Good Afternoon,
As we settle into this new normal, I want to thank individuals, families, providers and their staff and our associations for all you do each and every day to support individuals with I/DD across the state.
JULY 1, 2020 RATES TABLE
The Division has published the rates table with a proposed (https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=125080) effective date of 7/1/20 reflecting the increase. Please be advised the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has not approved our waiver amendment so rates cannot be implemented. The published rates should be used for planning purposes. Rate increases will be retroactive to the approval date, which we anticipate being 7/1/20 but cannot guarantee.
CHILDREN'S RESIDENTIAL RATES
The Division will be extending the 20% increase to Children's residential services e (17D and 19D) until August 31, 2020. It will revert to pre-COVID rates effective September 1, 2020. Providers should make plans now if schools do not resume in September as an extension is unlikely. The Information Bulletin has been updated to reflect this change.
CDS REOPENING SELF-ADVOCACY RESOURCE
The Illinois Self-Advocacy Alliance developed the attached resource for self-advocates [Advocacy Resource - Reopening of CDS ]. This resource serves as a guide to help self-advocates "speak up and speak out," to ask the questions and get the information that is important to them. Please share widely!
SELN EMPLOYMENT SURVEY UPDATE
Thanks to all who participated in the SELN (State Employment Leadership Network) survey to understand how employment for individuals with I/DD has been impacted by the pandemic. Over 100 provider organizations reported on the employment status of individuals they supported in individual Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) and small group integrated employment. Of the 1,817 individuals who were working on March 1st or started a new job after March 1st, only 33% were working in June. Individuals who work in small group employment experienced an even greater impact with only 15% continuing to work.
Employment status was impacted both by business shut down and by personal concerns. For individual jobs, 37% of individuals were furloughed or laid off and 22% of individuals voluntarily stopped working because of health or safety concerns. Furloughs and layoffs affected employees in small group employment more heavily with 63% reported as furloughed or laid off. Providers also reported very different experiences with supporting individuals in employment. For providers who reported 10 or more individuals working in individual integrated jobs on March 1, the percent currently working ranged anywhere from 0% to 100%.
As the labor market reopens, we should learn from individuals who were successful in continuing to work. These successes represent both individual accomplishments and provider's ability to pivot quickly and reimagine how support is provided. For those who are now unemployed, we encourage providers to reach out and assess individual preferences and goals, the expectations and needs of businesses in the area, and individual's experience and ability to use personal protective equipment and safety protocols. We want to support individuals to return to or begin employment. This may include a referral to the Illinois Department of Human Service (IDHS) Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) for job placement.
Illinois Data
|
Individual CIE |
Group Supported Job |
| Working |
33% |
15% |
| Furloughed |
29% |
57% |
| Laid Off |
8% |
6% |
| Voluntarily Not Working |
22% |
21% |
Illinois Data vs SELN Member States Data
|
Illinois |
SELN States |
| Working |
33% |
46% |
| Furloughed |
29% |
31% |
| Laid Off |
8% |
6% |
| Voluntarily Not Working |
22% |
14% |
IARF AND SIARF SPONSORED MEANINGFUL DAY SERVICES WEBINAR
Interested in thinking differently about day services and employment? IARF and SIARF are hosting a series of four webinars on how to use Day Services to build meaningful lives and create pathways to community employment for people with I/DD. In these times of significant change, and extreme challenges, Illinois's providers need to think differently and use state/federal resources in creative ways. This webinar series will reframe how we see "Day Programs" and will provide field-tested tools and strategies for creating integrated, person-centered services and pathways to employment. This webinar series is free to attend and CEUs will be offered!
The first one aired today but there are still 3 more! Amazing line-up of webinars. Register here: https://www.iarf.org/siarfiarfseries.html
ICDD SPONSORED CUSTOMIZED EMPLOYMENT TRAINING
Need help with your employment strategy? The Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities, in partnership with nationally known training experts from Marc Gold & Associates, will be offering the training series: "Uncovering Customized Employment" in which the Discovery and Customized Job Development trainings will be available at no cost to participants.
There is room for 40 participants. The training sessions will be conducted using the Zoom platform; participants should have both audio and video capabilities. Attendance is mandatory at all 12 half-day sessions to receive an ACRE Certificate of Achievement with a focus on Customized Employment.
This is a phenomenal opportunity for providers! For more information: https://conta.cc/3gGud2G.
IDPH REPORTING ON COVID IN ICF/DDs
Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), IDPH is now reporting both confirmed and probable cases and fatalities on its website. Reporting probable cases will help show the potential burden of COVID-19 illness and effectiveness of population-based non-pharmaceutical interventions. See CDC definition of a probable case on its website. IDPH will update this data weekly.
Thank you for all you do!
Warmly,
Allison
