Meeting Minutes
Advisory Committee on Services to Persons with Developmental Disabilities
Thursday, January 20, 2022
10:00 a.m. - via TEAMS
CALL TO ORDER: Wanda Felty, Chairperson; Sonya Hunter, called the roll.
ROLL CALL: Sonya Hunter, Secretary; The following Committee members was present: Wanda Felty, Lara Morrison, Eddie Miller, Janie Fugitt, Jennifer Jones, Dyann Arnett, Robin Arter, John Corpolongo, Michelle Dissario and Lorrie Sylvester
Entered after rollcall: Tori Collier
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The committee motioned to approve minutes for September 16, 2021
DDS UPDATE – Beth Scrutchins DDS director:
DDS waiting list update: We are working to limit the waiting list and the work we have been doing to get there has included this roll out with Liberty Health Services and doing the assessments with everyone that will give us rich information so that we can give true cost of estimates of what it cost to work the waitlist for the people that want served on the waiting list. Providers are looking at our rate and this is a critical piece to effectively effect people in the community. We are getting ready to go into the budget session and we are hopeful to move forward as we have never seen the support like this and appreciate the awareness of the waiting list.
I also want to say that in December we had a tipping point. We were serving more people than on our waitlist. As of January 10th there are 5, 428 on Waitlist. There are 5,551 people on services. We are excited watching intake staff take off working fast and furious to move forward.
We have completed 1,300 assessments with Liberty with 742 navigations rolled out since September. We have tweaked the process to identify the statewide gaps. This problem is not just a DDS or DRS problem, it’s an Oklahoma problem. Assessments are continuing and we are encouraging families to participate. Date of application we are working currently is 7-15-2009.
Vocational Grants: We are moving forward with technology grants to make sure technology is in homes. The portal is expected to launch in the next two weeks.
Retroactive rate increase: The retroactive rate increase is to support our providers. Direct Support staff and agency leaders stood firm taking care of our folks with a lot of overtime and dedicated people. We will get the reimbursements out to providers early February.
American Rescue Plan update: We still have not received information, we should hear any day, but not approved yet.
NEW BUSINESS: The committee motioned to approve the following meeting dates for remainder of 2022 calendar year. April 21, 2022, July 21, 2022 and September 15, 2022
Approval of Rules:
The rules below were approved by Committee.
Approval of Substantive changes.
317:30-5-515 Respite (1) Combine with 317:30-5-516, 317:30-5-517, and 317:30-5-518 (2) Remove language describing intermittent, close, and maximum levels of respite in SFC and other settings.
317:30-5-516, 317:30-5-517, and 317:30-5-518 (1) Revoke and combine with 317:30-5-515
317:30-5-535 Homemaker (1) Combine with 317:3-5-536 and 317:3-5-537 (2) Remove language indicating homemaker can be used as respite.
317:30-5-536 and 317:3-537 (1) Revoke and combine with 317:30-5-535
317:40-5-3 Agency Companion Services (1) Define the difference between daily and hourly respite. (2) Limit billing respite and HTS to one member at a time. (3) Remove intermittent level of support as the rate no longer exists (4) Update Close level of (5) support to include individuals who may have otherwise qualified for intermittent level of support. (6) Update Pervasive rate to include provision for children in custody to access this rate.
317:40-5-50 Specialized Foster Care (1) Combined with 317:40-5-60 (2) Define the difference between daily and hourly respite. (3) Define when HTS can be used in SFC. (4) Add Therapeutic Leave for SFC.
317:40-5-60 (1) Revoke and combine with 317:40-5-50
317:40-5-100 Assistive Technology (1) Add eye glasses and vision exam as compensable waiver services (2) Identify "Devices" as "Enabling Technology" (3) Allow DDS PM/PS to provide recommendation for enabling technology devices (4) Correct formatting issues
PUBLIC COMMENT – No public comment
Possible Action Item – No action comment
