STATEWIDE PROVIDER MEETING NEXT WEEK
Next Tuesday, IARF, The Arc, The Institute and The Center will host the next meeting in the bi-weekly series of statewide provider calls to continue the discussion with providers on topics of interest related to the delivery of day services to people in CILA, HBS, ICFDD and CDS-only settings. All Illinois I/DD providers are welcome to attend. The meeting will be held on December 22^nd at 11:00 AM via Zoom. Click here to register. (Contact: All staff)

IDPH COVID-19 MASS VACCINE WEBINAR MONDAY 12/21/2020 @ NOON
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) invites you to a briefing on the COVID-19 mass vaccination plan, to be held on Monday, December 21 from 12:00pm-1:00pm. Register Here.
The meeting will consist of an overview of the program by IDPH staff, to be followed by a question and answer session. We hope to see you there! (Contact: Luis Andrade)

NEW MINIMUM WAGE RATES SET TO TAKE EFFECT ON NEW YEAR’S DAY
Illinoisans will ring in the New Year with an additional increase in the minimum wage to $11 an hour, and the Illinois Department of Labor is encouraging employees to watch their paychecks to ensure that time worked in 2021 is paid at the new rate.
 
Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation into law in 2019 providing a path to a $15 minimum wage by 2025. Minimum wage earners received two increases in 2020 to $9.25 an hour on January 1 followed by an increase to $10 an hour on July 1. The minimum wage will continue to increase an additional $1 an hour each January 1 until it reaches $15 an hour in 2025. (Contact: Dan Frey)

HORTON GROUP HOSTS WEBINAR ON COVID-19 VACCINATIONS: WHAT EMPLOYERS NEED TO CONSIDER
This past week, the Horton Group hosted a Webinar geared towards employers regarding the forthcoming COVID-19 Vaccine. The Webinar focused on different policies available to employers and HR department’s regarding mandatory vs. optional vaccination programs for employers. The webinar generally recommended employers engage in an optional vaccination program with a strong educational/training component for their employees. As always, they also recommend employers checking with internal counsel on all HR policies.
 
Other salient points from the webinar included:

• Recommendations for updating employee handbooks perhaps on a quarterly basis, to ensure compliance with the latest CDC, OHSA, and EEOC policies, as these policies are being updated at a rapid pace;
• An examination of vaccine administration with different insurance coverages I.e. self-insured, group insurance, etc.;
• Best to have a clear understanding of the state of Il’s Worker’s Comp insurance. This is currently a “grey” area regarding vaccination policies;
• Concerns regarding vaccination policies in terms of collective bargaining; and
• Reasonable accommodations and religious exemptions in the event someone doesn’t want to take the vaccine.

The webinar was recorded and can be seen at the following LINK. (Contact: Luis Andrade)
 
HEALING ILLINOIS ANNOUNCED $4.5 MILLION IN AWARDS FOR RACIAL HEALING EFFORTS
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) have announced the recipients of $4.5 million in funding for community-based activities to advance racial healing.
 
Healing Illinois, an initiative to engage residents of communities across the state that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 in meaningful dialogue, has selected 179 organizations to receive awards. The organizations will use the funding to create community-centric, inclusive spaces to talk, learn and grow, supporting the initiative’s overarching goals: to build and advance knowledge and understanding of racial healing and racial equity in communities across the state; increase trust and relationship building among the residents of Illinois; and provide opportunities for communities and individuals to begin to heal from the harms caused by racism. (Contact: Dan Frey)

MMAI PROGRAM EXPANDING STATEWIDE JULY 1, 2021
Effective July 1, 2021, the Medicare-Medicaid Alignment Initiative (MMAI) program will be expanding statewide. The implementation date of the MMAI statewide expansion was moved to July 1, 2021 due to the impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
 
Working toward a July 1, 2021 implementation date, the MMAI plans have resumed contracting efforts with providers. The Department will be conducting network adequacy reviews with the MMAI plans beginning in early 2021. Providers of all specialties and localities are strongly encouraged to join the multiple MMAI plan networks as soon as possible in order to participate in the statewide MMAI program.  For more information click here. (Contact: Dan Frey)
 
NATIONAL DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS SURVEY
The Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota, in partnership with the National Alliance of Direct Support Professionals, is conducting a survey on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on direct support professionals. After more than eight months since a national emergency was declared, we want to know how DSPs are doing and identify the most effective ways to protect DSPs and the people they support. For this survey, we are seeking at least 200 responses from every state. We will share both national and state-specific results with you in March 2021. The survey will be open through January 4, 2021.
 
Direct support professionals, like the people with disabilities they support, face a high risk of infection during the coronavirus pandemic. They also face financial hardship, exhaustion, and challenges in supporting their families. A similar survey of DSPs was conducted by ICI and NADSP in the spring of 2020 and completed by more than 9,000 DSPs. Those results are available here. The new survey is for both DSPs who completed the earlier survey and those who did not.  Direct Support Professionals can complete the new survey here. Their answers will be anonymous. National and state-specific results from the survey will be shared widely in March 2021. (Contact: Maggie Henley)

EXPANDING DIGITAL ACCESS - PCS FOR PEOPLE
Governor JB Pritzker announced a first of its kind initiative in Illinois to expand digital access for low-income households throughout the state. Through a unique partnership with PCs for People, the State of Illinois will launch a statewide network to deploy refurbished computers, digital literacy programming and workforce development.
 
To further expand digital access across the state, the Governor has issued call to action to public, private and philanthropic sectors to donate used equipment and build on a network already set to deploy at least 20,000 refurbished computers annually for Illinois families. For more information on how to recycle technology or to apply for an upgraded device, please visit Illinois.gov/computerequitynetwork.
 
Illinois households without access to a working computer or internet or those seeking to donate are encouraged to visit PCs for People’s website to register and learn more about how they can request a computer. To be eligible, residents must be below 200 percent of the poverty level or enrolled in income-based government assistance program, such as free and reduced school lunch, Medicaid, and SNAP. (Contact: Beth Owens)

COVID-19 AND DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT: EMERGING PRACTICES TO EMPLOY AND PROTECT WORKERS
To help employers navigate issues related to COVID-19, the Office of Disability Employment Policy-funded Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) developed a policy brief titled COVID-19 and Job Applicants and Employees with Disabilities: Emerging Practices to Employ and Protect Workers. The tool highlights practices employers can use as workers return to the workplace during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in ways that facilitate equal employment opportunities for qualified individuals with disabilities—while protecting all employees' health and safety. It may be useful to a variety of employer representatives such as human resources, equal employment opportunity, and diversity and inclusion professionals so that all involved understand the different perspectives that should be considered. (Contact: Beth Owens)

DHS ISSUES CLARIFICATION ON ICF/DD DAY PROGRAM BILLING
What is the effective date for an ICF/DD to bill their own day program?

• The effective date for billing is the date of the provider notice (11/24/2020).

What is considered sufficient documentation to begin billing?

• ICF/DD’s should get correspondence from the day service provider stating either they are not open and/or will not be coming on site to provide services.  This should be kept on file and may be requested by the Division.
• In addition, the ICF/DD should keep all documentation pertaining to the administration of their day program to residents of their ICF/DDs. This also may be requested by the Division.
• All payments may be subject to a post payment audit and potential recoupment.

What will the payment be for services?

• The billing will be the same as it would be if the day service provider was open.  The ICF/DD should simply keep the funds rather than passing on to the day service provider. The rate will be the amount that would have been paid to the day service provider.

(Contact: Beth Owens)

CURRENT DHS-DDD DRAFT INFORMATION BULLETINS
The flowing Draft Information Bulletins have been posted and are currently open for comment:

DRAFT - PUNS Clarifications – This is intended to clarify the PUNS categories, the process for accumulating time on PUNS and the process for moving from one category to the other. It will also provide additional guidance to assist with the transition for youth approaching 18 years of age.

DRAFT - Supported Employment (Waiver Funded) – This offers guidance on the process to obtain, utilize and document the use of Division of Developmental Disabilities Supported Employment (DDD SEP) for Individual (39U) and Group (39G) services for all new funding requests. (Contact: Beth Owens)
 
DHS ANNOUNCES TABLETS AVAILABLE FOR VDS PARTICIPANTS
The Division has announced their ability to authorize the purchase of additional tablets through the Illinois Care Connections grant using CARES dollars.  The grant is focused on combatting social isolation as a result of COVID 19.  The ability to use CARES dollars for additional tablets is intended to help individuals who would like to participate in Virtual Day Services (VDS) programming but have not been able to do so due to lack of a device.  CARES Act funding must be spent by the end of the calendar year, so do not delay in making the referral.
 
All referrals must go through Independent Service Coordination agencies as they are the designated referral entity for the Division of Developmental Disabilities.  If you have questions about the process, please contact Kathy Ward at Kathy.ward@illinois.gov. (Contact: Beth Owens)
 
ILLINOIS COVID-19 VACCINATION SUPPLIES LOWER THAN INITIAL PROJECTIONS
Illinois and other states will receive significantly fewer COVID-19 vaccines from the federal government over the next two weeks, Gov. JB Pritzker said Wednesday.
 
States, large cities and territories previously were told that up to 9 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine would be distributed over the next 14 days, Pritzker said. But during his Wednesday press conference, he said they were notified that morning that number had shrunk to 4.3 million.
 
“This development will likely cut our state’s projected (Pfizer-BioNTech) shipments this month by roughly half,” he said.
 
The change does not affect the 109,000 doses of the vaccine heading to the state this week. (Contact: Luis Andrade)

FEDERAL HHS INCREASES AND BEGINS DISTRIBUTING OVER $24 BILLION IN PHASE 3 COVID-19 PROVIDER RELIEF FUNDING
Federal HHS announced this week it has completed review of Phase 3 applications from the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) program and will distribute $24.5 billion to over 70,000 providers. Up from the $20 billion originally planned, the addition of another $4.5 billion in funding is being used to satisfy close to 90 percent of each applicant’s reported lost revenues and net change in expenses caused by the coronavirus pandemic in the first half of 2020. HHS recognizes this pandemic has upended the health care system and caused significant financial hardships. These resources, along with previous distributions, have provided much needed relief. Payment distribution started today and will continue through January, 2021. More information can be found HERE. (Contact: Luis Andrade)

GOV. PRITZKER OUTLINES SPENDING REDUCTION PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021
Governor JB Pritzker announced this more than $700 million in spending reductions for fiscal year 2021. The plan is the result of a months-long and ongoing review of agency spending under the Executive branch. The plan includes a hiring freeze, grant reductions and operational savings.
 
The Governor previously announced the sale of $2 billion in three-year notes to the Municipal Liquidity Facility to help Illinois bridge the gap due to dramatic revenue losses as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. That transaction will be finalized by the end of the calendar year. As every state in the nation faces budget shortfalls due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Governor will continue to urge Congress to pass direct funding for state and local governments who have coordinated the pandemic response. (Contact: Luis Andrade)

COVID-19 VACCINE INFORMATION FOR SELF-ADVOCATES
Self-Advocacy Resource and Technical Assistance Center has shared 4-page booklet was created by and for people with intellectual disabilities. It is written in plain language and includes basic information people need to know about the COVID-19 vaccine. You can find the resource HERE. (Contact: Beth Owens)

POST-ELECTION WEBINAR PRESENTED BY THE GOING HOME COALITION
The Going Home Coalition is hosting a Zoom webinar on Monday, December 21, 2020 at 11am to talk about what happened on Election Day.  Learn what you can do to advocate for community living this spring! Register here and receive the information to join the webinar in your e-mail on Friday, December 18, 2020. Questions? Contact Nafia Lee at nafia@thearcofil.org. 

MITC VACCINE TRACKING SOFTWARE WEBINAR
On January 20^th, at 1:00 PM MITC will host a special on Wednesday, January 20^th on managing vaccination communications, tracking staff and client two-step vaccinations, vaccination consent form on file and revaccinations (if required), religious and medical exemptions and more. Click here to learn more and register. (Contact: Maggie Henley)