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STANLEY LIGAS, et al. v. JULIE HAMOS, et al. First Annual Report of the Monitor . September 27, 2012 Tony Records, Monitor traconsult@mindspring.com. Introduction . Organized into Five Sections Activities of the Monitor Full Cooperation from All Parties’ Meetings Information Sessions
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STANLEY LIGAS, et al. v. JULIE HAMOS, et al.First Annual Report of the Monitor September 27, 2012 Tony Records, Monitor traconsult@mindspring.com
Introduction • Organized into Five Sections • Activities of the Monitor • Full Cooperation from All • Parties’ Meetings • Information Sessions • Work with Defendants • Contact with providers, families and class members • Compliance Evaluation Standards
Overall Activities of the Defendants • Ligas Implementation Team Established • Ligas Budget Developed • Some New Policies Established/Modified • Ligas Website Established and Modified • Significant Progress on Class Member List
Resources and Capacity • Ligas Budget Developed • FY13 - $38.9 Million (less 4%) • Costs Projected over 6 Years • Recent Rates Adjustments • Increase in Benefits for Staff • Modifications to Remove Disincentives for Smaller (1-4 Person) Homes • New Ligas Team Members Hired • Enhancements for PAS Agency Reimbursement • Waiver Amendments for Expansion Approved • Rates Workgroup to Be Re-Assembled
Resources and Capacity (Cont.) • Much More Needs to be Done! • Only 8 of 18 Ligas Implementation Team Members Hired • Overall, DDD Seriously Understaffed • Rates Still Among Lowest in the Country • Budget for Consultants and Contractors Has Not Been Utilized • Payment Cycle is Still Looming as A Problem
Class Member List • Two Class Lists • ¶2 (a) ICF/DD Class Members • Current Total 697 • List Established and Documentation Maintained • List Has Improved Over Time • ¶2 (b) Waiting List Class Members • Current Total 10,894 • Accuracy of PUNS List Data Deeply Flawed • Inaccuracies Have Affected Funding Selection Process • Highlights the Need for Comprehensive Data System
Transition Services Plans • Defendants Developed Transition Plan Documents Through Stakeholder Involvement – Finalized in July 2012 • 2 PAS Agencies Selected for Pilot • Have Been Trained (8/23/12) • Implementation Started September 2012 • Initial Sample Size 141 • Monthly Updates • Crisis Transition Planning Process is in Place • Transition Planning Training Consultant Needs to be Hired
Transition for Class Members in ICFs/DD • 697 Class Members in This Category • 153 Have Received Funding Approval • 113 Have Actually Started Services (4 in Home Based) • 19 Individuals Have Changed Their Mind and Chosen to Stay • Updates on Remainder of Class Member are Obtained Monthly • Voluntary Downsizing and Closure Agreement have and will Continue to have Significant Impact on this List
Crisis Services • Notification of Non-Compliance, May 1, 2102 • Corrective Action Plan Developed, with Input from Class Counsel. Includes: • Internal Quality Assurance Controls • Streamlined Processing Steps • Adjustments to Data-Base • Changes Review Meeting Structure • Authorization for Network Coordinators to Issue Pre-Award Letters • Training of Network Staff and PAS Agencies • Management Review will be Included In Data Reports Document
Transition for Class Members on Waiting List • 10,894 class Members in This Category (9/12/12) • Two Selection Events (735 Class Members in February 2012 and 604 in June 2012) • Third Selection Event Imminent (1,500 Class Members) • Serious Flaws in List Eliminated Nearly Half of Individuals from Selection Process • Services Initiated for 135 Class Members • Funding Approved for Additional 30 Class Members • 73 Packets Have Been Submitted for Approval • 343 Being Screened • 114 Confirmed That They Want Community Services
Transition for Class Members on Waiting List (Cont.) • An Optimistic Projection would Result in Services for Around 700 Class Members – Far Below the 1,000 Required • Additional Steps are Needed • Immediate Third Selection Event • Additional Staff Supports in working with PS Agencies on PUNS List • Develop Technical Assistance Arm to Assist PAS Agencies • Steps to Streamline Application Process • Poll Provider to Identify Existing Opportunities • Recommend Specific Review of These Activities with Class Counsel in January 2013
OUTREACH • Training Activities for PAS Agencies • Development and Refinement of Ligas Website • Outreach RFP • Released September 13, 2012 • Proposal Due Date of October 16, 2012
Implementation Plan • Approved by Court on February 15, 2012 • Defendants Should Resubmit Revised Plan Prior to Next Parties’ Meeting
Data Reports • Latest Submission on August 20, 2012 for Data through FY 12. • Next Due February 15 2013 for Data Through December 15, 2012
Services to Named Class Members Compliance Achieved
Dispute Resolution • Corrective Action Plan Developed to Include: • Hiring of 3 New Hearing Officers • New Hearing Officers Trained • Application Process is Being Streamlined • Rights Statement is Being Modified • PAS Agencies to be retrained on Submitting Appeals Request • Crisis Appeals to be Given Top Priority • Management Reports to Be Generated and Provided with Data Reports Submission
Final Comments • At Least 323 Class Members Are Have Received Funding Approval for Services as a Direct Result of Ligas!! • This is the end of the First Year of at Least a Nine-Year case! • Ligas Activities Have Exposed and Will Continue to Expose many Weaknesses in the System!