The State of Illinois has a large talent pool of providers who want to provide high quality and individualized services. The Rebalancing Initiative for State-Operated Developmental Centers allows us to rethink how we attract and invite those providers to help in the restructuring of the system - moving from a facility based "beds" or "slots" approach to one that is person-centered and provides customized services and supports. The restructuring effort also requires us to identify who is currently providing services and supports that are needed and desired and where there are gaps in these services and supports that must be addressed.
In order to determine the capacity of the current provider community (including licensed practitioners such as OT, PT, and psychologists) and where there are service and support gaps, as well as what supports will be necessary to assist current providers in their efforts to help achieve the overall goals of this effort, a Request for Information (RFI) informational gathering process has been developed.
What is the RFI?
The Request for Information is simply a series of questions that the provider submits answers to. This does not obligate the provider to any services, further processes, etc. but rather serves as a baseline of what services currently exist. This process allows the providers to describe their current service array and capacity and limitations associated with further development, etc.
What is the RFA?
TheRequest for Application, or RFA, is essentially a continuation of the RFI process through the completion of the second section of the form. The RFA is directly tied to a provider's willingness to engage in the new transition process according to the established criteria. Together these are called the RFI/RFA informational gathering process.
The RFI/RFA informational gathering process will be implemented for those providers interested in assisting with the transition of care to the community for the current residents of the Murray Developmental Center.
To meet the needs of individuals transitioning to the community, we need to identify for every individual an array of supports/services and providers of those supports/services prior to their transition. This will and could include, but is not limited to the following providers of supports/services to persons with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD):
- Providers of Supported Living Support/Services
- Providers of Mental Health Supports/Services
- Providers of Affordable and Accessible Housing Supports and Assistance
- Providers of Career, Jobs, and Employers/Vocational Supports/Services
- Providers of Recreational/Leisure Supports/Services
- Providers of Medical/Dental Supports/Service
- Licensed Practitioners such as OT, and PT Services
- Civic/Community Organizations to link each individual to the community.
We will identify and secure the above supports/services one person at a time based on need. Using various out-reach strategies we will also place a significant emphasis on Supported Living Supports/Services statewide through the RFI/RFA process.
Providers will be asked to submit responses on forms. Providers are able to download forms from the web. Providers are able to submit their responses via a web-based form.
This process will provide an initial assessment of the potential capacity of providers in the community and which providers are interested in working to design person-specific services and supports to meet the needs and desires of the identified individuals.
The information submitted is placed into a database of providers that agree to meet the criteria that has been established for determining those providers that agree to embrace the values, principles, and practices for this project and that are interested in supporting individuals in the new transition process. This new process is being created to address the concerns of the individuals and their families and guardians and to assure that individuals transitioning from Murray Developmental Center are safe, healthy, and supported in ways that enable them to be successful in the community, despite any challenges they face, including medical and behavioral challenges.
The RFI/RFA informational gathering process is as involved as it is to assure that the providers being selected for involvement understand and agree to work with this process to help people have lives that they, and the people who care about them, including family members, have designed specifically for them through the independent assessment and person-centered planning process.
There is no "closing" date for submissions, as the database will be constantly updated. However, providers who wish to be considered in the earliest selections should respond as soon as possible.
This database will allow individuals, families, and guardians to know which providers are potentially willing and able to meet their needs. As individuals and/or their families/guardians express interest in meeting/evaluating providers, CRA, in cooperation and coordination with the Murray Developmental Center personnel, SICCS Service Coordination, the receiving Independent Service Coordination entity, the Bureau of Transition Services, and others, will then work to arrange opportunities for the individual and their families/guardians to meet those providers.
The expectation is that the individual and/or the families/guardians will then select one of the providers who are able and willing to meet their needs in accordance with the specifics of the person-centered plan and service/support requirements and the approved individualized allocation of resources from the state.
In short, this means that when a provider is selected by an individual and/or their family/guardian, CRA, again in cooperation and coordination with the others identified above, will work with the provider to implement a person-specific transition plan (that includes clinical services as well as crisis prevention and intervention) that corresponds to the completed person-centered plan.
Provider Criteria
Our expectation is that participating providers will agree to the following established criteria:
- Providers will be expected to agree to embrace the eight outlined principles and values for supporting individualized transitions to the community.
- Providers will be expected to agree to work with CRA to implement the Person-Centered Plan.
- Providers will be expected to agree to embrace the "5 Star Quality Model" and Five-Star Quality Principles & Standards for community engagement for the individuals to be served.
- Providers will be expected to sign up to be on expedited payment status.
- Providers will be expected to agree to work continuously to support participants in the community by adopting a "zero eject" approach for those individuals supported through this initiative.
- Providers will be expected to particiapte in meetings, training and data collection/reporting assocated with Money Follows the Person (MFP.)
- Providers will be expcted to sign the Provider's Pledge (pdf) and commitment to ACCT process, it's values and principles.
