• We Will See you at the 44th Annual IARF Educational Conference & Expo
• Orchard Village CEO Allison Stark Named DHS-DDD Director
• HFS Outlines Vision/Implementation for Modified Child and Adult Integrated Health Homes
• Ligas Court Monitor Files Report with Judge Coleman
• Deputy Atty. Gen. Brent Stratton Statement’s from Ligas Hearing on 3.5% rate increase
• Marca Bristo steps down as CEO of Access Living
• IDHS-DDD Publishes Informational Bulletin on HRST Implementation
• IDHS Releases Draft Bulletin Describing the Waiver Request Process for DCFS CANTS Registry
• ANCOR Hosts Call on Domestic Worker Bill of Rights
• Opioid Settlement Would Divide Money Based on Local Impact
• ICOY & IlliniCare Add New Orientation Meetings
• Cornerstone Gets $856,000 HUD Grant To Combat Homelessness
• Save the Date for NatCon20
• IAMHP’s Annual Conference Registration Open 
• JCAR Issues Notice of Proposed Rules from Department of Juvenile Justice Regarding ADA 

WE WILL SEE YOU AT THE 44TH ANNUAL IARF EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE & EXPO 
The IARF Conference starts next week and we are looking forward to seeing everyone! Registration opens at 10:30 am on Wednesday. So, for those arriving early stop by registration and pick up your conference swag.  Jonathan Edison will kick-off the Conference at 12:30 pm. His session is sure to be energetic, inspiring and a great start to set the Conference tone. The day continues with the opening of our exhibit hall then leading right into breakout sessions ending with a networking reception in our exhibit hall! 

The second day opens with breakfast in our exhibit hall which provides great opportunity for networking and checking out the booths.  Then, we have more great sessions and two incredible keynotes – Haley Moss in the morning and Shannon Benaitis! After sessions are over and everyone has had a chance to grab a bite for dinner it’s on to Glo Bingo at 8:00 pm. This networking event will be a great time full of blacklights, Bingo, music and CASH PRIZES!  

Now onto the final day, Friday. We start the morning with our keynote speaker, Allan Bergman. Then, one more round of sessions. Finally, we will end with our Awards Brunch where we will announce our 2019 award recipients as well as the Conference Grand Prize Winners! You’ll definitely want to stick around for that! 

Provided below is a helpful document for attendees. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. See you in Bloomington-Normal! (Contact: All Staff) 

What You Need to Know Before You Go 

LIGAS COURT MONITOR FILES REPORT WITH JUDGE COLEMAN
The Ligas Court-appointed Monitor submitted a status report as required by the Court’s on August 12, 2019.  The largest concern noted within the report was the 3.5% rate increase that the General Assembly included in the current year’s budget but has yet to be implemented. Another issue raised was the significant difference between the 3.5% rate increase and minimum wage in Chicago and Cook County, with minimum wage being $13.00 per hour and the 3.5% increase bringing the hourly wage for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) to $12.48.  The Ligas Court- appointed Monitor expressed concern regarding negative impact these issues will have upon beneficiaries of the Consent Decree who are receiving services. (Contact: Beth Owens) 

DEPUTY ATTY. GEN STATEMENT FROM LIGAS HEARING ON RATE INCREASE IMPLEMENTATION
Deputy Atty. Gen. Brent Stratton announced at a Ligas hearing before U.S. Dist. Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman that the Pritzker administration is anticipating federal approval for the 3.5% I/DD rate increase passed by the legislature.   He also reported officials are hopeful that it will be made retroactive to July 1.  Stratton identified that a “Plan B” is under consideration which included asking the legislature to make up the difference when it meets in the fall veto session. (Contact: Beth Owens) 

MARCA BRISTO STEPS DOWN AS CEO OF ACCESS LIVING
In a message to the disability community from Access Living’s Facebook page, Marca Bristo announced she will step down from Access Living as CEO effective immediately.  Marca stated that, “I step down from my leadership with pride, gratitude, and love for the entire Access Living and disability rights community.” In addition to helping found Access Living, Marca is a disability rights activist whose other notable contributions include helping write the ADA and co-founding the National Council on Independent Living. Marca will retain the title and responsibilities of President and Daisy Feidt will take on the role of Acting CEO.    (Contact: Beth Owens) 

IDHS PUBLISHES INFORMATIONAL BULLETIN ON HRST
This Information Bulletin notifies all CILA providers of the implementation of the electronic version of the Health Risk Screening Tool (HRST).  Full text of bulletin  

HRS Inc. provides a paper and electronic version of the HRST. There is a cost, per person, for both versions of this software.  IDHS-DDD reports additional funding will be incorporated into "Miscellaneous Consultants" in each person's CILA rate to cover this monthly cost and will be incorporated into rates at the same time as the 3.5% rate increase.  Additionally, there is a one-time "start-up" cost for the electronic version which DDD has contracted with HRS Inc. to cover for CILA agencies that participate in the initial enrollment for electronic HRSTs. Providers which request a waiver to use paper HRST forms or begin operations after this initial enrollment will have to fund the initial enrollment cost. Specific information regarding the reimbursement rate and costs to utilize the HRST can be found in the IDHS-DD bulletin. 

Detailed information about CILA provider enrollment is not available at this time and is said to be forthcoming at a future date. Members are encouraged to join the HRST session at the IARF conference next week and learn more with Hilary Gaytan from HRS, Inc.  (Contact: Beth Owens) 

IDHS RELEASES DRAFT BULLETIN DESCRIBING THE WAIVER REQUEST PROCESS FOR CANTS REGISTRY
On August 26, 2019, IDHS released a draft bulletin describing the process to request a waiver when a CANTS background check results in a finding.  Full text of the bulletin can be found here.  The waiver request process has been utilized by providers since 2013 but the bulletin introduces a new form to be used when making a CANTS waiver request.  It can be found within the draft bulletin and here.   (Contact: Beth Owens) 
 

OPIOID SETTLEMENT WOULD DIVIDE MONEY BASED ON LOCAL IMPACT 
The multibillion-dollar settlement that the maker of OxyContin is negotiating to settle a crush of lawsuits over the nation's opioid crisis contains formulas for dividing up the money among state and local governments across the country, The Associated Press has learned. 

The formulas would take into account several factors, including opioid distribution in a given jurisdiction, the number of people who misuse opioids and the number of overdose deaths. 

Spelling out the way the settlement is to be split could forestall squabbles over the money and avoid what some see as the mistakes made with the hundreds of billions of dollars received under the nationwide settlement with Big Tobacco during the 1990s. (Contact: Dan Frey)

ICOY & ILLINICARE ADD NEW ORIENTATION MEETINGS 
Due to high demand, ICOY and Illinicare expanded the number and size of the orientation meetings for providers serving children and youth in foster care to understand the November 1 transition to Medicaid managed care. 

You can now register to secure a seat in any of the following meetings around Illinois: 

Chicago/land 
Chicago (more space available) 
September 12 (10 am – 12 pm) 
Register Here! 

Oakbrook Terrace (New meeting10 
October 21 (1 pm – 3 pm) 
Register Here! 

Southern Region 
East St. Louis (more space available) 
September 18 (1-3 pm) 
Register Here! 

East St. Louis 
October 7 (1-3 pm) 
Register Here! 

Central Region 
Urbana-Champaign (More space available) 
October 9 (5-7 pm)
Register Here! 

October 17 
Peoria (new meeting) 
Register Here! 

Northern Region 
Lake Villa (more space available) 
October 2 (10 am – 12 pm) 
Register Here! 

CORNERSTONE GETS $856,000 HUD GRANT TO COMBAT HOMELESSNESS If you have any questions about details, or want to cancel a previous registration to instead sign up for a different meeting date, please contact Alex Hylka at ICOY. 
   
To stay up to date with IlliniCare provider orientation meetings and ICOY’s Medicaid managed care supports for providers, sign up for ICOY’s email list here. Please share this email with your colleagues. (Contact: Dan Frey) 

Over the past several months, Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk has made eradicating homelessness around Joliet a high priority.  On Tuesday morning, the community celebrated another positive development when Cornerstone Services received a grant of $856,220 from the U.S. Development of Housing and Urban Development. 

This money for the Cornerstone Services building on Black Road will provide rental assistance and support services for persons with HIV/AIDS who also have mental illness, people who would otherwise experience homelessness in Will County. (Contact: Dan Frey) 

SAVE THE DATE FOR NATCON20 
Don’t forget to save the date, mark your calendars, and prepare for a whole of lot Texas at NatCon20, April 5-7, 2020, at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas, the “Live Music Capital of the World.”  

Please note the first day of NatCon will be held on a Sunday. Registration and housing will open in early September. To learn more about NatCon20, contact the Conference Team! (Contact: Dan Frey) 

IAMHP’S ANNUAL CONFERENCE REGISTRATION OPEN 
The Illinois Association of Medicaid Health Plans (IAMHP)’s second annual conference us from September 24-26, 2019 at the Tinley Park Convention Center.  The conference is open to Medicaid providers, health systems, and/or advocacy groups or business vendors in healthcare.  This year breakout sessions will focus on five areas: Health Plan operations, Best Practices, Healthcare Social Determinants and Social Justice, Quality & Care Coordination, and Transforming Healthcare.  Click here to register if you are interested in attending.  (Contact: Dan Frey) 

JCAR ISSUES NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE FROM DEPT. OF JUVENILE JUSTICE REGARDING ADA  
In the 8/30/19 issue of the JCAR Register it was noted that the Department of Juvenile Justice has proposed administrative rules regarding grievance procedures as they relate to the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). The notice of proposed rule can be found HERE and is summarized as follows: 

This grievance procedure is established pursuant to the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) requiring that a grievance procedure be established to resolve grievances asserted by qualified individuals with disabilities. In general, the ADA requires that each program, service and activity offered by the Department of Juvenile Justice, when viewed in its entirety, be readily accessible to and usable by qualified individuals with disabilities. It is the intention of the Department of Juvenile Justice to foster open communication with all individuals requesting readily accessible programs, services and activities.  The Department encourages supervisors of programs, services and activities to respond to requests for modifications before they become grievances. 

If any members wish to submit comments or express any concerns regarding these administrative rules, please reach out to IARF staff for assistance. (Contact Luis Andrade)