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In this Newsletter:
- Update on Case Management Redesign Challenges
- 9 DAYS until the Disability Resource Fair
- 1241 Task Force Public Comment Survey
- Helpful Hints from the CF Team
- New Staff
- Sibling Group
- April Lunch & Learn
- Training Opportunity
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Update on Case Management Redesign Challenges
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Many members of our community have experienced significant harm due to three major activities within the Medicaid world: the end of the Public Health Emergency, the implementation of Case Management Redesign, and Health Care Policy & Financing’s (HCPF) database transition.
Since November 2023, Arc chapters and other advocacy agencies began to receive complaints where children and adults receiving Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS), such as the Supported Living Services waiver and Developmental Disabilities waivers, received letters and information they were no longer eligible for those programs or Medicaid. People could not get in touch with the new case management agency, and/or the case management agency lacked the correct information in the database system.
The Arc Chapters and other important advocacy agency partners including Colorado Cross Disability Coalition, Family Voices and the Colorado Center on Law and Policy, began meeting in November with HCPF. There was serious concern that complete information in relation to children and adults with disabilities did not transfer over from the old to the new system.
Health Care Policy and Finance is working on the database issues as well as Medicaid and issues related to your services and supports.
If you receive information in the mail regarding Medicaid or programs you are enrolled in, please read and respond as needed. These letters are very important and are urgent. Health Care Policy and Finance has provided a form to complete if you are experiencing any issues resolving Medicaid issues, case management issues, or issues with your long-term care programs. If you are a person receiving services, a family member or guardian, a provider of services and need help to resolve issues, please complete the following form to notify HCPF to help resolve issues. We encourage you to reach out to your case management agency as well. For most people in Adams County, this is Rocky Mountain Human Services.
HCPF : escalations form. This form can be confusing. Please fill it out to the best of your ability.
Rocky Mountain Human Services: CMAquestions@rmhumanservices.org
The Arc of Adams County, along with other Arc chapters and advocacy organizations, continue to meet with Health Care Policy and Finance and Rocky Mountain Human Services to push for these issues to be resolved. We know your services and supports are critical to you and your family.
Sincerely,
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Kari Easterly
Executive Director
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9 DAYS until the Disability Resource Fair!
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RSVP here.
WHEN: Wednesday, April 10th, 2024 | 12 PM - 5 PM
WHERE: Adams County Human Services Center, Basement Level: Apple Rooms
WHAT: Learn about disability resources and services, employment, legal resources, special and continuing education, healthcare, and recreation from over 45 organizations. There will also be information sessions! See below.
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1241 Task Force Public Comment Survey
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The 1241: Accountability, Accreditation, Student Performance, and Resource Inequity Task Force invites you to share your experiences with the state’s accountability system, what you would like to preserve about it, and whether there are ways you think the state’s accountability system could better advance academic opportunities and address academic inequities for Colorado’s students.
https://educationfirst.iad1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_egrEzEF52F7JEs6
The survey is open through April 28, 2024. Task Force members will consider all responses over the course of their upcoming task force meetings.
We invite all members of the public – from statewide education-focused organizations to individual members and communities – to use this survey to provide task force members with general and/or specific input on Colorado’s accountability system. Everyone’s voice counts!
For more information on the task force, upcoming meeting dates, and to learn more about what the task force has considered thus far, we encourage you to visit the task force website.
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Seeking Early Education Options for Children Ages 3-5
Preschool * Child Find * Universal Preschool (UPK)
Preschool
Preschool programs for children, ages 3 to 5, can provide a foundation for academic and social learning. It’s an opportunity for growth and preparation for kindergarten. This foundation consists of a wide variety of skill building that includes social/emotional, language, functioning in a structured environment, self-care, and pre-academic abilities to name a few. Contact your local school district directly or through their website for more preschool details.
Child Find
Every school district has team members available to evaluate a young child’s development to determine developmental abilities and needs. This evaluation can include cognitive, motor, hearing/vision, speech/language, and social emotional skills. This team is called Child Find. This team has a process to determine if a child meets eligibility for special education services.
A referral to the Child Find team occurs before the child is in kindergarten. Contact your local school district to find out how to make a referral to the Child Find team. There may be information on your school district’s website, as well. You can also find additional information on the Colorado Department of Education website, https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/childfind.
Universal Preschool (UPK)
The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) was recently established to address early intervention needs for children ages 3 to 5. In 2022, the Universal Preschool Program was created to offer 15 hours of free preschool services the year before kindergarten. Children may qualify for more hours based on several factors. General information on these qualifying factors can be found at https://cdec.colorado.gov/universal-preschool-qualifying-factors.
There are 3 types of licensed preschool providers that participate in the UPK program: School District-based, Community-based, and home-based. There is additional information at https://cdec.colorado.gov/universal-preschool-colorado. Or, you can call 303-866-5223.
Enrollment for the UPK 2024-2025 school year is now open! Register here! https://upk.colorado.gov.
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Welcome our two new staff members at The Arc of Adams County!
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Ric Beemer
Child and Family Advocate
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Genesis Varela
Child and Family Advocate
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Interested in a sibling support group?
We currently have TWO groups for siblings to join:
For interest in the ages 12-17 sibling group, please fill out the interest survey by clicking here.
For interest in the adult sibling group, please email asimental@arcadams.org.
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Interacting with First Responders: For People with Disabilities and their Loved Ones
The Colorado IMPACT Initiative will be holding over 150 presentations for people with disabilities and/or mental health disorders and their loved ones to give them tools to empower them, communicate with 1st responders, ask for accommodations, advocate for themselves, and ultimately feel and be safe with first responders.
Pulse Line Collaborative Training has already trained over 1400 officers throughout Colorado on our Individuals with Disabilities curriculum, which teaches how to recognize characteristics and traits of various disabilities and mental health disorders, provides communication tools and resources to help officers avoid escalation of situations, and teaches them de-escalation techniques. Over 300 more training classes for first responders will be delivered throughout Colorado in the next 18 months with a goal of providing ALL first responders with these valuable tools.
Contact Bobby if you are interested in hosting a course. Bobby@pulseline.org | 970-560-2346
Register here.
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