January 11, 2018 - Illinois Interagency Council on Early Intervention

Audience

Open to the general public.

Time

10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Location

Double Tree Hotel
5000 West 127th Street
Alsip, Illinois

Agenda

  • Call to Order
  • Introduction of Council Members
  • Approval of October 5, 2017 Draft Meeting Report
  • Lead Poisoning Eligibility Workgroup Update
  • DRAFT Annual Performance Report (APR)/State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) Update
  • Ongoing Updates
    • IMPACT
    • Service Delivery Approaches (SDA) Workgroup Recommendations
    • Cornerstone
    • Parent Reimbursements
    • Budget Update
    • Bureau Update
    • Digital Signatures
  • Tele-Practice Workgroup Update
  • Adjournment of Meeting

Meeting Report

Present

  • J. Diane Adams-Alsberry, CALM, Inc.
  • Karen Berman, Ounce of Prevention Fund
  • Bob Cammarata, ICG Health Care Services
  • Benny Delgado, Leaps and Bounds Family Services, Inc.
  • Brenda DeVito, Clearbrook
  • Kristy Doan, IL State Board of Education
  • Ann Freiburg, Part C Coordinator, IDHS, Bureau of Early Intervention
  • Roselyn Harris, DHS, Bureau of Child Care & Development
  • Ginger Mullin, IL Dept. of Public Health
  • Lori Orr, Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development
  • Rosie Perez, Parent
  • Kathy Schrock, Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley
  • Ralph Schubert, Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC)
  • Lynette Strode, IL Assistive Technology Program
  • Therese Wehman, Elmhurst College
  • Angel Williams, IL Dept. of Child and Family Services
  • Amy Zimmerman, Legal Council for Health Justice

Absent

  • Teresa Bertolozzi, Parent
  • Kelly Cunningham, IL Dept. of Healthcare & Family Services
  • Margaret Harkness, IL Council on Developmental Disabilities
  • Vicki Hodges, ISBE, McKinney-Vento
  • Brandy O'Connor, Parent
  • Deanna Pratscher, Parent
  • Rita Wahl, CFC 20 Program Manager
  • Kathy Ward, IDHS, Division of Developmental Disabilities
  • Constance Williams, Ph.D., IDHS, Division of Mental Health
  • Karen Woods, IL Dept. of Insurance

Council Packet

  • Agenda
  • Draft Council Report from October 5, 2017
  • SDA Recommendation Update
  • Early Intervention Program Caseload Summary Report

1) Call to Order

Kathy Schrock called the meeting to order at 10:02 am.

2) Introduction of Council Members

Kathy asked Council Members to introduce themselves.

3) Approval of October 5, 2017 Draft Meeting Report

Benny moved to approve the report. Bob seconded. Amy asked for a correction to the lead report to reflect that it is a change in Illinois policy. Also on page 3, there is a question mark that needs removing. Roselyn noted that she was not actually in attendance, so this should be corrected.

4) Update on Lead Poisoning Eligibility Workgroup

Amy states they were able to hire a project manager- Dr. Michelle McKay (a professor at DePaul University) via the grant received from ICDD. Action steps taken include: getting IDPH 2016 pre-publication lead data so that they could map projections of the impact on early intervention; holding initial meetings with CFCs#1 and 7 who will be the focus of the pilot; completing mapping for CFC#1 and CFC#7 before the meeting (picked these CFCs because the number of children lead-exposed were highest here); having discussions about the resources that could be used for the pilot; meeting with Reach Out and Read to use their resources for those involved in the pilot; considering also using the Parent Training activities from the ASQ-3; participating in grand rounds next week at U of C; doing a webinar for EITP on February 14th; talking to the IL Children's Healthcare Foundation who may be interested in contributing resources to the evaluation of the pilot; and receiving approval for the pilot from OSEP.

5) Draft Annual Performance Report (APR)/State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) Update

Ann had hoped to have the draft prepared for the meeting but has some initial data to share instead. She got her data early but has added a step to the process to allow for some data correction prior to analysis. She has now begun data validation and entry in GRADS 360 (submission system). She shared statewide information and some CFC breakdowns. Ann will send the presentation she handed out to Council members soon and the entire narrative as soon as it is complete. Bob asked if there are states that actually achieve 100% for these compliance indicators. Ann said that there likely are some, but they may or may not measure the indicator in the same way as Illinois does. Ann talked about how the Bureau has been working to gather and share information with CFCs about ways to improve performance. Roselyn asked if we account for program fluctuations when picking the timing for measures (when given the flexibility) and Ann shared that we have done this when allowed.

  • Did not meet 100% for Indicator 1 (timely services), but we are at 97.88%.
  • Indicator 2 (natural environments) is a results indicator with a target of 90%, our performance was 98.67%.
  • Indicator 3 (child outcomes) numbers are going down as the accuracy of the ratings is likely improving as a result of SSIP activities. Amy asked for, and Ann provided, more information about child outcomes as this may be an evaluation measure for the lead work. Ann talked about some of the challenges with the data collection and entry. Early SSIP feedback was that teams realized they had been rating children too high, so this downward trend has been expected. Plans are still being made for scale up of the efforts being piloted in the SSIP. Given what Amy just shared, Therese asked if CFCs 1 and 7 could be included as part of the next steps in the scale up. Benny mentioned that ensuring that those CFCs are collecting data accurately will be important to understanding the impact of the interventions through the lead work. Kristy shared that the challenges with child outcomes measurement are not unique to Part C, they experience similar challenges with the 619 data. She raises this as a caution for those that want to use this as a singular measure of progress/impact.
  • We met all three targets, but dipped slightly in all three areas for Indicator 4 (family involvement). Largest struggle has been getting the surveys to families; large number of surveys returned to sender. We expect that the SSIP will help with this indicator as well due to focus on family engagement and messaging around outcomes.
  • Indicators 5 (child find birth to 1) and 6 are pre-populated by GRADS, but the numbers do not seem to match what we have been experiencing. Ann is trying to track down the source of the error. The information that is being fed into the system indicates that Illinois' population is growing. Our performance for indicator 5 is 1.26%, but the target is 1.28%. Indicator 6 (child find birth to 3) target was not met based on the information in the system.
  • Indicator 7 (45-day timeline) is a compliance indicator which has to be 100%. Our performance is very close- 99.88%.
  • Indicator 8 (early childhood transition) has three parts. Have full compliance for part b. Transition steps and services dipped slightly. Planning conferences improved by about 5%.

State Systemic Improvement Plan (also known as SSIP and Indicator 11) is not due until April. Ann invited Sarah Isaacs from the EI Clearinghouse to talk about how she has been involved in SSIP work. Sarah provided some background on the Clearinghouse's responsibilities. Clearinghouse staff became involved in SSIP work in 2015. They have been involved in purchasing resources that support the SSIP work. They have also been working on messaging and communication pieces. Have worked to produce family-friendly tip sheets on both outcomes and the family's role in early intervention. They also highlight specific topics in the family newsletter that will support SSIP work. Each newsletter has an SSIP update as well. Sarah has done outreach to each of the 3 Leadership Teams, congratulating members and offering assistance to them around leadership resources. Sarah has also been giving public awareness announcements about the SSIP when doing her annual CFC presentations because she is really excited to be involved in this work.

Sarah chairs the Messaging workgroup and has presented nationally on the work that has been going on in Illinois. The messaging group began its work in 2016. The workgroup has membership from each of the pilot areas, an editor from the EI Clearinghouse, IDHS representatives, doctoral students, and the EI Ombudsman. Sarah shared the EI family brochure that has been updated through the workgroup. Another focus of the group is to make sure that key messages work their way into all of our program materials. Sarah shared a checklist that stakeholders can use for developing EI materials to ensure that messages are consistent. This checklist has been used for evaluating documents as well, for example the two SSIP outcomes documents.

Amy said that she would like to share a document that she has been working on with the Clearinghouse. Bob asked about how many of their newsletters are returned to sender given the struggles we have with the mailing of the family outcomes surveys. Sarah reported that they have an extensive process for verifying addresses for the current families that minimizes how many are returned. Benny expressed how important messaging within and outside the system is. He also asked about resource utilization. Sarah has statistics that she can share based on people's interests. She shared that many times their resources are accessed by other libraries, so she can't account for who ultimately is using that information. Benny offered some suggestions for increasing use by families and providers. Ginger asked if Sarah if she knew what the most utilized aspect of their website was and if she could share the analytics from their website with the Council. Sarah said that she can share these and that the "getting started" part of their website is the most frequently accessed.

6) Ongoing Updates

Illinois Medicaid Program Advanced Cloud Technology (IMPACT):

Heather Hofferkamp shared that they are addressing system glitches so that Phase 2 enrollment will go more smoothly. There is currently an issue for providers trying to associate with the EI MCO. If they skip step 9 of the process, they can keep moving forward. IMPACT can fix it on the back end. IMPACT is not currently reflecting updates for speech language pathologists so some people have been receiving notices about expiration that are not accurate. As of yesterday, all CFCs are now approved and enrolled in IMPACT so that we can begin our Targeted Case Management claiming. CFC identification numbers also now match Legacy numbers. Bob shared some of the challenges that providers have experienced in relation to license renewal and the lack of interface with IMPACT. He wanted to verify that if they get removed from the system, they will still get paid by EI. Heather verified that it will not impact the providers' payments, it impacts EI's ability to claim the Medicaid match on the back end. Bureau does not yet have a timeline for Phase 2 (atypical providers). State will continue to use two systems until IMPACT enrollment has been completed for all providers.

Service Delivery Approaches (SDA) Workgroup Recommendations:

Ann sent update in Council packet that reflects the Bureau's progress towards each of the items in the report. Would the Council like to get updates on these recommendations prior to each meeting? They would, so it was suggested that the document be dated going forward.
Karen asked about Council members' potential involvement in the development of the upcoming RFPs, particularly regarding pieces that were included in the SDA recommendations. Karen shared how she has been involved in other systems' development of RFPs. She asked if an ad hoc group could be created to ensure that the Council's priorities for CFCs/LICs are known to the Bureau prior to the release of the next RFP. Kathy feels that that the Council should convene a group to share this information. Ann would need this information by the end of the month, and she shared that she has already been using the SDA recommendations when considering changes. Therese raised that there are some items that are being postponed (based on the provided update) that could potentially be moved forward via the RFP process. She would be willing to take a lead on getting some considerations to DHS in the next couple of weeks but thinks that workgroup formation may not be feasible given the short timeframe. Benny highlighted some of the items that are not currently being addressed that might move forward with wording in a RFP. Benny asked if the SDA Recommendations document has been posted publicly yet, but this has not occurred pending further development of an announcement to the field. Angel, Ginger, Kristy, Lori, Kathy, Benny, Karen, Amy, and Therese volunteered to be on the call. Kim will set up a poll and number for the group. Amy asked about extending invitations to SDA workgroup members so that recommendation clarifications could be provided. Therese also suggested current Partners be involved, but others shared that this may be prohibited as a matter of equity in the procurement process. If people have particular issues that they want to be sure the group considers, they should email Therese prior to the call. Ginger asked how the Open Meeting Act impacts a potential call and expressed that she is confident that Ann is aware of the highest priorities of the Council's members. Current RFP will be shared with Council members prior to the call.

Cornerstone:

Ann continues to meet with DoIT staff to share program needs and find out what their requirements/preferences are for the data system that will replace Cornerstone. Once needs are identified, a RFP will likely be released. There are lots of parameters that they have in mind. Sometimes, the questions being asked are not directly answerable because they are dependent on certain choices. Ann feels that the process is continuing to move forward. Do not yet know if there will be a single system for all programs or if there will be individual systems for each program. Kathy shared that more IT support may be necessary as more users access the system. Bob asked what would happen if we pass the 2020 deadline without the next system identified, but Ann doesn't have this answer. Bob shared that he didn't believe initially that moving to electronic systems would save money, but he has now experienced that reality. Roselyn noted that our experiences with IMPACT may positively influence our transition to the new system. Karen reminded Council members of the data requests that have been made and wants to be sure that those are considered for the new system and asked about whether the current system is still being modified to meet these requests. Ann said that the current system is still being updated. Karen asked about the Council revisiting the list since it seems like more and more initiatives have data requirements.
V-Stone has now completed full geocoding of all addresses. This includes verifying accuracy. Reports have now been created to identify when there are issues with the addresses.
The Integrated Eligibility System (IES), an eligibility system for many HFS programs, was implemented in October. This is impacting our ability to identify Medicaid eligible children. Many of the reports, such as caseload reports and program statistics, are not currently accurate. Once glitches are fixed, the old reports will be re-run. Ann wants people to know that there may be some slight variations once this happens. Amy asked what CFCs do to assist families if Medicaid eligibility lapses. In many instances, CFCs do not know when this occurs. If a family lets the service coordinator know, Ann presumes that the CFC would offer resources. Training on the new system is supposed to be available soon.

Parent Reimbursements:

Karen, Amy, and Ann had a call some time ago. Based on this, some of the information in the proposal needed to be updated due to billing changes. Amy reminded Council members that this proposal was created to help address service delays. If this gets implemented, Amy stated it will really positively changes how some families might be able to access services. Amy is wondering what is needed to keep this moving forward. Ann plans to embed this in the CFC Procedure Manual first. Forms will be created as necessary. Ann is hoping to turn her attention to this after the APR submission but does not have a specific date of implementation.

Budget:

No new information. Making payments to providers. GRF transfers and HFS transfers are continuing to occur. Unclear how the potential federal shutdown will occur the claiming of our federal money. Bureau provides daily updates about financial needs. Kathy asked about the drop in Medicaid reimbursement to the program on the statistics the Council received. Drop is more likely related to the inability to claim Targeted Case Management (because of CFC enrollment in IMPACT) rather than the decrease in Medicaid eligible children.

Bureau:

Data manager job was posted but it needed some additional adjustments. Ann hopes revised position gets posted again by February. Therese asked if a barrier to finding a quality candidate was the compensation available. Ann thinks that, through this process, she has now modified it in a way that will get the kind of candidate desired. Melissa Gould, most recently from HFS, has joined the Bureau to fill Claudia's vacancy. Retained bilingual requirement for the position. Melissa is beginning to participate in some external workgroups/committees.

Digital Signatures:

Ann has been working to get the requirements for digital (not electronic) signatures. People can obtain a digital signature for free. Kathy has the book about the signatures and is going to have someone review the requirements and make suggestions for how to implement the process. Bob and Benny offered to help with this.

7)  Tele-Practice Workgroup Update

The workgroup has met and made some recommendations. This has now been shared with Ann. Next steps will involve thinking about dividing the state and speaking with people who have both utilized telehealth and those who haven't. Kathy has developed a provider survey that will also be utilized. DeeDee shared a contact with Heather to learn about a process that is being piloted with ISHA. Kathy said information sharing about this approach to practice will be important. A PowerPoint presentation has been developed to ensure consistency when meeting with people across the state. Hoping that utilizing this approach can help address ongoing service delays.

8) Other Items

Jenni has been working with a new contact at the Governor's Office in Boards and Commissions to identify members for Council vacancies. Positions being worked on at this time include four parent positions, a CFC manager for the Urban area, and a General Assembly representative. Bob asked about how to identify the legislative representative given the limited amount of time this position has actually been filled. It is the same process for this position as it is for other vacancies-appointed by Governor. Karen raised the issue of making sure that a member of the Home Visiting Task Force be included in the Council membership. Jenni feels that we are currently at our limits, so she and Karen will check in on this. Kathy reminded members that they may be asked to mentor new members once they are appointed. Lori asked about the option of revisiting the retreat concept for new members.

9) Adjournment

Brenda Devito motioned to adjourn the meeting and Therese seconded. The meeting adjourned at 12:57pm.

Contact Information

Jenni Grissom
IDHS - Bureau of Early Intervention
823 East Monroe
Springfield, IL 62701
Ph: 217/524-1596
email: jennifer.grissom@illinois.gov


If you are need of special accommodations, please email or call Jenni Grissom.