Support for Kids with Autism: Panel discussion in Ann Arbor

This is an announcement from the Washtenaw County Special Education E-Information Listserv:

Panel Discussion: Support For Kids With Autism

Monday, November 21, 2011

7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

In the multi-purpose room in the downtown library

Ann Arbor District Library

343 S. Fifth Ave.

Ann Arbor, MI 

A panel of teacher consultants at Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD), including Walter Kwik, Pamela McClure, Marla Sebu and Katrina Stewart, will talk about Autism Spectrum Disorder, what it is and how to help people/children with it in Washtenaw County feel more comfortable and successful in their daily lives. They will also discuss the START project, which gives professionals and parents the knowledge and skills to support individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder in reaching their greatest potential. 

The STatewide Autism Resources and Training (START) project is committed to creating a sustainable structure of support for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders within each region of Michigan by provide training and technical assistance to educators and families that support students on the autism spectrum. 

The START project has been in place for 10 years through the funding and support of the Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Early Intervention Services. The rapid increase in the number of students with ASD entering public schools in Michigan has created a critical need for more in-depth training for educators in the use of evidence based practices. Additionally, the START Project has served a key role in meeting this need through innovative activities such as Regional Collaborative Networks, training and coaching models, and resource material development. 

For more information on this event, call the Library at 327-4555 or visit the Website

Ira Lax

Outreach and Neighborhood Services

Washtenaw Library for the Blind & Physically Disabled

Ann Arbor District Library

734-327-8365

Friends of DD newsletters, 2009-2011

I have posted Friends of DD newsletters from the last two years on Google Docs. You can find them here. 

Here are specific news letters that may be of interest because of the topics featured:

• Supported living in Milan, MI
• St. Louis Center in Chelsea, MI
• Our Lady of Providence, Wayne County, MI
• Group home in Ypsilanti, MI
• Harbor House in Ottawa County, MI
• Just Us Club, Ann Arbor, MI
• His Eye is on the Sparrow
• Community Mental Health Services for DD
• Home Help Services
• Romulus Athletic Club and Matthaei Botanical Gardens

Friends of the Developmentally Disabled, Washtenaw County, MI

Friends of the Developmentally Disabled, (aka Friends of DD) began as a group of families of people with developmental disabilities more than 10 years. Initially, our purpose was to support people with DD in local group homes and in the day program at Washtenaw Community Mental Health. We never organized formally, although we once may have elected a treasurer. This turned out to be unnecessary, because we never had any money. 
 
We have managed for a long time without a formal organization, although, at least until recently, we have met regularly, and we have cranked out a newsletter to go along with the (almost monthly) meeting notices. We tend to have family members whose loved-ones are on the more severe end of the range of people with developmental disabilities, but everyone is welcome to attend our meetings and sign up for the newsletter.
 
When we started, we came up with a set of principles. We rarely refer to this document, but we adhere pretty closely to it. Here it is:

• People with developmental disabilities have diverse needs based on the nature and severity of their disabilities, their experiences, and family circumstances.
• For people with developmental disabilities who cannot speak for themselves, the best advocate is a parent, other family member, or close friend who is aware of the individual’s needs and cares about the welfare of that individual.
• To meet the long-term needs of people with developmental disabilities, a full range of services, programs, and living arrangements, designed to meet their unique needs, must be available and the availability communicated to people with DD and their families.

Our purposes are:

• To ensure the availability and delivery of appropriate services to people with developmental disabilities while protecting the rights and preserving the dignity of those individuals.
• To provide information so that people with developmental disabilities and their families or friends can advocate for themselves to obtain the services they need.
• To communicate with public officials charged with the responsibility for providing services and protecting the rights of the developmentally disabled and to ensure the accountability of public agencies to people with developmental disabilities and the public.

And furthermore, Friends of DD does not dictate to you what is best for your family member or browbeat you into conforming to a particular ideology or belief.  

This year, we have not met as often as we have in past years, but I have been sending out more information by e-mail with frequent updates on issues affecting families and people with disabilities. Friends of DD has joined ddAdvocates of Michigan, an Internet-based network of community organizations and family members. The purpose of ddAdvocates is to provide information to families and friends and apprise them of opportunities to comment on local, state, and national policies affecting people with developmental disabilities.

Jill Barker
Friends of DD
Ann Arbor, MI

iPad, iPhone, and iPod apps for special ed students

I recently talked to a parent whose son was able to order food from a restaurant menu for the first time by himself using an iPad to communicate. Apparently, these new-fangled computer machines do all kinds of amazing things that make communicating and understanding easier for children with learning difficulties.

Through the Website Bridges4Kids, I found a list by Eric Sailer of dozens of apps for iPads, iPhones, and iPods. They teach communication skills, sign language, math and spelling, help with speech problems, provide interactive games and books, help with organization, and many other things. These are available through the iTunes store and have reviews that will help parents determine which apps will be the most suitable to their child's needs.

Dual Eligibles plan hits speed bump in Michigan House Subcommittee

This is a brief summary of a hearing held on 10/25/11 by the Michigan House Appropriations Subcommittee on Community Health. The hearing was only one hour long and will be continued on Tuesday, 11/1/11, in Room 352 of the Capitol building in Lansing. Subcommittee members are Representatives Matt Lori, (C), Peter MacGregor (Maj. VC), Dave Agema, Bob Genetski, Rashida Tlaib, and Joan Bauer. Contact information for all members of the Michigan House of Representatives can be found here.

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The Michigan House Appropriations Subcommittee on Community Health met last week on October 25th, 2011, to hear testimony on the state's proposal to "integrate" the care of people eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare. Under the state proposal, Medicaid managed care plans would finance and manage the care for dual eligibles. 

It was obvious that committee members had heard from constituents about the plan, particularly from the significant population of dual eligibles who receive Medicaid-funded services through the Community Mental Health system. Subcommittee members asked many pointed questions about the role of the CMH system in the proposed plan with implicit and explicit support for the system that has been providing specialty services to people with developmental disabilities, mental illness, and other disabilities for decades.

Lynda Zeller, the Deputy Director of the Michigan Department of  Community Health (MDCH), and Steve Fitton, Medicaid Director, presented the state's plan and answered legislators' questions about it..

Steve Fitton stated that the Integration of Dual Eligibles initiative is a top priority for the state. The intent of the initiative is to improve health, improve care, and lower costs. Mr. Fitton seemed to be defending the plan against some of the criticisms that the MDCH has received. He said the state wants stability in the system and to continue "important services". They have no intention to "medicalize" what is not "medical". They hope that by pooling funding they will have collaborative purchasing. Capitation will lead to more flexible funding rather than having funding reserved in "acute" settings. They plan to continue all services.

They are reconsidering parts of the proposal that may not work, including the idea of a single assessment tool and one care coordinator. They may consider the idea or a care coordination team. He said the state has no intention to discontinue non-traditional services. They will continue to offer Habilitation Support Waiver services and behavioral services.

He explained the process for stakeholder involvement of the plan. This began with "key informant" interviews followed by forums with a total of 1,000 participants. There is a Website where anyone can comment at any time. A questionnaire was also available on-line for public comments. Workgroups on a variety of topics will meet in November and December. April 1, 2012 is the target date for submitting the final plan to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). After that they will put out an RFP that a variety of entities can bid on.

Q & A:

Representative Agema asked, what if you can't save money without cutting services? What is the back-up plan?

Zeller and Fitton said they did not know where they would go with that.

Representative MacGregor asked, will you share the plan with the legislature before you submit it to the feds?

Fitton and Zeller said yes, although we know there has been reluctance to do this. The initial proposal submitted to the CMS claimed that the plan could be implemented administratively and without legislative approval.

Representative MacGregor responded by saying that "yes" was the right answer. He said it is key to review this with the legislature. He also said, they should integrate the services that we do well, referring to CMH services.

Representative Bauer asked, what will be the role of CMH agencies? The proposal should have something in it that deals with the issue of CMH and how to use their talents and relationships. She also said that CMH has kept Medicaid cost increases to 2% per year. We need to keep non-traditional services such as club houses for people with mental illness.

Lynda Zeller said they are working with MACMHB (Michigan Association of Community Mental Health Boards) and will be meeting with them soon. She said that what CMH has not done is preventive care, screening, and focusing on care coordination. [I found this to be a surprising statement. Care coordination, in the sense of making sure consumers get appropriate medical care and treatment is one of the things that CMH does or is supposed to do for consumers.]

Michigan Assisted Living Association

Robert Stein gave testimony urging that the state maintain funding and not compromise quality of care. The state must provide options for consumers to choose from and preserve the quality of the provider network. He supported the possibility of implementing the plan with a phased-in approach.

MALA written testimony can be found here.

Michael Brashears, Executive Director, Ottawa CMH

Dr. Michael Brashears testified about his concern that no actual plan has yet been developed for dual eligibles. He said the MDCH has solicited input on only a handful of issues, but there is no process to present the actual model to stakeholders or to allow review of the plan once it is finished.

He also noted that the participation of so many stakeholders in state forums and other opportunities to comment would not have occurred without the dramatic outreach of CMH agencies that held their own forums and emphasized to consumers the importance of the state’s proposal and their participation in it.

Here are Dr. Brashears' written comments expanding on the idea that stakeholder participation has been limited and that "there is no stated 'plan' or 'methodology' related to Dual Eligible Integration for public review prior to the deadline of submitting a 'plan' to CMS of April 1st, 2012."

In response, Representative MacGregor stated that there should be at least a 30-day public review process of the finalized plan.

Chief Executive Officer for the Southwest Michigan PIHP (Pre-paid Inpatient Health Plan)

The state initiative has a very “narrow focus”.

In 1998, the state carved out behavioral health [mental health services] and combined the 1915 b & c waivers (Home and Community Based Waivers). Services are protected by the carve out.

By law and constitution, the state transferred services to local CMHs from the state. There has been continual transformation of this system and development of a professional workforce.

The hearing was adjourned at 11:30 a.m. and will continue on Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 10:30 a.m.

Halloween Party

The Ann Arbor Center for Independent Living is sponsoring a free Halloween Party for youth 14 to 26, with apple bobbing, bingo, pumpkin painting, caramel apples and more.

Costumes encouraged.

Friday, October 28, 2011, 6 - 9 p.m.

RSVP required: Ann Dusbiber Gossage at anna@aacil.org .

Anna Dusbiber Gossage coordinates youth events. Contact her for information and questions on future events.

Michigan Direct-care workers vs. Michigan CEOs and Board Presidents

A commenter on my last blog entry on Michigan's Direct-care Workforce suggested I check out the compensation for some of the Executive Directors, Board Presidents, and CEOs of provider agencies. The place to find these figures and other information about non-profits is on the Website Guidestar. Registration is free and it gives you access to the IRS Form 990 for the non-profits in their database. 

Here is a sampling of what I found:

JOAK American Homes, Inc., in Ann Arbor, Michigan 

• Mission: "The corporation is set-up to provide residence, treatment and support to children and adults with mental retardation, mental illness, substance abusers and shelter for homeless citizens in various counties in the state of Michigan."
• The compensation for Board President Josephine Akunne was $235,680 for 2009. It appears that she was paid an additional $44,000 as President of the Board of four other related non-profits.

Hope Network of Grand Rapids, Michigan

• There are several Hope Network non-profits providing services to people with developmental disabilities and mental illness.
• President of the Board of Directors Phillip Weaver received compensation from "related organizations" of $200,248.
• Five more Board members made over $100,000 apiece.

Progressive Residential Services of New Mexico and Progressive Residential Services of Tennessee, both at the same address in Troy, Michigan, provide services to people with developmental disabilities, mental illness and other disabling conditions.

• CEO Everett DeHut was paid $346,196 base compensation for 2009.

Community Living Services, Inc. in Wayne, Michigan provides "care, treatment, housing education, and protection of developmentally disabled children and adults."

• Executive Director James Dehem  received $189,776 in base compensation for 2009.

As I have said for years, "non-profit" does not mean  "no money".