"Building Partnerships, Supporting Choices"

That's the tag line on DDS letterhead - has that filtered down to the regional centers?

Supporting choices?

Like for the woman recently moved from her home of 15 years with 2 hours notice?

Building partnerships?

Your partner is interesting.... you take all of the financial risk and your partner is in complete control.

What do you think?

Regional Center Update

Here's the uniform closure schedule. I'd love to hear from those of you who will have to staff at times you haven't had to in the past. I'm trying to figure out the real impact of the budget - which is significantly more than the 3% "discount" for residential.

For me, the issue that keeps getting swept under the rug is that there is only one place in the developmental services system that didn't take a cut (4 budget areas - DDS headquarters, State Developmental Centers, Regional Center Operations, and Purchase services). I'll give you a hint - DDS HQ and State DCs are staffed by state employees who have to take furlough days. So what's wrong with this picture? The "stakeholder" meetings where information was gathered about how to best approach budget cuts didn't seem to take the information from all of the "stakeholders." The question I kept posing to legislators was to consider the importance of specific services to the people with developmental disabilities - Choice: roof over head or case manager? Choice: Early intervention services or 21 accounting departments? I may have oversimplified the choices here, but I think the message is clear.

Please let me know what your thoughts are. You can send messages on this blog and no one has to know who you are - for those who fear retaliation should you have an opinion that is counter to those who sign the payment authorization forms and make referrals.

Uniform closure schedule:

1. January 1

2. The third Monday in January

3. The third Monday in February

4. March 31

5. The last Monday in May

6. July 4

7. The first Monday in September

8. November 11

9. Thanksgiving Day

10. The day after Thanksgiving Day

11. December 24

12. December 25

13. December 26 (for 2009 this Holiday is observed on Monday, December 28, 2009)

14. For 2010 ONLY, April 5, 2010

15. Effective 2010 and on, the second Monday in October (due to the 60 day notice requirement this is NOT a FY 2009-10 Holiday)

Regional Center Update

I've taken about 8 calls in the last month that give me a sense that regional centers have increased their expectations of providers. Long term clients are being moved with little or no notice, providers are being required to do renovations to their property, and there has been a lot of pressure to meet the training requirements (not that I'm complaining about that, of course).

I am a major supporter, as those who know me will attest, of great programs that are respectful of clients, but it seems that increasing expectations right now is just bad timing. All of you have given the regional center services at a 3% "discount" and it's still unclear what the impact of the day program universal closure days will be. It seems like the regional centers might be looking at how to better value the services provided in residential care.

And then there's training...... Our company is a training company, so you won't hear me telling people not to get training. We've tried to keep our catalog reasonably priced. We've increased our online offerings, to save you travel costs and time. And yet, I hear about regional centers that don't accept online training to meet the Title 17 requirements, and those that are requiring people to get training to meet plans of correction. My favorite was a request to train people on how to cook chicken. As my teenage daughter might say, "whatever...."

And to that training requirement..... Third Thursday at Sam's Cafe at New Horizons in North Hills. Reasonably priced at $20 for 3 CEUs; 4th staff person may attend at no cost. Call us or check website www.CommunityTrainingOnline.com for more information.

Fee Increase from Community Care Licensing

Today I sent an email newsletter with the good news and the bad news from Community Care Licensing. Annual fees are increasing by almost 10%. Since most of our client facilities are experiencing, in some cases, unprecedented open beds, this is really bad news. For those funded by regional centers, this is a major slap in the face. First a 3% "discount" on your billing; new days for day program closure where you'll staff when you haven't in the past; now an increase in rates.

Here's the full fee schedule, effective 7/28/09:

http://ccld.ca.gov/res/pdf/Fees.pdf

It's a good thing that most of you love the work you do and that the residents/clients/consumers come first for you. It's hard to imagine that those making these decisions have considered the impact on the people you serve. Maybe I've been around this continuous state budget crisis too long.

What do you think?

Date Changes

We have moved our 3 hour training in the San Fernando Valley to the Third Thursdays, starting in August. Mostly we like the way it sounds......Third Thursday. Much easier to remember than any other schedule, isn't it? Information on these classes will be posted on our website within the week.

Regional Center Funding June 2009

What follows is an invitation from Boyd Bradshaw, the president of ResCoalition to give your thoughts on changes that could be made to Title 17 that wouldn't affect consumer health or safety. There is a growing sense in Sacramento that not ALL stakeholders have been represented in the discussions about how to find millions of dollars in the budget. Most of you know that the current proposals for cuts ALL come from the provider budget. Here is your chance to say what's on your mind. In every class, one of you has wondered aloud about why the bureaucracy doesn't take the same level of cuts as the providers.

ResCoalition is the reason that Level 2 and 3 providers had an increase to accomodate changes in the minimum wage; ResCoalition is the reason that you had money returned to you shortly after the 3% "discount" was applied (SSI funds were not supposed to be discounted); ResCoalition is fighting for regional center oversight and transparency. In short, this group is a major voice for residential providers. I hope you'll send your thoughts.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
06/12/09

I met with DDS yesterday and they've asked us to try and identify anything that can be modified or changed within title 17 constraints to save money. Even though we're primarily residential service providers, they're interested in any and ALL ideas relating to Title 17 - lets give them some.

Please gather ideas and get them back ASAP to hcdd@pacbell.net. Don't worry about collecting everything and sending them once, feel free to blast as you come up with them.

If you have any questions or concerns please drop me an email or call me at 714 637-0200

Training for Regional Center Vendors

This has been a tough year, hasn’t it? Real estate values are down. Cuts from the Regional Center with more on the way, it seems. Retirement accounts – who knows? Because we truly feel your pain, Community Training Connection, Inc. has added a cost efficient training program that gets you administrator CEUs (to meet Community Care Licensing and Regional Center requirements), as well as getting those CEUs required for the caregivers by Regional Centers.

The training will be offered on the Second Wednesday of every month from 10 AM to 1 PM at New Horizons at 15725 Parthenia in North Hills. There is plenty of parking in the back of the building. The fee for the classes is $20, which includes refreshments, handouts and a certificate for 3 CEUs. The classes are scheduled to be most convenient for staff who work around consumers’ day program schedules. If you send more than 3 staff members, one staff can attend at no fee.

Please mark your calendar with the following dates:

July 8, 2009

August 12, 2009

September 9, 2009

October 14, 2009

November 11, 2009

December 9, 2009

Taking these classes, and 20 hours online gets you the 40 required for Licensing. For Level 2 staff, three classes meets the regional center requirement. For Level 3 and 4, only four classes and the requirement is met. We’re doing our best to make life easier for you.

We do need to take reservations so that we can be sure to bring enough handouts. Please call Janet Tran in our office to reserve space. For your convenience, we accept all major charges, as well as checks. Walk ins are welcome, if space permits. You can also register online at http://www.communitytrainingonline.com.

As always, informative, lively and fun!