November 7, 2019, The Autism Task Force

Illinois Department of Human Services
Autism Taskforce Meeting

November 7, 2019

10am - 12pm

Springfield: 100 S. Grand Avenue East, 3rd Executive Video Conference Room

Chicago: 401 S. Clinton, 7th Floor, IDHS Executive Video Conference Room

Conference Number: 888-494-4032 access 834-224-3963

Agenda

  1. Introductions
  2. Division Updates (DD, EI, DRS,DMH, ISBE)
  3. Workgroup Updates
    1. Transition
    2. Insurance
    3. Act Early
  4. New Business
    1. EI Diagnosis
    2. SB84 Recap
    3. Annual Report
    4. Annual Ethics Training and Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
  5.  Old Business
    1. BCBA
    2. Insurance bill progress
  6. Announcements
  7. Next Steps
  8. 2020 Calendar year tentative schedule

Thursday February 13, 2020 10:00 A.M. to noon

Thursday May14, 2020 10:00 A.M. to noon

Thursday August 13, 2020 10:00 A.M. to noon

Thursday November 12, 2020 10:00 A.M. to noon

I. Introductions:

Task Force:

Patti Boheme (Co-Chair) Little Friends 

Pete DiCianni Commissioner, DuPage County 

Cynthia Brouillard Little Friends 

Zoubida Pasha Family Resource Center on Disabilities

Paula Powers ISBE

Mo Buti 

Jim Runyon Easter Seals Central 

Brian Dacy Life Tech

Ruth Ann Sikora Parent 

Constance Williams MH 

Kruti Acharya UIC 

Sherry Healy DHS Employment First

Ann Frieburg DHS 

Kim Mercer-Schleider Council on Developmental Disabilities

Tony DiVittorio Clearbrook

Karen Fried Advocate Health 

Candice Gizewski Behavioral Perspective 

Christine Hammond DHS-OAS 

Terry Herbstritt Parent, PACTT 

Sherry Ladislas Parent, Trinity Services 

Partners:

Sandra Rodenburg, Illinois Center for Autism 

Marla Root, Insurance Coalition 

Cheryl Widman, Parent 

Meg Kooch, The Arc 

Dr Mark Mosk, Behavioral Healthcare Advisory and Strategy

Dr Nasiah Cirincione-Ulezi,BCBA 

Dr Ramiro Gumucio, Parent 

I. Division Updates (DD, EI, DRS,DMH, ISBE)

EI:

Active Counsel rate increase July 1, 2020 in the budget

No progress has been made on advance practice nurses to diagnose

DMH:

Increased funding to DMH

ISBE:

Paula Powers joined the group to support the work of the task force

Employment First:

Sherry Healy started under employment first.

II. Workgroup Updates

a. Transition:

Bill 2281 passed to allow students to stay in school after 22 to finish out their school year. Right now they have to leave on their 22 birthday.

EEOPD- a statute to reorganize the Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) placing it under the EEOPD transition committee who can step into place and get that group on task.

b. Insurance:

In a BIMP bill 42 million appropriation allowed for ABA. We are on the second go round for language in the state plan amendment. Current language only allows BCBA clinical psychologists and social workers to perform therapy greatly limiting access. The wording has to be correct to move forward on this. HFS has concern of fraud in this area however the bar is far higher for Illinois than any other state with this language. We will be the first state to require this type of qualifications.

Discussion continued on rates

c. Act Early:

Kruti is taking over for Ann Cutler. Survey for waiting list on diagnostics results in early spring.

The CDC has a call out for Act Early Ambassadors. Two available to each state, due by December 16, 2019.Stipend is $4000.00 per week.

III. New Business

a. EI diagnosis:

 Wait list continues to be a problem; kids are not getting into EI due to lack of diagnosis. We need to research to see who else can do this; we have the opportunity to expand professionals who can do the work. Where is it within the scope of professional duties-Clinical psychologists, DD pediatricians - commercial insurance won't take pediatrician diagnosis. Under age 3 clinical psychologists alone cannot do the diagnostics.

Insurance companies are holding us to higher standards by holding us to an ADOF.

b. SB84 recap:

Trying to shore up our current waivers before beginning anything new. Looking at rate increases and increasing residential capacity and more creative options.

c. Annual Report:

 Due to be submitted at the start of the year.

d. Annual Ethics Training and Sexual Harassment Prevention Training:

All available online now.

IV. Old Business

a. BCBA:

Licensure has still not moved through the legislature, the task force would like to look at the red-lined version.

b. Insurance bill progress

N/A

V. Announcements

Advocate Children's Hospital Echo Telementoring program.

VI. Next Steps

N/A

VII. 2020 Calendar year tentative schedule

Thursday February 13, 2020 10:00 A.M. to noon

Thursday May14, 2020 10:00 A.M. to noon

Thursday August 13, 2020 10:00 A.M. to noon

Thursday November 12, 2020 10:00 A.M. to noon