By Lynn Decker

On March 30th, about 30 NY Metro families met by video-conference with Acting Commissioner Kerry Delaney and Kate Marlay, Deputy Director. Division of Person-Centered Supports, and Kate Bishop, Director of Health and Community Support, Division of Person Centered Supports.  This gathering was organized through NY Metro SD Community of Practice and we thank Mary Somoza for securing the meeting.

The agenda included the reduction in compensation to Fiscal Intermediary agencies that took effect on October 1, 2014, along with a variety of other elements of that “re-invention” of Self-Direction.  OPWDD staff recognized that the FI Compensation is an issue demanding attention, but stated they will be unable to re-open it for consideration with CMS until there is a year of experience data to present, and that can’t occur until July 2015 at the earliest.  They reviewed several measures they are offering to FI agencies in the meantime to provide financial assistance in the interim, including the Balancing Incentives Program grants that were announced in February.

Also discussed were the reductions in the available Personal Resource Allocation for some participants under the new formula, and the restrictions on rates and licensure for certain clinical consultants to Self-Direction plans.  OPWDD staff sought details from families to assess the impact of the first of these and possible alternatives or solutions to the other.

Exclusion of Individually Directed Good and Services (IDGS) funding for settings that are ‘specialized’ rather than integrated, which many families stated were the only suitable programs for their family member at this time, was also discussed.  Non-traditional but disability-focused programs that offer enhanced supports for behavior or physical mods that make it possible to develop skills needed for success in integrated settings are desired by many families, but excluded from Self-Direction funding.  OPWDD staff were less receptive to these concerns, saying that such settings needed to be made integrated in order to qualify for IDGS funds.

And finally, the inadequacy of the housing subsidy formula for any market priced housing in areas well served by transit was raised, along with inadequate support to access existing affordable housing offerings that may be appropriate.  The role of housing discrimination when approaching a potential landlord with documentation of housing subsidy on the basis of disability was also raised.

The commissioner expressed broad general recognition of family concerns and promised a face-to-face meeting with this group in the future.

If you or your family member are eligible for OPWDD funded services and wish to pursue Self-Direction with Budget Authority, you may request to join the google group for this parent effort at https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/ny-metro-self-direction-community-of-practice

Lynn Decker

Executive Board Member, NYC FAIR
lynn_decker@me.com