HomeMy WebLinkAboutEI Provider Meeting Minutes 10-21-20Early Intervention Provider Meeting
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Staff Present: Jenn Hawbecker, Stacey Brookens, Erin Nye, Dan Rhodes
Providers Present: Adam Rowland (Advanta Therapy), Lauren Everetts (Fulton County Medical
Center), Deborah Marsilio (Inspire Health and Education), Keith Parker (My Therapy Tree), Krista
& Phillip Miracle (Pediatric Therapy Specialists), Cynthia Bosserman & Lori Beam (PennCares
Support Services), Holly Whiteside (Service Access & Management), Marci Walborn (UCP of Central
PA), Rachel Bechtel (Aspirations), Sila Alegret-Bartel (ICTM)
MEETING MINUTES
1. Welcome & Introductions
This meeting was held via Google Meet. All providers present were introduced and gave a
brief description of their services.
2. Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) Updates
Jenn Hawbecker presented and explained the latest updates from OCDEL in regard to tele-
intervention services and health/safety procedures for in-person services.
Decision Tree: Selecting a Service Delivery Strategy for Early Intervention Services
OCDEL has released a new Decision Tree for deciding whether to provide in-home services
or tele-intervention services. Ultimately, this decision making process should be very
individualized for each child and each service. For example, a child may have a greater need
for physical therapy compared to speech therapy. In this situation, the child would receive
physical therapy in-person while continuing to receive speech therapy through tele-
intervention. OCDEL has emphasized that tele-intervention will continue to be the primary
mode of EI service delivery. Although the majority of services should still be offered through
tele-intervention, providers may follow the guidelines described in the decision tree to
determine whether in-person services are needed. Therapists should reach out to service
coordinators to initiate a team discussion if they believe a need exists and the child’s overall
progress could benefit from in-person services.
Providers should regularly review the current transmission risk of COVID-19 in the counties
they serve and must take this factor into consideration when deciding between in-home
services or tele-intervention services. The Pennsylvania Department of Health currently
classifies the transmission risks in each county as Low, Moderate, or Substantial. Tele-
intervention services should be used almost exclusively if a county has a Substantial risk.
Likewise, in-person services do not completely resume and should still proceed with
caution even if a county has a Low risk. According to the state’s most recent data, Franklin
County has a Moderate risk and Fulton County has a Low risk.
Jenn highlighted two (2) websites that are referenced in the Decision Tree:
“COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System Dashboard”
(https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/Monitoring-
Dashboard.aspx)
“Level of Community Transmission Table”
(https://www.education.pa.gov/Schools/safeschools/emergencyplanning/COVID-
Early Intervention Provider Meeting
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
19/SchoolReopeningGuidance/ReopeningPreKto12/Pages/DeterminingInstruction
alModels.aspx)
Providers should consult these sources of information on transmission risks in specific
counties. The “Level of Community Transmission Table” has been updated weekly since July
and lists the risk level for every county in the state. It is available for download by clicking a
link in the right hand column of the website which states “Access a file that provides levels
of community transmission for all counties in Pennsylvania.” Jenn observed that upcoming
service delivery decisions will continue to rely on this information along with additional
directives/guidance from the Governor, Secretary of Health, and OCDEL.
Masks for Providers
Masks or face shields are required for providers during in-person service delivery. OCDEL
guidance notes that masks offer more effective protection than face shields. Nevertheless,
face shields are acceptable for providers that cannot wear a mask and tend to be better
suited for services such as speech therapy and special instruction.
Masks for Children & Families
Masks or face shields are required for children and families during in-person service
delivery. This requirement applies even when six (6) feet of social distancing is maintained.
Children under two (2) years old are not required to wear a mask but other children in the
household must stay in a separate room if they are not wearing a mask. Providers should
use their own discretion and work with families to encourage mask wearing for children
with sensory needs.
Providers may contact Jenn if they need any masks or face shields. She currently has a
supply of child/adult masks and adult face shields that can be distributed to families.
Screening
Health and safety screenings are required before each in-person visit. If a family member or
provider indicates that they have had a recent illness or traveled to a high risk state in
response to the screening questions, tele-intervention must be offered in place of an in-
person visit.
Waivers
OCDEL has advised providers to check with their own legal counsel regarding the content of
any waivers that families are asked to sign. If a family refuses to sign a waiver and also
declines tele-intervention, there will need to be a conversation involving the family,
provider, and service coordinator to determine whether an agreement is possible.
During the In-Person Session
In-person sessions should take place outside as much as possible prior to the upcoming
colder weather months when these sessions will be indoors only. Providers should limit
which items they are bringing into the home and must stay at least six (6) feet apart from
children and family members at all times.
Jenn will keep providers informed about any additional OCDEL updates.
Early Intervention Provider Meeting
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
3. Billing
Jenn reviewed important reminders for County billing and requested that the providers in
attendance share this information with their billing staff.
After providers enter their billing information into the Provider Reimbursement and
Operations Management Information System (PROMISe), it will be sorted out between
Medical Assistance (MA) funded children and County funded children. Providers will
subsequently receive a remittance advice (RA) from PROMISe. Wav files for each billing
submission are either sent to the state if the child is MA funded or to EI if the child is County
funded. When EI downloads its wav files into the County’s internal billing system, there are
occasionally glitches that make it difficult to determine which voids or adjustments have
occurred and how much the provider is to be paid. For this reason, providers should email
both Jenn and Ashley McCartney to notify them whenever a void or adjustment has
occurred and to explain the reason (i.e. incorrect service/number of units/unit rate).
Following the processing of each week’s wav files, providers will receive a County RA from
Ashley. This RA must be reconciled with the PROMISe RA to ensure that they match.
Providers should also check to confirm that all previously reported voids and adjustments
are included on the County RA and follow up with Jenn/Ashley if any are missing. Lastly,
providers should verify the accuracy of all Electronic Fund Transfers (EFT) and check
payment amounts by reconciling them with their County RAs.
4. New OCDEL Announcements
OCDEL periodically releases announcements on topics related to EI services. These
announcements are listed on the following website:
https://www.education.pa.gov/Early%20Learning/Early%20Intervention/Pages/Early-
Intervention-Announcements.aspx#tab-1. A comments column on the website indicates
whether each announcement pertains to infant/toddler or preschool EI programs. If the
announcement pertains to both programs, there is no entry in this column.
Jenn provided overviews of the recently released announcements on Reportable Incidents
(EI 20-02) and Inclusion of All Children in Early Childhood Education Programs in
Pennsylvania (DS-03). She also discussed a forthcoming announcement on coaching.
Reportable Incidents
This announcement explains the role of EI providers as mandated reporters of child abuse.
Providers are required to report any incidents of child abuse immediately by either calling
ChildLine (1-800-932-0313) or submitting an electronic report on their website
(http://www.keepkidssafe.pa.gov/resources/reportabuse/index.htm). An Early
Intervention Reportable Incident Form should be forwarded to Jenn, Holly Whiteside, and
the child’s service coordinator within twenty-four (24) hours of the ChildLine submission.
The announcement also describes the timeline of investigations when a provider is
suspected of child abuse. Providers will need to update their internal child abuse policies to
reflect the announcement’s guidance. Jenn confirmed that she has updated Franklin/Fulton
EI’s procedure statements with this information.
Early Intervention Provider Meeting
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Inclusion of All Children in Early Childhood Education Programs in Pennsylvania
This announcement contains updated language which describes how EI programs work
with childcare and early learning centers to support the children and families in their
programs. It emphasizes that all children should be included in the early learning
environment regardless of behavioral issues and special needs. EI programs may also assist
childcare and early learning centers in the development of their policies and procedures.
Jenn confirmed that she has updated Franklin/Fulton EI’s procedure statements with this
information.
Coaching
OCDEL will soon be releasing an announcement that will require all counties in
Pennsylvania to use coaching. Franklin/Fulton EI has been using coaching with fidelity as a
service delivery mode for several years. OCDEL is currently developing statewide programs
to support coaching which will be implemented in 2021. Jenn observed that
Franklin/Fulton EI’s providers will not notice many changes due to already being familiar
with coaching. She will share more information with providers after the announcement is
released.
5. FY 19/20 Family Survey Results
The survey response rate improved from 11.26% in FY 18/19 to 26.37% in FY 19/20.
A 100% score was received for most of the categories which indicates that all families either
agreed or strongly agreed with a particular statement about EI services. Lower scores were
received in response to the following statements:
“Helped me to communicate more effectively with the people who work with my
child and family.” (98.70%)
“Helped me know about my child’s and family’s rights concerning EI services (such
as filing a complaint, requesting mediation, due process.” (98.67%)
“Encouraged me to connect with other families (for example, by connecting me to:
Parent to Parent of PA, Parent Training and Information Centers, Family Centers).”
(84.72%)
“Shared information with me about family leadership opportunities.” (81.08%)
“Told me about opportunities to be involved in improving the local Early
Intervention Program.” (86.49%).
Jenn noted that families tend to answer questions more negatively if they feel that certain
resources are not needed. The survey results highlight the possibility of getting families
more involved with the Local Interagency Coordinating Councils (LICC) and increasing their
awareness of leadership opportunities in the EI program.
6. Special Instruction (SI) – Vision Needed
A SI Vision provider is still needed in Franklin County. The Tuscarora Intermediate Unit
(TIU) covers these services in Fulton County. Providers may refer any potential candidates
to Jenn.
Early Intervention Provider Meeting
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
7. Interpretation
Jenn asked providers if they had any questions about International Corporate Training and
Marketing (ICTM)’s interpretation services and encouraged them to share their experiences
so far.
Cynthia Bosserman stated that PennCares’ therapists are reporting that ICTM’s services are
easy to set up and their interpreters are very professional. She thanked Jenn for her efforts
to arrange County funding for interpretation services through ICTM.
Sila Alegret-Bartel mentioned that interpretation services have been going well overall with
only a few minor glitches that would be expected during the implementation of a new
program.
Krista Miracle asked for clarification of how ICTM handles scheduling when a family’s
regular interpreter is not available. Sila confirmed that ICTM will assign another interpreter
so that services are not interrupted. These backup interpreters are able to provide coverage
during the regular interpreter’s vacation or on short notice in the event of an illness or
family emergency. ICTM will notify the therapist and family whenever a backup interpreter
has been assigned to their session.
8. Early Intervention Technical Assistance (EITA) Portal – COVID Resources for
Providers and Families
The EITA Portal website (http://www.eita-pa.org/) currently features “Resources to
Support Early Intervention Work During COVID-19” and “Resources to Support Families
During COVID-19.” Provider staff may complete the various trainings/job aides and record
them as training time.
9. Staff Clearances
The Wolf Administration has extended the deadline for FBI clearances to December 31st due
to the temporary closures of many fingerprinting locations earlier this year. New hires and
staff needing a renewed FBI clearance should schedule their fingerprinting appointment as
soon as possible in order to allow adequate time for processing. The State Police and Child
Abuse clearances can be processed immediately through online applications. Providers may
refer to the following press release for additional details:
https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/DHS_details.aspx?newsid=611.
10. Medicaid Management Information Systems (MMIS) 2020 Platform
Jenn recently received an email from OCDEL which announces that the MMIS 2020 Platform
will eventually be replacing PROMISe. The email has various links to information about the
MMIS 2020 Platform. Jenn will forward this email to all providers and continue to share any
additional updates that are received.
Early Intervention Provider Meeting
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
11. Provider Updates and Announcements
ICTM
Sila shared it has been a pleasure to work as a team with providers to offer translation and
interpretation services for EI in Franklin/Fulton Counties. ICTM has several years of
experience offering these services for EI in Cumberland/Perry Counties. Providers were
encouraged to contact Sila if they have any questions/suggestions/recommendations for
improving services or the team relationship with ICTM.
UCP of Central PA
UCP of Central PA has been working to become a centralized inventory site for the TechOwl
Lending Library’s assistive technology items. In the past, these items were shipped from
one location statewide. UCP of Central PA will now be responsible for housing the items and
shipping them to surrounding counties.
Individuals can browse and check for a specific item’s availability on the TechOwl Lending
Library’s website (https://techowlpa.org/library/). There are currently plans to create
TechOwl user accounts so that a library card number will no longer be needed to request a
loan for an item and individuals will be able to monitor their loan history. The loan period
for all items has been extended to four (4) weeks. Examples of items that are available
through the TechOwl Lending Library include iPads, Chromebooks, speech and
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices, adaptive toys, and switch
access. Therapists can request a loan for an item to trial with their clients and can also
request items that are not currently available through the TechOwl Lending Library.
PennCares Support Services
The PennCares’ online Preschool Group is currently in its second week and has been going
well so far. Sixteen (16) children are participating in virtual meetings through Zoom and
other online activities that are posted after each meeting. The children have been very
engaged and are responding better than anticipated. There are seven (7) children on the
waiting list for the next scheduled session of online Preschool Group meetings.
Service Access & Management (SAM)
The Battelle Developmental Inventory-2 is now being used as the primary testing tool for
in-person evaluations. Holly had been concerned about children not qualifying for EI
services or only qualifying through Informed Clinical Opinion (IOC) when the
Developmental Assessment of Young Children (DAYC) was being used during tele-
intervention evaluations.
Service coordinators have continued to schedule in-person and tele-intervention sessions
on a case by case basis depending on the family’s preferences and the child’s progress.
Jessica Volk has resigned and her last day will be on November 6th. There are no plans to
replace her position at this time due to historically low caseloads and the uncertainty of
training new staff during COVID-19. Jessica’s current cases will be reassigned to other
service coordinators.
My Therapy Tree
My Therapy Tree hosted a well-received Infant Massage training for its staff in September.
Early Intervention Provider Meeting
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Pediatric Therapy Specialists
Krista Miracle and Ramona Torres are currently the only staff working at the Pediatric
Therapy Specialists office. All other staff are working from home. Krista thanked other
providers for their patience during this time.
Advanta Therapy
Adam Rowland reported that he has taken over Gina Rowland’s former caseload after she
accepted a school position in Boonsboro, MD.
12. Provider Reports Due Prior to the Next Meeting
Audited Financial Report (for fiscal year ending June 30th) – December 31st
Audit Engagement/Extension Letter (for calendar year ending December 31st)–
January 10th
Monthly Billing – due 15th of each month
Employee Debarment and Exclusion Check – due 15th of each month
Reminders of these reports are sent out 3-4 weeks prior to their due date. You can also review
them in procedure statement MHIDDEI-416 Contract Required Reports and Due Dates.
Next Meeting: Wednesday, January 20, 2021 starting at 10:00 a.m.
2021 Meeting dates:
January 21 April 21 July 21 October 20
Minutes by Dan Rhodes