DODD Current Pipeline
Pipeline Direct From The State
Pipeline . . . Direct From The State
Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities
Governor Ted Strickland John L. Martin, Director
A Pipeline EXTRA will be published as needed to cover hot news.
Visit us at www.dodd.ohio.gov
November 10, 2009
Volume 3, Issue 23
1. November is National Family Caregivers Month
2. The 2010-2011 Workplan: Part II – Assuring Quality Services
3. Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council Honors Athens County Self Advocates
4. HOME Choice Helps More Than 300 Move from Long-Term Care Facilities in First Year
5. Dr. Julie Gentile Earns National Award for Clinical Practice
6. Disability Housing Network to Release New Research at December 3rd Conference
7. Seasonal and H1N1 Flu Information for Families
8. Ohio Public Images Announces Developmental Disabilities Awareness Events
ALSO See Pipeline PostScripts at the end of each issue for important news briefs and reminders
1.November is National Family Caregivers Month
President Barack Obama has proclaimed November as National Family Caregivers Month, in support of family caregivers in the workplace who balance work and family caregiving responsibilities. The official proclamation* states, "Families are best able to care for their loved ones when they can take time away from work without fear of losing their job or their income."
An estimated 50 million Americans provide care for family members who live with chronic ailments, disabilities, or issues due to aging conditions. The proclamation "encourages all Americans to pay tribute to and support those who are caring for their family members, friends, and neighbors in need of assistance."
According to Ascribe, a public interest newsletter, family caregivers provide more than 80% of all long-term care in America, with services valued at an estimated $375 billion annually.
During this Thanksgiving month, we are thankful for Family Caregivers.
*Read the official Whitehouse Proclamation: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidentialproclamations-
national-family-caregivers-month
During this Thanksgiving month, we are thankful for Family Caregivers
*Read the official Whitehouse Proclamation: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-proclamations-national-family-caregivers-month
SECOND IN A SERIES
2. 2010-2011 Work Plan: Part II – Assuring Quality Services
The DODD has developed a basic framework to impact ten priority areas, in compliance with current budgetary constraints. This ‘Priority Work Plan’ is designed to help us work more effectively, in partnership with other system stakeholders, to serve the needs of Ohioans with developmental disabilitiesand their families. Here is the second in a series of Pipeline articles that will highlight these top priority areas. See Pipeline Volume 3 Issue 22, for details.
Part I of this series highlighted the Positive Culture Initiative (PCI) described as, “Creating a positive culture within the delivery of services, statewide.” The PCI approach is an intentional way of supporting all people within our communities that focuses on creating healthy relationships, and acknowledging the unique gifts that each person brings to those relationships.
Part II – The ‘Quality Services’ Priority
Part II of this series now focuses on streamlining processes and assuring quality services. According to Kate Haller, DODD Deputy Director for Legal and Oversight services, this involves developing and implementing a standard method of reviewing service delivery and outcomes, as well as focusing resources on new providers, and providers who may need additional assistance or attention.
She explains, “One of the action steps we will be taking in this area is maximizing the use of our website for users to access more information provided by the Office of Provider Standards and Review and Provider Certification staff. Recently, we improved the information on our DODD Website at http://dodd.ohio.gov/providers/new.htm and Kelly Miller and her team will be adding other enhancements and interactive capabilities in the near future. Along with this, we plan on standardizing our review tools and processes across providers, residential facilities, and County Boards, and encouraging the use of a self-evaluation tool.” Kate adds,
“One of of the things that we are going to put some time into doing in 2010 is more clearly defining
the unique purpose of the Quality Assurance function, and implementing any changes in
collaboration with stakeholders. This, along with some additional software upgrades to help us
schedule, track, and report survey results, should go a long way toward streamlining and improving
our services, overall.”
Another element within this ‘quality services’ priority includes implementing a ‘tiered approach’ to Major Unusual Incident review of County Boards and Developmental Centers. This has been addressed by Scott Phillips’ team in the MUI Investigation Unit. Now, instead of an annual onsite visit each year, County Board and Developmental Center reviews will range in frequency from one to three years, based on performance.
Several elements of this priority area and the expected outcomes correspond to DODD Director Martin’s Director’s Flexible Performance Agreement – a contract with the Governor’s Office to develop key measures and targets, and report on results. Each agency within the Governor’s cabinet is responsible for achieving goals of the Governor’s Leadership Agenda through department performance.
NEXT: 2010-2011 Work Plan, Part III, in a December issue of Pipeline
3. Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council Honors Athens County Self-Advocates
The 2009 Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council (ODDC) Advocacy Award winners are four leaders of the Athens County PersonnelPlus Advisory and Advocacy Council: Andy Leinbaugh, Jason Licht, Glenda Murray, and William Peacock. The advocacy award, presented at the recent ODDC annual conference, honors a person or organization that improves the lives of people with disabilities.
The Athens advocates were very influential in their advocacy efforts supporting the ‘Name Change legislation,’ Senate Bill 79, that removed the term ‘mental retardation’ from the names of Ohio’s state and county board agencies serving individuals with developmental disabilities. Dee Tobias, ODDC member, presented the award to the group, stating that the name change legislation "was a long-needed change in the State of Ohio," and commended the award winners for their leadership and effective advocacy. Congratulations to these hard-working Athens County self advocates!
More About the Ohio DD Council
The Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council is a group of 35 people, appointed by the governor, who plan and advocate for Ohioans with disabilities. ODDC receives federal funds and distributes those funds by awarding grants for projects and activities that may influence public policy, pilot new approaches, empower individuals and families, and advocate for system change. The below publication is one such recent effort:
A Summary of Testimony on the subject of the recent forum,
‘Developing Successful Employment Opportunities,’ is available on the ODDC website at
http://ddc.ohio.gov/Pub/Employment%20Booklet.pdf *
*Paper copies of the booklet are available, and are free. Contact ODDC at: 8 East Long Street, Suite 1200
Columbus, Ohio 43215, Voice phone: (614) 466-5205 (800) 766-7426 (Toll free in Ohio); TTY: (614)
644-5530; Fax: (614) 466-0298; Website: www.ddc.ohio.gov.
Acknowledgements to DD Quarterly newsletter, published by the Ohio Legal Rights Service, 50 W. Broad
Street, Suite 1400, Columbus, Ohio 43215, (614) 466-7264 or (800) 282-9181.
EXPANDING CHOICES
4. HOME Choice Helps More Than 300 Move from Long-Term Care Facilities in First Year
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) has announced that more than 300 people who once lived in long-term care facilities have moved to home settings, thanks to a one-year-old program named HOME Choice (Helping Ohioans Move, Expanding Choice).
ODJFS Director Douglas Lumpkin commented,
“HOME Choice has made a positive, life-changing difference in the lives of Ohioans who would otherwise have had no choice but to remain in long-term care facilities. It also is helping build partnerships with public housing authorities and other agencies and service providers to overcome a common obstacle to independent living: finding accessible, affordable housing.”
The HOME Choice project is funded by a federal grant from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This “Money Follows the Person” demonstration grant provides up to $100 million in matching funds over five years to allow individuals who are elderly or disabled and who live in long-term care facilities, to relocate to home and community-based settings. In addition, the program will help Ohio in balancing its long-term services and support systems by allowing greater choice, flexibility, and transparency.
HOME Choice relocates Medicaid-eligible individuals who have lived for at least six months in nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities for people with developmental disabilities, hospitals, or residential treatment facilities for children. The project also pays for some services not funded by Medicaid that may facilitate a successful transition.
More information about HOME Choice, as well as success stories, can be found at
http://jfs.ohio.gov/OHP/consumers/homechoice.stm.
5. Dr. Julie Gentile Earns National Award for Clinical Practice
Dr. Julie Gentile, who serves on Ohio’s collaborative group known as the Coordinating Center of Excellence* (CCOE) has earned the National Award for Clinical Practice from the National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD). CCOE partners are the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, the Ohio Department of Mental Health, and the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council. The NADD provides expertise to educators, medical and other professionals, policy-makers, and families, including education and training on mental health issues relating to persons who have cognitive or other developmental disabilities.
Dr. Gentile (pronounced “Gen – TILL – ee”) is Director of the Dual Diagnosis Program and Director of Medical Student Mental Health Services at Wright State University in Dayton. In her affiliation with the CCOE she has worked in three specific areas that, collectively, address important issues, statewide, that will improve services for individuals with a dual diagnosis.
According to Lara Palay, DODD Project Manager for Mental Illness/Intellectual Disability, Dr. Gentile has made a difference in service availability for Ohioans who have a dual diagnosis, setting up contracts with psychiatrists at clinics around the state, so that individual assessments may be provided in geographic areas that otherwise might not have access to these services.
Also especially noteworthy are Dr. Gentile’s work in the following areas:
- Assessing individuals to determine best treatment approaches, given an individual’s circumstances and characteristics;
- Training students in Psychiatry at Wright State in effectively working with affected
individuals; and, - Organizing information for families who are seeking assessments and treatment for
affected family members.
In addition, Dr. Gentile has prepared useful templates that suggest and organize what information may or may not be useful for medical field practitioners to have when meeting with an individual or family, to determine best approaches to treatment. Lara explains,
“Julie’s work in helping caregivers, individual patients, and families be prepared for psychiatric
visits, and to know what to expect, is critical in improving relationships between medical
professionals and patients/caregivers. Providing the information needed, in the way it is needed or
best understood, can mean more effective care and outcomes. DODD has made her templates
available to counties around the state.”
Champaign Residential Services Inc. (CRSI), through their mental health agency, Ben-el, recommended Dr. Gentile for her commitment to serving individuals with dual challenges and her commitment to setting high standards for individuals who fall into service gaps between diagnoses of developmental disabilities (DD) and Mental Health (MH).
The Award and the Awardee
The purpose of the national award is to recognize an individual whose contribution in the area of clinical practice has resulted in significant improvement in the quality of life for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as mental health needs. It is the second year for this award.
In receiving the National Award for Clinical Practice Dr. Gentile commented, “I was honored and humbled to receive this award. Laura Baxter at CRSI nominated me, and she was able to attend the NADD conference last month, as well, which was very meaningful to me.” She continued,
“The award gave me an opportunity to publicly acknowledge the ongoing support and commitment
I have received from Director Martin, Kevin Aldridge, and other DODD staff; Director Stephenson,
Mike Schroeder, and other staff at ODMH; and Carolyn Knight and other staff at the DD Council.
Without the support of these individuals, I would not be able to do my work for people with dual
diagnosis.”
Congratulations to Dr. Julie Gentile, and the collective work of the CCOE in improving the
outlook for persons with a dual diagnosis in Ohio and across the nation.
* http://mentalhealth.ohio.gov/what-we-do/promote/coordinating-centers-of-excellence.shtml
For more information http://www.thenadd.org
6. Disability Housing Network to Release New Research
The Disability Housing Network (DHN) is releasing the results of Ohio’s first-ever research into the cost of ‘scattered site rental housing’ at its Fall Conference on December 3, as part of the Ohio Association of County Boards of Developmental Disabilities (OACBDD) Convention at the Hilton, Easton, in Columbus. (More convention information at Pipeline Postscripts, below.)
The DHN informational session at 1 p.m. will present special needs housing data collected from a detailed financial survey of housing corporations across the state. Conducted by an independent accounting firm, the research study covers topics such as comparison of housing corporation costs and revenue, costs of development and maintenance, and comparison of housing corporation costs with licensed group homes. The study also received the support (non-financial) of the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD), in the interest of helping the disability housing community make data-driven decisions based on effective research.
There are many policy implications for tenants, for County Boards of Developmental Disabilities, housing corporations, and for the DODD, said Steve McPeake, DHN Chairman and CEO of North Coast Community Homes, noting,
“The single biggest take-away from the research is that special needs housing requires the
cooperation of multiple entities. It is financially challenging to provide safe and affordable rental
housing for low-income people with disabilities. Therefore, maintaining this ‘scattered site rental
housing’* is a responsibility for not only the nonprofit housing corporation, but also local and state
partners.”
Details of this new research will be shared and discussed at the DHN Fall Conference on December 3, at the OACBDD Annual Convention. View the full list of sessions on the DHN website at www.disabilityhousingnetwork.org. Click here to register for the conference through the OACBDD website. The DHN Conference will be listed as a track for Thursday. Click here to get information about reserving rooms near the conference hotel.
*Scattered site rental housing is housing in the community for people with disabilities, that is not an Intermediate Care Facility for the Mentally Retarded (ICFMR), and not a group home or traditional institutional setting.
For more information contact Steve Farrell, Steve Farrell at stevefarrell@disabilityhousingnetwork.org
7. Seasonal and H1N1 Flu Information for Families Who Have Children with High-Risk Medical Conditions
For frequently updated information on this subject, please check the Ohio Department of Health website at http://www.odh.ohio.gov/ and DODD website at http://dodd.ohio.gov/H1N1SwineFluInformation.htm
New Brochure Available
A brochure titled, Seasonal and 2009 H1N1 Flu: For Parents Who Have Children or Adolescents With High-Risk Medical Conditions is now available from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC).
The brochure provides specific information regarding children considered to be at-risk, including those with asthma and various neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions including:
- Disorders of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerve, and muscle such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy (seizure disorders), and stroke, as well as …
- Moderate to severe developmental delay, intellectual disability (mental retardation), muscular dystrophy, or spinal cord injury; chronic lung disease such as cystic fibrosis, and numerous other conditions.
The CDC brochure provides information in a simple format, and may be referenced at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/childcare/toolkit/pdf/H1N1Seasonal_HiRiskChildren_Final.pdf. For more information, visit www.cdc.gov or www.flu.gov or call 800/CDC-INFO.
8. Ohio Public Images Announces DD Awareness Events
Ohio Public Images, Inc.(OPI), an information and advocacy group encouraging positive perceptions of people with developmental disabilities, has announced the 2009 ‘Call for Entries’ for their annual Media and Awareness Awards.
The awards nominations and competition will honor individuals and organizations throughout Ohio who, through their exceptional efforts, have succeeded in creating a greater understanding of people with developmental disabilities during the 2009 calendar year. The competition also recognizes outstanding self-advocates and elected officials who champion the causes of people with developmental disabilities.
The awards will be presented at a luncheon on March 15, 2010, as part of the Ohio Association of Superintendents of County Boards of Developmental Disabilities conference. The Public Images Network, and its parent organization, Ohio Public Images, Inc., a not-forprofit corporation, were established in 1983 to promote positive awareness of people with developmental disabilities. For more information, contact Mary Pat Riker at (419) 380-4049, or e-mail: MaryPat@publicimagesnetwork.org .
Save the Date
March 4, 2010, Annual Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month Kickoff OPI also announces the 2010 Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month Statewide Kickoff Event will be at the Ohio Statehouse Atrium on Thursday, March 4, 2010. Details as the date draws nearer in future issues of Pipeline and at http://www.publicimagesnetwork.org/.
Preview!
Pipeline Quarterly, Autumn 2009
Publishing in December 2009
Holmes County families volunteer to make 1200 pizzas for a fundraiser. Yes, 1200! The Amish community in
Holmes County strongly supports the Holmes County Training Center, and embraces the agency's Positive
Culture Initiative approach to relationship-building with individuals and families served. Read more in
Pipeline Quarterly, publishing next month.
Ohio Association of County Boards of Developmental Disabilities 26th Annual Convention, December 2 - 4
The annual OACBDD Convention is slated for December 2-4 at the Hilton Hotel at Easton, in Columbus. A variety of informational and professional development tracks are scheduled and may be reviewed at www.oacbdd.org . Scheduling is designed specifically to enable conference-goers to attend many interesting and diverse sessions, including the Disability Housing Network session on December 3, highlighted in article #6 in this issue of Pipeline.
Again this year, the OACBDD will hold a Vendor Show & Sale, displaying products made by individuals with developmental disabilities from around the state. The third annual Vendor Show & Sale will be after sessions are over on Thursday, December 3 -- a great time to shop for early holiday gifts while enjoying the company of other conference attendees.
Conference registration is all on-line this year, and once the space is full, registration will close and the on-line registration option will no longer operate. Go to www.oacbdd.org and click on ‘Events’, ‘Annual Convention’ to register. Registration deadline is Nov. 30, 2009, 4:00 p.m.
The ARC of Ohio Training, December 11
The Arc of Ohio will host a training on December 11 at the Holiday Inn in Worthington, from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Topics on the agenda include:
- The DODD New Futures Waiver for chilren with intensive behavioral needs;
- Transition Waivers;
- Ohio Legal Rights’ discussion of issues related to special education, and terms of the recent
partial settlement of Doe vs. State of Ohio; and, - Trusts and Guardianships
Registration information and other details will be published shortly at http://www.thearcofohio.org/
DODD Hotline for Reporting Abuse, Neglect, and other Possible Major Unusual Incidents (MUIs)
To report abuse/neglect and other MUI’s call toll-free: 1-866-313-6733. Please note that MUIs are to be reported to the local County Board of DD, however, it is understood that there may be times an individual, staff member, or family member may feel it is a conflict -- or that, potentially, a County Board may be involved in the allegation. In those instances it is important to remember the hotline number is there to be used for reporting concerns in these situations.
Pipeline feedback … direct from you to the state …
Pipeline is an electronic publication of the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD), distributed approximately twice monthly to update and inform readers of timely, relevant information affecting stakeholders in the developmental disabilities community. Share your questions or comments about Pipeline at feedback@dodd.ohio.gov, or contact Sherry Steinman, sherry.steinman@dodd.ohio.gov or phone (614) 644-0262.
Editor's Note: The DODD values subscriber confidentiality and does not intentionally share subscriber addresses with others. However, in the event of a public records request, the DODD will comply with all applicable Public Records Laws. Please also note the Privacy information at the DODD website, at http://dodd.ohio.gov/privacy/ .
To subscribe to Pipeline, send an email to: join-pipeline@dodd.ohio.gov and write SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. To discontinue your subscription to Pipeline, write UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. You also may read issues of Pipeline at http://dodd.ohio.gov/publications/pipeline.htm
The State of Ohio is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Provider of Services. The DODD is proud to be a part of the network of Ohio.gov resources.
Attachments:
Download PDF version of Pipeline