department of Family and Protective
Services' standards for seclusion, physical holds and training
requirements over the last 5 years; (4) discuss ways to meet these
standards; and (5) encourage participants to share their training
issues and struggles in order to ensure standards are met and
reviewers are happy.
9:15
am to 10:15 am:
Concurrent Sessions
-
Provider Reimbursement: Impact of Changes for FY
2010-2011, cont’d.
-
Investigating Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation,
cont’d.
-
Increasing Staff Performance to Achieve
Effective Supports, John Casner, M.Ed., Casner
Consulting Services, Providing quality supports requires
direct support staff to provide specific activities and exercise
specific skills that will result in effective supports and desired
consumer outcomes. Research has identified strategies that will
increase staff performance in Implementing and documenting
behavior support plans, skill acquisition plans, and keeping
people engaged in leisure activities. This presentation will
review the professional literature in this area and describe how
to establish ongoing management strategies to increase staff
performance that will result in improved consumer outcomes.
-
Special Olympics, Mike
Sullivan, Special Olympics, Information on "transition" tools
for postgraduate adult athletes moving from the school system to
adult life will be presented. An overview of all Special Olympics
programs with emphasis on the Unified Partners program for
intellectually disabled adults that will be partnering with
seniors citizens and young business professionals to form unified
sports teams will also be discussed.
10:15 am to 10:30 am:
Refreshment Break
10:30
am to Noon:
Concurrent Sessions
-
Changes in the HCS Survey Process,
Debbie Little Smith, DADS, Waiver Survey and
Certification will present information on the new residential and
foster care review process mandated by the legislature, the
revised certification review process, and the expansion of the
Waiver Survey and Certification unit. Review tools that will be
used for residential and certification reviews will be shared.
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Technology for People with Disabilities,
Dustin Wright, General Manager, Rest-Assured,
Learn the latest in wireless technology for in-home support
services for consumers, how it works, and its benefits. Session
attendees will learn how the system works, benefits of using a
wireless technology system, cost savings associated and barriers
with public funding sources.
-
Increasing Staff Performance
to Achieve Effective Supports, cont’d.
-
New Criminal History Check Requirements,
Ronnie Lane, Texas Department of Public Safety
Noon to 1:15 pm:
Lunch on your own
1:15 pm to 3:30
pm: Closing Session
- (Refreshment Break 2:30 to 2:45)
The 81st
Legislative
Session and Its Impact on Services to Persons with Intellectual and
Developmental Disabilities:
Facilitated by Greg Hooser, Sneed, Vine & Perry, this session will
afford attendees the opportunity to hear from key state leadership
an overview of the decisions that were made by the 81st Legislature
regarding the Texas health and human services system, how these
decisions will impact the system and what factors influenced the
decisions that were made.
Don’t Miss This
Opportunity for Learning, Networking and Fun!
The Program has
Something for Everyone…
So Please Join
Us in October by
Registering You and Your Staff Now!
Questions? Call
the PPAT Office at 512.452.8188.
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