Category: Resource Type

Denver, Colorado To Launch Pilot With Goal Of Supporting Housing Stability For 300 People With I/DD

Denver, Colorado is launching a pilot housing navigator program to support approximately 300 Denver residents with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. On June 5, 2023, the Denver City Council adopted a resolution approving a contract for the project with Bayaud Enterprises, Inc., valued at more than $2.9 million. The contract term runs from June, 2023 (once the contract was approved and voted on by Denver’s City Council), through December 31, 2025.

Bayaud was selected for this contract through a competitive procurement process. On November 8, 2022, the Denver Human Services (DHS) Community Impact Division released a request for proposals (RFP FS/CA/I/DD-HN-11.08) for the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Equitable Access to Services (IDDEAS) Program on November 8, 2022. Responses were due by December 15, 2022. There was no incumbent to this contract. The DHS received three responses to the RFP.

The pilot services will be for Denver residents with I/DD and/or their families/caregivers who: are experiencing homelessness, are at-risk of displacement from current housing, and/or are seeking a more independent living situation. Bayaud will provide eight full-time staff, including a program manager, housing navigators, mental health counselors, and part-time master’s level social worker interns. Bayaud will collaborate with Rocky Mountain Human Services and other I/DD service partners. It will also develop relationships with housing and homeless services provider organizations. A key goal of this pilot is to improve housing data to inform opportunities for people with I/DD.

The county hopes to gather concrete data through the pilot and to explore new housing solutions for this population of people with I/DD and at risk of homelessness. The county is facing 32% increase in the number of homeless individuals in the Denver metropolitan area. The number of homeless individuals counted in the January single point-in-time count rose from 6,884 in 2022 to 9,065 in 2023.

The RFP is available for download at no charge to OPEN MINDS Circle subscribers at https://openminds.com/rfp/colorado-seeks-dhs-iddeas-program-i-dd-housing-navigator-services/.

A link to the full text of “Denver City Council Housing Navigator Committee IDDEAS Presentation In Collaboration With Bayaud Enterprises” is in the OPEN MINDS Circle Library at https://openminds.com/market-intelligence/resources/052423denveriddeashousingnavidd/.

For more information, contact:

Editor’s Note: This article was updated on July 31 per DHS.

Connecticut To Expand Community-Based Services For People With Autism & I/DD

The Connecticut Departments of Social Services (DSS) and Developmental Services (DDS) are planning to expand community-based services for people with autism and intellectual/developmental disability (I/DD). Currently 2,000 people are on a waitlist for the state’s autism services Medicaid waiver, which is managed by the DSS. More than 900 people are on a waiting list for residential supports offered through the I/DD HCBS Medicaid waivers, which are managed by DDS. As of January 2023, 685 people were on the DDS waiting list for residential services.

The expansion is the result of Connecticut House Bill (HB) 5001 (Public Act 23-137). It calls on DSS and DDS to do the following to ameliorate the waiver waiting lists:

  • Expand the DSS autism services waiver to serve additional people on the waiting list. Based on the enacted budget, Connecticut will add 120 slots in fiscal year (FY) 2025 as well as additional case managers to further expand capacity in the future.
  • Expand DDS residential services on the DDS waivers to serve additional people on the waiting list. Resources have been provided in the enacted budget to serve approximately 260 additional individuals.

Public Act 23-137 also includes the provisions to further improve services for people with I/DD. These provisions include a transitional living support program for young adults with I/DD, an evaluation of employment programs, an expansion of transportation opportunities, and a new emergency alert system for people with I/DD reported missing. Additional details are as follows:

  • Establish a plan to implement a Transitional Life Skills College program to provide transition support to youth transitioning from the K-12 education system or living with parents/guardians to living independently (or somewhat independently) through a DDS-administered residential program. Such a program must be from three to six months long, must include a residential component, and must use current DDS-owned property to the extent possible.
  • Evaluate employment assistance programs, and establish financial incentives for businesses to hire people with I/DD. The Office of Policy and Management (OPM) secretary will consult with the commissioners of Aging and Disability Services (ADS), Developmental Services, Economic and Community Development (DECD), Revenue Services, and Labor (DOL); with the Office of Workforce Strategy (OWS); the Autism Spectrum Disorder Advisory Council, the Council on Developmental Disabilities; and the Connecticut Business Industry Association. By January 1, 2025, the OPM will submit a report to the legislature with its analysis results and recommendations.
  • Expand transportation opportunities for people with I/DD. The state will review other state’s practices and assess statewide and local transportation accessibility and expansion opportunities to develop recommendations on ways the state can provide more cost-effective, efficient, and reliable transportation for people with disabilities. A report and recommendations will be submitted to the legislature by January 1, 2025.
  • Establish an emergency services alert system to help locate people with I/DD if they are reported missing and provide funding for a voluntary registration system for people with I/DD for public safety purposes.

The Act includes a provision focused on building the caregiver workforce. Through this provision, the state seeks to establish a career pipeline for behavioral health and human services positions to ensure an adequate number of caregivers to serve people with I/DD, physical disabilities, mental illness, or other behavioral conditions. The Office of Workforce Services Strategy will establish the program in consultation with the Labor, Social Services, Developmental Services, Public Health and Aging and Disability commissioners, the Governor’s Workforce Council, the director of the Office of Higher Education, the Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Autism Spectrum Disorder Advisory Council and regional workforce development boards. OWS will consult with the Commissioners of Labor, Aging and Disability, the Council on Developmental Disabilities, and the Autism Spectrum Disorder Advisory Council, DDS, Developmental Services, Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), and DSS Social Services to determine the greatest workforce needs and barriers to hiring and retaining qualified staff. A report will be submitted by January 1, 2026.

The Act directs the state to focus on policy development for people with autism and/or I/DD and to establish an “autism bill of rights,” as follows:

  • Establish 2 positions within the Office of Policy and Management to perform lead planning and policy development functions for autism and ID/DD services across state agencies.
  • Establish one person to serve as the statewide coordinator for programs and services for people with autism and a second position to provide support to identify and coordinate programs and services for individuals with I/DD. These coordinators will make recommendations on strategies to improve services or close service gaps for people with autism or I/DD.
  • Require DDS, in consultation with the DDS Council, Autism Spectrum Disorder Advisory Council, and Aging and Disability Services to review the current bill of rights for people with an intellectual disability or other developmental disabilities, including autism, to determine if changes or additions should be made and determine if statutory protections are in place to ensure all persons’ rights are protected and they have the ability to seek a remedy for a violation of their rights.

Additionally, it directs the state’s Office of Policy and Management (OPM), in consultation with the Commissioners of Education, Social Services, Developmental Services, Aging and Disability Services and Public Health, the Council on Developmental Disabilities and the Autism Spectrum Disorder Advisory Council to evaluate changing a statutory definition of I/DD, and specifically to consider removing a qualifying intelligence quotient (IQ) score. In developing the new definition, the state will solicit and consider input from people with I/DD and their families and caregivers. OPM is to submit a report with findings and recommendations to the legislature by January 1, 2025.

A link to the full text of “Connecticut Public Act (PA) Number 23-137 — An Act Concerning Resources & Support Services For Persons With An Intellectual Or Developmental Disability” is in the OPEN MINDS Circle Library at https://openminds.com/market-intelligence/resources/062823ctpublicact23-137/.

For more information, contact:

  • Giovanni Pinto, Communications Manager, Connecticut Department of Social Services, 55 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut 06105-3724; 860-424-5024; Email: Giovanni.Pinto@ct.gov; Website: https://portal.ct.gov/
  • Kevin Bronson, Director of Communications, Legislation and Regulations, Connecticut Department of Developmental Services, 460 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut 06106; 860-418-6000; Email: kevin.bronson@ct.gov; Website: https://portal.ct.gov/dds

North Carolina Delays Launch Of Medicaid Behavioral Health & I/DD Tailored Plans

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (Department) is delaying implementation of the Medicaid Behavioral Health and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) Tailored Plans. The state had intended to launch these specialized Medicaid plans by October 1, 2023. A new launch target has not been announced.

The Tailored Plans are intended for about 160,000 Medicaid beneficiaries with complex behavioral health conditions, intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Their behavioral and physical health needs are often significant, requiring ongoing care from multiple providers. These beneficiaries will continue to be served by the state’s regional behavioral health Local Management Entities/Managed Care Organizations (LME/MCOs).

In late February 2023, when the Department made the decision to delay to October 1, leadership identified three key areas that needed more work to ensure a smooth transition. First, that the LME/MCO provider network and technical capability readiness needed to improve; second, that the Department had the appropriate legal tools to ensure the well-being and safety of beneficiaries if an LME/MCO is failing to provide services; and third, that the LME/MCOs were focused on providing services for the populations they are best positioned to manage successfully.

While gaps remain in provider networks, progress has been made by the LME/MCOs on technical capabilities. The Department has been working collaboratively with the legislature to achieve the necessary tools to administer the Tailored Plans on par with other managed care plans, but they are still a work in progress. Further, uncertainty with the state budget, which will fund transformation costs and rebase for the Medicaid program, creates additional needs for launching Tailored Plans. Because it remains uncertain as to when those issues will be fully resolved, the Department is announcing the delay in Tailored Plans now but is not able to announce a certain go-forward date at this time.

Beneficiaries who will be covered by the Tailored Plans will continue to receive behavioral health, I/DD, TBI and physical health care as they do today. North Carolina’s unique Tailored Care Management model, which launched December 1, 2022, will continue to support beneficiaries by providing a care team to coordinate care across providers.  Additionally, on July 1, 2023, the LME/MCOs began to provide 1915(i) services to offer an array of home and community based (HCBS) services to Medicaid beneficiaries with serious mental health diagnoses, severe substance use disorders, intellectual/developmental disabilities and traumatic brain injuries.

This was reported by North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services on July 11, 2023, at https://www.ncdhhs.gov/news/press-releases/2023/07/11/launch-behavioral-health-and-intellectualdevelopmental-disabilities-tailored-plans-delayed (accessed July 14, 2023).

Contact information: North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, 101 Blair Drive, Adams Building, 2001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-2001; 919-855-4840; Email: news@dhhs.nc.gov; Website: https://medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/Behavioral-Health-IDD%20Tailored-Plans

The Coming I/DD Demographics

By Monica Oss, Chief Executive Officer, OPEN MINDS

The State of Florida recently announced their plan to create a pilot program for Medicaid managed care for individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD). The Florida Senate passed a bill mandating the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to create the pilot program by January 31, 2024 in two regions of the state that encompass Miami-Dade, Monroe, Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee, and Polk counties (see Florida To Pilot Medicaid Managed Care For Individuals With I/DD In 7 Counties).

This will make Florida the ninth state with a Medicaid managed care pilot program for I/DD (see The I/DD Service Landscape: An Executive Briefing & Market Discussion). This is in addition to the ten states with statewide Medicaid managed care for managed long-term services and supports (MLTSS) for the I/DD population. Currently, approximately 15% of the I/DD consumers on Medicaid receive their MLTSS services through a managed care plan, and 47% receive their health benefits through a Medicaid health plan.

From a spending perspective, there was an estimated $74 billion in public sector spending for I/DD services in 2021 (see The State Of The States In Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities: 2017). Total Medicaid long-term services and supports (LTSS) expenditures for the population was $46.3 billion (see Medicaid Services For People With Intellectual Or Developmental Disabilities – Evolution Of Addressing Service Needs & Preferences).

Where people with ID/DD who are recieving services live, 2017

But this level of spending represents a small portion of the population. There are a little over seven million people in the U.S. with an intellectual or developmental disability (see People With IDD In The United States). But it is estimated that only 22% or 1.6 million people were known to their state developmental disabilities agency—and participate in Medicaid. This is consistent with recent data that found that 72% of people with an I/DD live at home and/or with family (see Medicaid Services For People With Intellectual Or Developmental Disabilities – Evolution Of Addressing Service Needs & Preferences).

These demographics are likely to change spending and spending patterns. The life expectancy for people with I/DD has increased with the rest of the population, with the mean age of death ranging from the mid-50s (for those with more severe disabilities or Down syndrome) to the early 70s for adults with mild/moderate I/DD (see The Influence Of Intellectual Disability On Life Expectancy and Mortality And Morbidity Among Older Adults With Intellectual Disability: Health Services Considerations). As a result, the number of adults with I/DD age 60 years and older is projected to nearly double from 641,860 in 2000 to 1.2 million by 2030 (see People with Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities Growing Old).

In addition, of the 72% of consumers with I/DD living at home and/or with family, 24% reside with caregivers aged 60 years and older (see Caregiving, Intellectual Disability, And Dementia: Report Of The Summit Workgroup On Caregiving And Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities). Another 38% live with caregivers aged 41 to 59 years. Most of these families receive few support services—estimated at roughly 115,000 families nationally (see People With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities Growing Old).

It is not surprising that states are rethinking their Medicaid LTSS footprint for serving consumers with an I/DD. Last year, the State of Texas rebid its Medicaid managed care program and included an I/DD pilot (see Texas Medicaid Rebids STAR+PLUS Managed Care Plans For Members With Disabilities, Includes I/DD Pilot). Tennessee has created a new initiative for children in the custody of the state with an I/DD to move them from hospitals to residential services (see Tennessee DIDD Partners With DCS To Provide Residential Care For Hospitalized Children).

Rhode Island is considering integrated MLTSS in its Medicaid managed care procurement (see Rhode Island Medicaid Planning To Integrate Managed Long-Term Services & Supports In New Procurement Expected Fall 2023). But at the same time, the long-planned North Carolina Medicaid integrated care model for consumers with I/DD and serious mental illness (SMI) was indefinitely postponed (see North Carolina Delays Launch Of Medicaid Behavioral Health & I/DD Tailored Plans).

The reason for the state interest in new models for financing and service reimbursement is that greatest burden of this demographic shift is going to fall on state governments. The number of people on Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) waiting lists (for all reasons) fluctuated between 2016 and 2021, from 656,000 in 2016 to 820,000 in 2018, and back to 656,000 in 2021 (see A Look At Waiting Lists For Home And Community-Based Services From 2016 To 2021). And the primary reason cited for the waiting lists is state funding issues (see State Management Of Home- And Community-Based Services Waiver Waiting Lists). This is an emerging problem that calls for creative solutions in expanding the community-based support system for these consumers—an opportunity for the entrepreneurial provider organization.

For more resources on the I/DD market and long-term services and supports, see these resources in the OPEN MINDS Industry Library:

And for even more join me on August 16 for The 2023 OPEN MINDS I/DD Executive Summit in Long Beach. Some of the case study presenters include:

  • Marco Damiani, MA, BS, ABD, Chief Executive Officer, AHRC New York City
  • Sarah Chestnut, MSW, Director, Development Strategies, Benchmark Human Services
  • Amy Jacobs-Schroeder, BCABA, Chief Executive Officer, Happy Ladders
  • Patrick Maynard, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, I Am Boundless
  • Virginia Gabby, Executive Director, Merakey
  • Scott Doolan, RN BSN, MBA, Assistant Vice President of Health Care Management, Partners Health Plan
  • Michelle Mainez, Chief Operations Officer, Redwood Family Care Network

Indiana To Pilot Manufacturing-Focused Supported Employment For I/DD

Indiana is planning a supported employment pilot program for people with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) that will focus on placements at manufacturing facilities; however, a start date has not been set. The pilot is authorized by Indiana House Bill 1160, which was signed on May 4, 2023.

The pilot would focus on two populations:

  • Individuals with I/DD.
  • Current workers who are identified to fill higher paying jobs due to increased workforce participation by people with I/DD.

The bill provides that the FSSA, in consultation with Erskine Green Training Institute and the Department of Workforce Development, can establish a manufacturing workforce training program pilot to provide training and other services. Erskine Green Training Institute, in Muncie, is a postsecondary vocational training program for people with disabilities. The institute was developed by The Arc of Indiana Foundation.

The legislation permits the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE) to make grants to state educational institutions to employ education and career coaches, provide education partnership grants to adult students, and to provide for administrative and other costs and services allowed by the CHE. The grants may not be used for tuition costs. The bill does not make an appropriation, but it allows the CHE to pursue grants from available sources for the pilot program.

A link to the full text of “Indiana House Bill 1160” is in the OPEN MINDS Circle Library at https://openminds.com/market-intelligence/resources/051123insb1160enrolled/.

For more information, contact: Marni Lemons, Acting Communications Director, Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, 402 West Washington Street, W461, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204; 317-234-5287; Fax: 317-233-4693; Email: Marni.Lemons@fssa.IN.gov; Website: https://www.in.gov/fssa/

Dutchess Community College In New York Launches I/DD Direct Support Professional Microcredential Program

Dutchess Community College (DCC) is launching a grant-funded, three-tiered “microcredential” program to credential direct support professionals caring for people with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD). The program is intended to advance statewide efforts to retain and grow New York’s direct support workforce for people with I/DD. The first cohort will start classes on August 28, 2023.

The credential program aligns with national certification standards set forth by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP). In addition to earning one or more national certifications, students receive college credit that can be applied toward a certificate and/or associate degree in DCC’s Human Services program.

For this program, DCC partnered with the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) and the State University of New York (SUNY). The grant funding will cover student tuition, books, course materials, NADSP credentialing and educational supports. Participants who successfully complete one of the microcredentials are eligible for a one-time $750 incentive.

This was reported by Dutchess Community College on July 31, 2023, at https://www.sunydutchess.edu/about/facts/news/articles/dsp.html (accessed August 1, 2023).

Contact information: Lacie Reilly, MPS, Chair, Human Services, Dutchess Community College, Taconic Hall 309, 53 Pendell Road, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601; 845-431-8349; Email: lacie.reilly@sunydutchess.edu; Website: https://www.sunydutchess.edu/academics/programs/human-services/direct-support-professional.html

Florida To Pilot Medicaid Managed Care For Individuals With I/DD In 7 Counties

The Florida Medicaid program is preparing to pilot Medicaid managed care for adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD). The pilot would integrate medical care and home- and community-based services (HCBS). The pilot is a provision of Florida Senate Bill 2510, a broad health care bill signed on June 15, 2023. It directs the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to create the pilot program by January 31, 2024, in two regions that encompass Miami-Dade, Monroe, Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee, and Polk counties. The goal is to evaluate the feasibility of implementing a statewide capitated managed care model with actuarially sound rates specifically developed for the population of beneficiaries with I/DD.

By September 1, 2023, AHCA is required to seek federal approval to implement the pilot program. AHCA will administer the pilot in consultation with the Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD), which administers Medicaid waiver-funded HCBS for people with I/DD through the APD iBudget waiver program. A summary of the legislation noted that Florida does not use a risk-based managed care model for HCBS services, and the Medicaid acute care managed care model is rarely used by iBudget enrollees. Medicaid acute care services and HCBS services are not integrated or coordinated by any single entity for the individual enrollee.

AHCA will be responsible for selecting Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) to participate in the pilot, making capitated payments to the MCOs, and evaluating the feasibility of statewide implementation of the model. APD will be responsible for approving a needs assessment methodology to determine functional, behavioral, and physical needs of prospective enrollees.

The legislation calls for AHCA to issue an invitation to negotiate for the pilot, with the goal of selecting one MCO per pilot region. To be eligible for an award, bidders must hold a current MCO contract with AHCA for the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care (SMMC LTC) Program. The selected MCOs will receive a capitated payment with actuarially sound rates specifically developed for the population of beneficiaries with I/DD.

The selected MCOs will be required to cover all current state plan Medicaid benefits and HCBS waiver benefits including community-based support services and residential habilitation, respite care, supported employment, supported living coaching, and transportation. The MCOs must have contracts with provider organizations for personal supports, skilled nursing, residential habilitation, adult day training, mental health services, respite care, companion services, and supported employment, as those services are included in the iBudget waiver.

AHCA will submit a status report to the legislature by December 31, 2023. The status report will focus on progress made toward gaining federal approval of the waiver or waiver amendment needed to implement the pilot. By December 31, 2024, AHCA will submit a status report on the pilot implementation. By December 31, 2025, and annually each year after, AHCA will report on the pilot program operations to include enrollment, complaints, and access to covered services.

By October 1, 2029, AHCA will submit an evaluation report to the legislature. The evaluation will report on metrics established in consultation with APD to monitor access, quality, and costs of the pilot program. The evaluation must assess cost savings; consumer education, choice, and access to services; plans for future capacity and enrollment of new Medicaid provider organizations; coordination of care; person-centered planning and person-centered well-being outcomes; health and quality-of-life outcomes; and quality of care. The evaluation must describe any administrative or legal barriers to the implementation and operation of the pilot program in each region.

A link to the full text of “Florida Senate Bill 2510” is in the OPEN MINDS Circle Library at https://openminds.com/market-intelligence/resources/050923flsb2510enrolled/.

OPEN MINDS last reported on the state’s managed care landscape in “Florida Rebids Medicaid Managed Care Contracts,” which published on May 5, 2023, at https://openminds.com/market-intelligence/news/florida-rebids-medicaid-managed-care-contracts/.

For more information, contact:

Woods Services Launches ‘Woods Healthcare’ Community Health Clinics For People With I/DD

On May 18, 2023, Woods System of Care announced the launch of Woods Healthcare, with three community outpatient centers located at its headquarters in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. The three centers are: The Center for Behavioral Health at Woods; The Medical Center at Woods; and Penn Dental Medicine at Woods. The three centers initially opened to serve consumers served by Woods and to serve Woods employees, but are now open to any individual in the community with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD), autism, and emotional and behavioral challenges. The new outpatient centers are the realization of six years of effort to transform Woods into a population health management organization.

The Center for Behavioral Health at Woods opened in May 2023 to provide behavioral services for all ages. It also provides comprehensive autism evaluations for children aged 12 months through 18 years. The center’s convenient 6 day schedule is complemented by telehealth and telepsychiatry options. Private pay is available, and the center anticipates obtaining in-network status soon with Pennsylvania Medicaid HealthChoices and Behavioral HealthChoices managed care organizations (MCOs). It also participates in New Jersey Medicaid, Medicare, and private plans.

The Medical Center at Woods opened in June 2018. It provides outpatient primary care services for people ages six through adulthood diagnosed with I/DD, autism, or emotional and behavioral challenges. In April 2023, the Medical Center was awarded Recognition by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Patient-Centered Medical Home Program and is the first to be recognized with a specialty in I/DD. The Center is accepting new patients and is in-network with private insurers and Pennsylvania Medicaid HealthChoices MCOs, and Medicare. It also participates in New Jersey Medicaid.

Penn Dental Medicine at Woods, Mikey Faulkner Dental Care Center opened in early 2023 to provide dental care for individuals of all ages. For this center, Woods partnered with the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, which, through the vision of Dean Mark Wolff, DDS, specializes in oral health care for people with I/DD. The Dental Center program and clinic space provide extra comfort to those with a varying range of disabilities, with features such as specially-appointed operatories with advanced equipment as well as a quiet space for those needing a lower-stimulation environment. The Dental Center team is seeing new consumers daily and is in-network with most private dental insurers and Pennsylvania Medicaid HealthChoices MCOs. It also participates in New Jersey Medicaid.

In addition, a fourth service location is planned. Woods created a partnership with New Jersey-based RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care to create a new integrated primary care and behavioral health clinic. The clinic is slated to open in spring of 2024 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton in Hamilton, Mercer County, New Jersey.

Woods System of Care, a Pennsylvania- and New Jersey-based population health management organization and healthcare network that provides support services for individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD), autism and mental health conditions across their lifespan. With its nine affiliate organizations, Woods Services has formed the Woods System of Care which provides innovative, comprehensive, and integrated primary, behavioral and dental health care, plus specialty and allied health care. The system also provides education, housing, workforce, nursing and case management services. The Woods System of Care serves more than 22,000 children and adults with I/DD, and/or mental health disorders who also have complex and intensive medical and behavioral health care needs.

In 2016, Woods appointed Tine Hansen-Turton as President and CEO, leveraging her extensive health care experience to lead the organization’s transformation into a population health management organization and the system of care which it is today. Ms. Hansen-Turton said, “In order to reshape Woods into its current cutting-edge model, we put emphasis on expanding our extraordinary team of top health care thought leaders. This transformation has enabled us to fully realize an integrated care model which takes into account physical and behavioral health needs, and addresses all of the social determinants of health.”

The organization’s transformation to become a system of care is documented in Thriving Through Transformation: A Practical Guide to Creating Organizational Change in the Social Sector, which was released in January 2023. It can be downloaded at https://www.woods.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Thriving-Through-Transformation-FINAL-for-website.pdf.

For more information, contact: Tine Hansen-Turton, President and Chief Executive Officer, Woods System of Care, Post Office Box 36, Langhorne, Pennsylvania 19047-0036; 215-801-3272; Email: tine@woods.org; Website: https://www.woods.org/woods-services/wsoc/

Adjoin Launches Path-Now, A Mobile App & Service Provider Network For Individuals I/DD In California

Non-profit Adjoin launched Path-Now, a new, accessible mobile application that enables California residents with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) to safely and easily connect with community service provider organizations. Path-Now quickly matches users to service provider organizations that meet their unique needs and preferences. The Path Now program is currently available in California with listings for 8,000 service provider organizations and the team has plans to expand rapidly to other states.

Path-Now allows individuals with IDD or their care provider to create a free profile in the application and specify the types of service(s) needed and their provider preferences. The application then instantly matches them with organizations that align with their preferences. Users can then connect with their chosen organizations directly within Path-Now to move forward in accessing needed services.

The Path-Now service provider network includes vocational programs, independent living services, transportation options, camps and recreational activities, art programs, and more. Organizations that provide services for individuals with IDD in California can claim their profile in Path-Now or request to have a profile created. Once requests are received, reviewed, and approved by Path-Now, organizations choose a subscription plan and can review and update information in relevant fields, including uploading photos and videos and gaining access to the Path-Now chat feature.

Adjoin is a social service nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that helps people find communities where they feel safe and respected and can be themselves in every aspect of their lives. With the support of its dedicated staff, partnerships, and volunteers, the company has created over 32,000 unique pathways for people with disabilities and veteran families to belong where they live, work, learn, and play throughout California.

This was reported by Adjoin on May 24, 2023, at https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230524005016/en (accessed June 5, 2023).

Contact information: Taylor Sotiropoulos, Business Development Manager, Path Now, Adjoin, 9444 Farnham Street, Suite 210, San Diego, California, 92123; 858-292-2020; Email: taylor.sotiropoulos@path-now.com; Website: https://adjoin.org/contact

Countdown To Launching Your CCBHC

During this webinar, Qualifacts shares their proprietary approach to launching a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). In this presentation, Qualifacts’ resident CCBHC expert and program manager, Mary Givens, MRA, and OPEN MINDS‘ Senior Associate, Deanne Cornette, MHA, GPC, walk through the five stages of the CCBHC Experience. In looking at each stage, they share some of the tasks and deliverables each CCBHC must complete to launch, and how the right technology partner can help you be successful.

With Qualifacts supporting 33% of the CCBHCs across the country, they are a great knowledge source. Whether you’ve applied for funding, have received funding, or are curious about the process, viewers of this webinar will walk away with actionable information.

A special congratulations to all those who received CCBHC funding this year!

Some of the objectives covered in this webinar are:

  • Understanding what it takes to launch the CCBHC Treatment Model
  • Tools to assist in launching your CCBHC
  • Selecting the right EHR technology partner for your CCBHC

Download Presentation Here