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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEI Provider Meeting Minutes 4-25-14Early Intervention Provider Meeting Friday, April 25, 2014 Staff Present: Jennifer Johnson, Ashley McCartney, Ed Franchi, Trish Elliott Providers: Holly Whiteside & Natasha Kara (SAM, Inc.), Adam Rowland (Advanta Therapy), Megan Lesko (Building Blocks), Isabel Stennett & Jack Jones (BOPIC, Inc.), Karen Potok (Keystone Service Systems) Conference Call: Jenn Hawbecker & Cynthia Bosserman (UCP), Shelley Tobin & Gloria Branca (Invo HealthCare), Kelly Rice (Sovia Therapy) MEETING MINUTES Welcome & Introductions  Fiscal / Contract Updates There are no fiscal updates. Trish Elliott, EI Program Specialist, sent out an email to all providers letting them know that the County would have a proposed figure for their initial contract for FY 14-15 by the end of the week. Ed, Ashley and Trish have been working on the FY 14- 15 budgets. If anyone has any questions or needs to have a meeting, please let Ashley or Trish know. As a reminder, we look to the state to do re-budgets to meet the needs of the children. In terms of the first re-budget, the County should receive a letter by May 9th. As soon as the first re-budget is received the state is going to immediately proceed with the second re-budget. At that point, depending on what EI receives from the first re- budget, the County will take a look at where the EI budget will end the FY.  Verification Update The State completed the Verification process on March 27th and 28th. Trish is happy to report that EI received a 100% on the verification. Trish thanked all providers, therapists and especially service coordinators for all their hard work. Also, an analysis of data from the 2012-2013 fiscal year led to a finding that Franklin/Fulton MH/ID Program “meets requirements.” The program’s strong performance demonstrates a high level of compliance with the indicators described, which in turn provides evidence that you are appropriately and effectively implementing early intervention services. Steve Gauvry from the State had good things to say about how the program is looking, the use of the budget projection sheets and the fact that EI uses an Independent Evaluation Team. Holly (SAM) ~ one thing that was brought up during the verification was teaching strategies. Beth Fairchild will be doing training on good teaching strategies that are more specific than what is currently being done. As Holly receives the annuals she is looking at the teaching strategies, emailing the SCs the ones that are not specific and Early Intervention Provider Meeting Friday, April 25, 2014 having them ask the therapists to rewrite them. The teaching strategies should be what the family is doing when the therapist is not in the home. Teaching Strategies will be a part of the improvement plan. The SCs will also be reviewing the teaching strategies during monitoring and asking the therapist to rewrite them if they are not specific. Holly has sent Beth an example of every single therapist’s teaching strategies so that they can meet to discuss which ones are good and which need tweaked. The providers have asked that Holly put this information in writing so that they may forward it to their therapists.  Battelle 2 Updates Megan Lesko from Building Blocks and Karen Potok from Keystone Service Systems have started using the Battelle 2 for evaluations. When we started the process it was due to the eligibility and screening tool announcement being changed. The outcome of the DAYC2 was not standardized but objective. The Battelle 2 and independent evaluations was the direction that the State wanted. There have been some issues with the independent evaluations. Trish explained the issue more in detail. Independent evaluation is the choice the county made to be in line with recommendations from the state. Trish is concerned about the feedback she is getting. If there is a problem/concern with the fact that independent evaluations are being done then providers need to talk to their therapists and Trish, not the families. Jenn (UCP) ~ Is there a letter that the SCs are sending to families or a script of what the SCs are telling families regarding the independent evaluation that can be sent to the providers so that everyone is on the same page and the same language is being interpreted at all times? Holly (SAM) ~ We could come up with talking points to pass onto the SCs and therapists but as of right now the information is relayed in person. Holly and Trish discussed that if an issue occurs again there will be follow up. The SCs are trying to portray independent monitoring as being very positive and remarks made to a family were not positive. The SCs explain to families the new process and what is taking place. Trish will work on a letter on why EI went to the Battelle 2 and independent evaluations/annuals. Holly (SAM) ~ Some counties doing the independent evaluation do not allow any correspondence or material coming from the current therapist (such as IFSP, session notes, progress monitoring, etc.). They want it to be 100% non-biased. Franklin/Fulton decided that best practice would be to allow the therapist to have a voice. This is why we encourage the therapist to have the PMOS two weeks in advance to allow the independent evaluators to review the information. We feel the process has been successful and permits coordinated efforts. It also gives therapists more one on one time with the families. Megan (Building Blocks) ~ All of Building Blocks therapists but two treat in other counties, such as Cumberland, York and Adams County. The therapists are not there to question treatment methods. Even if someone has a different opinion, the therapist Early Intervention Provider Meeting Friday, April 25, 2014 would not say it was done wrong. Building Blocks would be happy to hear if anyone has any specific goals or ideas regarding the independent annual evaluation process. We would like to know what areas/goals the therapist would like us to focus on. Karen (Keystone) ~ One issue is what happens when a therapist from Keystone takes toys and equipment into a families’ home and all of a sudden the child does not qualify for services. There needs to be some type of discussion ahead of time to get the equipment back. Holly (SAM) ~ There is a handout regarding what we expect the therapist to do if a child does not qualify at the annual. It was a good idea to take the Battelle 2 slow and introduce it first. We have had a few more informed clinical opinions, which we expected when we switched to the Battelle 2, but as long as the basis for the informed clinical opinion is spelled out there should not be any problems. There have been some children that have not qualified at the annuals since the Battelle 2 went into effect. As we continue to move forward with the Battelle 2 and therapist see that a child is not going to qualify at the annual, we would like to see therapist begin to decrease services. There is currently a waiting list. Holly asked all the providers to take a look at their caseloads to see if they can cut back on a few sessions for the children that will not qualify at the annual. This will enable services for those children not getting services at all. Holly (SAM) ~ There has been an addition to the transition steps as a result of the verification. We are going to have therapists provide progress monitoring to the IUs prior to having the transition evaluation. The SCs cannot provide the information to them but Holly will talk to the SCs to try to facilitate this with the therapists so that the IUs have a chance to look at the information beforehand.  Forms There have been two new forms created which have brought some questions for discussion: result of annual evaluation and consult form. Trish will send out corrected forms. Result of Annual Evaluation: the SC will be filling this form out. The bottom of the form needs corrected. It should state “Please return the signed form to Holly Whiteside within ten days of being notified that the annual is available in Pelican”. The SCs will send the form to the providers when the SC tells them the child continues to be eligible for services. Each therapist should sign at the acknowledgement part of the form. This is to show that the therapist has read the outcomes and they are still current. Therapist will review documentation, (IFSP, evaluations, etc.) sign the form then either email, fax, mail or drop it off at the office to Holly. This form is due to therapist no longer being at the annual meetings. Communication is now through phone and email (preferred method). Jenn (UCP) ~ Is there going to be a form for any changes made during monitoring? It has happened in the past where changes were made during the monitoring and the Early Intervention Provider Meeting Friday, April 25, 2014 therapist has not been notified. Holly (SAM) ~ No, there will not be a form for monitoring. If this situation occurs, email Holly directly so that she may address it with the SCs. Consult Form: this form is when independent consults start. The current therapist working with the child will provide the reasons why they want to do a consult. The SC will put the information on the form then send it to Building Blocks or Keystone, who will be completing the consult. This will start in July. The day the consult is done, if that is the day the service is added, it will be day one of the 14 day deadline. It will contain who was at the meeting, what the outcome is, are we putting the service in and what requirements were made. Advanta Therapy, Invo, UCP, Sovia Therapy and Western PA School for the Deaf will be the providers suggesting consult and why they want it added. This form will be treated as a session note as consults will no longer be put in session notes or the IFSP. The families will receive a copy of the form. One of the providers has asked for a copy of the form as they feel it would be helpful, however if the child is going to receive that service then the information would be provided on the IFSP in the Outcome/Goal section. (This has changed since the meeting after realizing that we do not provide therapists with information produced by another agency). If the current therapist is there, they will complete their own session note. If you are not finding the form is working, please let Trish know.  Miscellaneous Isabel Stennett from BOPIC, Inc. has discussed videotaping an interpretation session. Beth Fairchild is looking to see if anyone has done anything like this before. This will be for people who haven’t worked with an interpreter in the past and will also be a training model. Reminder: providers will have to reapply in Pelican. This is not for three to four years but please keep this in mind.  2014 Provider Meeting Dates All provider meetings are on Fridays at 10:00 a.m. in the Human Services Building at 425 Franklin Farm Lane, Chambersburg. July 18th October 17th The meeting was adjourned. Minutes by Erin Nye