August 10, 2023, The Autism Task Force

Illinois Autism Task Force

August 10, 2023

10:00 AM to 12:00 noon

  1. Introductions

    • Task Force
    • Dr Kruti Acharya 
    • Patti Boheme Present
    • Sasha Boheme Present
    • Stephanie Brown 
    • Mo Buti Present
    • Pete DiCianni Present 
    • Dr. Tom DiMatteo
    • Theresa Forthofer 
    • Dr. Karen Fried
    • Dr. Ramiro Gumucio 
    • Sherry Healey Present 
    • Terry Herbstritt 
    • Sherry Ladislas Present 
    • Kiya Olson Present 
    • Zoubida Pasha Present
    • Aimee Pfister Present 
    • Cari Roestel 
    • Colleen Shinn 
    • Ruth Ann Sikora Present 
    • Agency Partners
    • Christine Hammond
    • Sean Weldon
    • Lisa Betz
    • Kristin Wagner
    • Danielle Harsy
    • Benny Delgado
    • Nikechi Onwuameze
    • Partners
    • Denise Croft-SIU Spectrum Disorders
    • Mary Kelly
    • Kelly Currier Brown
    • Emily Frankel
    • Jen Sotrli-Benson
    • Holly Rafferty
    • Emily Mehta
    • Jackie Vick
    • Cassie M
    • Christine Jo
    • Dawn Sikora
    • Pete DiCianni announced he will be stepping down as co-chair. The task force thanks Pete for all his service.

  2. Division/Agency Updates- (DD, DMH, DRS, EI, ISBE)

    1. DD- Updates
      • Beginning with the next meeting the Division of DD will take over the task force and transition. They will identify a staff person should not see any difference in carrying out our tasking.
      • Moving quickly towards EEV. Released the live in caregiver exemption.
      • Working on waiver amendments regarding the guidehouse studies and new legislation. Working on a supports waiver and the GE worked with HFS to the federal gov specific to Transition youth. Really going to call it a bridge waiver for adults who need access to services before they get pulled from puns to the adult waiver. 18-mid to late 20s. that will go out for public comment.
      • Hopefully be able to me way more flexible with this waiver to allow for more flexibility.
    2. DMH-
      • Communication alert on 3 trainings on the DC 0-5 to get developmentally appropriate diagnosis it's a 3-day training.
      • Certification for CRSS CRSSYA- get a specific add on to CRSS focused on young adults, how to engage and understand. Working on developing the training curriculum.
      • Dana Weiner - behavioral health transformation level.
    3. DRS
      • Customized employment, we have 14 contracts this FY year. Overall, we do see usage and do an annual report submitted to DHS and that info should be available. As a reminder I manage the contracts and DRS leadership provides an annual report.
      • Updating the memorandum or understanding with the board of education.
      • Home services program services during the national emergency are no longer.
    4. EI
      • Our bureau staff is down about 50% so we are working on staffing up.
      • We are looking to collect data, wanted to start a workgroup to work on data so we have a bit of a pause. Medical diagnostics clinicians out there talking to families.
      • Recently passed smart start with a 10% increase. Looking at payment of long-term providers on making sure payment is based on longevity incentives. Focus right now is workforce.
    5. ISBE-
      • Autism Training and Technical Assistance Project Paula reviewed how to get in and use the site for parents and people to get information. Provided links.
      • Webinar series are done on a monthly basis, and you can participate live if you want.
      • Our survey indicator 8 just closed. Is there a way that the survey can be distributed to the school to see if the school districts can distribute the surveys. That link was going to be posted. ISBE does not have the ability to email directly to the schools. Family Matters, if you know a group send it on your own.

  3. Workgroup Updates

    1. Transition Patti reviewed the survey and all the documents to be disseminated. Ruth Ann talked about how the info will be disseminated.
    2. Act Early- Early childhood under restructuring that has been a barrier until this gets resolved and more people are being brought on. Education pieces for physicians training. Trying to educate on the current approach of wait and see in many physicians. We have been on hiatus as we wait for things to start up again.
    3. Adult Services - Happy to hear on the bridge waiver and that they did implement the live in care giver as an important component. A whole lot to be done on flexibility and self- directed services. Day programs folks still sitting home since the pandemic. Definitely need to get in front of the new director as she gets into her new role. The flexibility on how to use the funding is so critical.
    4. Insurance - Emily Frankel Autism Speaks on ABA update to fully implement Medicaid. A rule in January set forth a bunch of policies and regulations that rule making is still ongoing. Medicaid omnibus bill the language mandates HFS to provide a pathway of Medicaid enrollment for sept 23. Whether in home or office-based services. On track to meet the 9/1/deadline and there will be provider guidance in the coming weeks. A part of the advocacy - discrepancy on who is allowed to diagnose we were able to insert clinical psychiatrists to diagnose. We are aware of the long waitlists.

  4. New Business

  5. Old Business

  6. Announcements

  7. Next Steps

  8. 2023 Calendar year schedule

Full Autism Task Force:

  • Thursday November 9, 2023

Subcommittee meetings prior to next full task force meeting:

Autism Insurance Subcommittee:

  • Monday August 21, 2023, 11:00 AM
  • Monday September 18, 2023, 11:00 AM
  • Monday October 16, 2023, 11:00 AM

Adult Services Subcommittee:

  • Thursday September 7, 2023, 11:00 AM
  • Thursday October 5, 2023, 11:00 AM
  • Thursday November 2, 2023, 11:00 AM

Autism Transition Subcommittee:

  • Monday August 21, 2023, 10:00 AM
  • Monday September 18, 10:00 AM
  • Monday October 16, 2023, 10:00 AM

Meeting Guidelines

  • Sessions will be recorded.
  • Please keep your audio on mute so we can hear speakers clearly and unmute to speak.
  • Announce your name before speaking.
  • Actively listen and engage as fully as you would if we were in person.
  • Please do your best to stay on topic!
  • Share information respectfully to promote understanding, collegiality and avoid misunderstandings.
  • Allow people to share their thoughts and ideas completely and avoid interrupting.
  • Strive for balanced participation share but be brief and mindful of others who want to share.
  • Identify barriers to our work AND provide suggestions to overcome these barriers.

Meeting Recording:

Recording