This week we recognized the profound impact Service Coordinators have on Tennessee children and families. Check out our Facebook and Instagram posts highlighting the amazing work of Service Coordinators and commend their dedication to early intervention in Tennessee.

West TN, Enabling Technology Coordinator, Sherrita Addison presents information to My Tech For All attendees on innovative ways enabling technology can enhance their independence, in their home, community, and workplace.

The Division of TennCare is participating in the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) E-Badge Academy, which offers Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) and Frontline Supervisors (FLSs) the ability to earn national certification through stackable electronic badges. These badges demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and values that direct care professionals in Tennessee utilize every day.

As of this month (May 2024), there are 106 DSPs/FLSs participating from 21 different HCBS provider agencies. These DSPs and FLSs are quickly receiving badges and working toward receiving their certifications and bonuses. During the first quarter, 15 DSP’s and two FLS’s earned incentive bonuses by achieving certifications. Additionally, during this quarter a total of $51,000 was paid out to providers and their staff for participation in E-Badge Academy!

All Home and Community Based Service (HCBS) provider organizations in Tennessee (i.e. CHOICES, ECF CHOICES, 1915© Waivers, and Katie Beckett) can now participate in the NADSP E-Badge Academy.

• If you are an HCBS Provider and want to participate, please complete this required Attestation Form and Survey

Provider perspective:

“I joined E-Badge to improve as a DSP. I also enrolled our organization, The Crumley House to bring recognition to my coworkers, improve self-esteem, and continue to learn new ways to provide care. DSPs are overlooked a lot of times for the work they do and the services we provide. The E-Badge Academy was another way to recognize those who are currently DSPs and hopefully encourage others to become DSPs. It is also nice to be nationally recognized—so no matter where life takes you, this recognition is not restricted to the current state you live in.” – Michelle Ferguson, Executive Assistant, The Crumley House Brain Injury Rehabilitation Center

By now providers should have received the Quality Assurance (QA) survey schedule for the 2024/2025 cycle, which begins July 1, 2024 and ends December 31, 2025. Providers may have noticed a distinction between QA surveys and a Qualified Provider Review (QPR). The QPR is used to monitor compliance with required background and registry checks as well as required training for provider staff. For the 1915c waivers, information captured from the QPR is utilized for reporting to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on waiver performance measures. The QPR is completed by a member of the QA team, however it is a separate component focusing on staff qualifications. Providers receive a copy of their QPR once completed and should be familiar with the document. While surveys now run on a 12 to 18 month cycle, the QPR must still be conducted on an annual basis. Therefore, some providers will undergo the Qualified Provider Review outside of their QA survey. DIDD and TennCare are in discussions with CMS on modifying the QPR schedule so it will align with the 12 to 18 month cycle. Once approval is received, we hope to align these processes shortly thereafter. Please reach out to your regional QA contacts or Elisha Horn at Elisha.Horn@tn.gov with any questions.

Have you used Tennessee Disability Pathfinder within the last year? Help Pathfinder understand what they do well and what they can do better by completing this brief feedback survey (3-4 minutes). Share your experience! 
  
Click here to share your thoughts: https://redcap.link/pfwebsite24 

We are thrilled that Gov. Bill Lee has once again declared this week TEIS Service Coordinator Appreciation Week! Our TEIS Service Coordinators have a profound impact on Tennessee children and families.

Their work is crucial to getting infants and young children with disabilities and developmental delays the support and services they need. Service Coordinators work directly with families to arrange therapy and other services, help families find resources within their community, and support families in becoming advocates for their children.

Thank you TEIS Service Coordinators! We want to recognize the incredible work you do for Tennessee families and children. Commissioner Turner is grateful to have you on our team, as we make a lasting impact on our state and future generations of Tennesseans!

This free webinar is being sponsored by Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DIDD). Everyone has rights! And when it comes to the human services field, Human Rights Committees (HRC) play an integral role. These committees promote and protect the human, civil, and legal rights of people with disabilities who are receiving services. So what are the roles and responsibilities of an HRC? Who should all be the members of it? How can you avoid common pitfalls in both establishing and maintaining the committee? In this presentation, you’ll receive answers to all these questions and many more! We share strategies you can use for creating your committee, ensuring it’s asking the right questions, and avoiding ‘danger signs’ that regularly occur in the disability services system. We’ll also share some eye-opening data about the relationship between fair treatment and overall quality of life. You’ll leave this presentation with specific action steps you can put in place “right” away!

* CQL will be using Zoom’s built-in live transcription (closed captioning) features during the webinar. If you need any additional reasonable accommodations, you can share those in the registration link below. Any requests need to be submitted at least two weeks prior to the date of the webinar.

The training will be held on Jun 6, 2024, 1:00 PM in Central Time (US and Canada).

Registration link for the training: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lAUjrK8eSi6F7zZqn_FPBA

The next cycle of Quality Assurance surveys will begin in July. As many are aware, the previous 18-month cycle was a pilot for the new aligned Quality Monitoring Process for 1915c, ECF CHOICES, and CHOICES CLS/CLS-FM services. In the next 18-month cycle, new scoring will be implemented now that providers are aware of new expectations. Scoring, however, will not be made public for this next cycle and a Survey Protocol will be available on the website in the next few weeks that outlines the process in detail. We are excited to see how the new survey tool and reports showcase the great things providers are doing for people receiving 1915c and 1115 waiver services in Tennessee! Several resources are also available on the DIDD website relative to some of the newer expectations in the tool. For any questions on Quality Topics or Indicators, or to request training, providers are encouraged to reach out to the Quality Management Resource Specialist, Ashley Riggleman at Ashley.M.Riggleman@tn.gov.  

The schedule for the next cycle is in its final stages of development, with each region working together and collaborating with other units to make the best attempt at avoiding any overlap; as such, the 2024-2025 QA survey schedule is anticipated to be released by May 15th. 

We had a successful open house at our East Tennessee Seating & Positioning Clinic!

Guests met with occupational therapists and medical equipment fabricators to learn how S&P solutions can improve quality of life for Tennesseans of all ages and abilities.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4ab99Nd

Our Planning & Policy Councils collaborate and advise the Commissioner of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities on issues affecting the department, providers, families, and advocates, and play an important role in the development and improvement of DIDD programs and policies.  If you are interested in joining one of the DIDD Planning & Policy Councils, please refer to the links below: 

West Planning and Policy Council (WPPC)

Statewide Planning and Policy Council (SPPC)

East Planning and Policy Council (EPPC)

Developmental Disabilities Planning and Policy Council (DDPPC)

What an honor it was to attend the historic bill signing that will create the Department of Disability and Aging (DDA)! DIDD and TCAD will become DDA effective July, 1st. We’re ready to hit the ground running as we tackle important issues about caregiver support, housing, transportation, and more. Let’s get to work elevating the voices of older adults and people with disabilities! To view the post on Instagram click here.

Reset, collaborate and connect! Our Middle Tennessee TEIS team had such an amazing Time for Teaming training last week. We’re so thankful for their dedication to the vital work of early intervention! 🙌  To view the post on Instagram click here.

New Employment Service Templates are Now Available! 

New templates are available for all employment services, including outcome-based and hourly (non-outcome-based) services. The same templates will be utilized across all HCBS programs, including ECF CHOICES, CHOICES*, and DIDD/1915© Waivers.

All employment services with a start date of May 1st, 2024, and after should be submitted on the new templates. Services initiated prior to May 1st, 2024, can still utilize the original templates; however, providers are encouraged to utilize the new templates as soon as possible.

Please note that if an original template is utilized for a service initiated after May 1st, 2024, the MCO/DIDD will be unable to approve the report and will ask the provider to resubmit using the new template.

To watch the recorded training for the new templates please click here.

To access and download the updated templates please click here.

*CHOICES employment services are still pending CMS approval and are not currently available to CHOICES members.

DIDD is seeking to fill 2 positions in the Appeals Unit:  IDD Program Specialist 2 and IDD Program Specialist 3.  These positions will be stationed in West and will be in Arlington.  

Job responsibilities include:  Review Person Centered Support Plan (PCSP), assessments, plans of care, and other supporting documentation to determine if adverse action is warranted.  Recognize differences of services provided versus services billed.  Verifies services and supports relative to compliance standards.  Review documentation to determine if requested services meet 1915c and KB waiver definitions and protocols.  Gather information from internal and external customers for review of denied plan for services needed.  Convey accurate information to stakeholders to comply with current departmental standards and practices in writing.  Performs day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining files and processing paperwork.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Excellent computer skills including proficiency in Microsoft Office products (such as Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.)
• Ability to make prompt decisions based on relevant facts.
• Detail-oriented, able to independently organize multiple tasks and priorities, and to effectively manage an assigned caseload under pressure of deadlines.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, highly effective communication ability, and the propensity to make prompt independent decisions based upon relevant facts and established processes.

IDD 2 Education and Experience: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in special education, rehabilitation or therapeutic health, nursing, sociology, social work, or any behavioral science field and experience equivalent to two years of professional developmental disabilities and/or mental health work.

IDD 3 Education and Experience: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in special education, rehabilitation or therapeutic health, nursing, sociology, social work, or any behavioral science field and experience equivalent to three years of professional developmental disabilities and/or mental health work, of which one year must include professional developmental disabilities work.

The Family Support Program is in need of District Council members to volunteer in the following counties: Carter, Claiborne, Grainger, Green, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, Union and Washington.

Candidate requirements

Must live in the service areas noted above.

A majority of the District Council shall be consumers (i.e., an individual with a severe disability or member of a family containing a member with a severe disability).

Role of the District Council

The District Council is to provide oversight and make recommendations on funding needs and priorities of services.

The District Council shall provide oversight of the operation of Family Support Services within the area that the agency contracts for, including-

Overseeing priorities for selection of service recipients,

Reviewing agency quarterly reports

Reviewing the operation and effectiveness of service delivery and recommend any necessary changes in the services and

Reviewing the performance of the agencies and recommend continuation or changes where necessary.

The District Council shall review the expenditure of funds in the district and make recommendations to the State Council.

The District Council shall approve changes and recommendations such as funding and priorities for agencies in the district.

The District Council shall be represented on the State Family Support Council.

If you are interested in volunteering for this opportunity, please email julia.kiehna@tn.gov.