BCPSS Encounter Tracking System

1. An electronic solution for tracking the delivery of special education related services BCPSS Encounter Tracking System

2. Project Objectives Immediate access to all billing and encounter information to verify provision of related services. Reduction of paperwork and time spent performing manual reviews. Improved documentation of provider compliance. REDUCED INTERRUPTIONS IN SERVICE!

3. SY 05/06 Interruptions AuditINTERRUPTIONS SUMMARY BY SERVICE

5. Challenges of Current System (UCLs, Bi-Weekly Verification) Difficulties in filling out UCLs clearly Difficulties in reading UCLs and interpreting what they say Bi-weekly verification meetings with principals were tedious, inefficient. Hard to quickly determine at student, provider, and school level whether all services had been provided, which services are regularly scheduled IEP services versus make-up, which services constitute interruptions, etc.

6. Features of the Encounter Tracking Database Easy to use Tablet PCs that can be used as traditional laptop or as a “notebook” with electronic handwriting technology Ability to enter/save data locally on Tablets and sync data to central server via the internet. Ability to enter/store clinical notes so that each encounter matches description of therapy “At-a-glance” compliance reports measuring encounters against up to date IEP data, alerting providers and managers of pending or missed services. Back-up web application to enter/store data should tablets in cases of loss or damage to hardware.

7. Main Encounter Screen

8. Encounter Tracking Reports Provider Sync Report – tracks daily use for each provider using the system Encounter Log – displays all encounters provided to a child, including dates, type of service, case notes. Compliance Report – measures actual encounters against IEP requirements. Allows providers to immediately identify missed services and prevent compensable violations. Caseload Report – displays up-to-date student caseload per provider, amount of IEP services required for each student.

9. Encounter Tracking Implementation Start of Pilot Program – School Psychologists - Sept 25, 2006 Hands-On training took place on Sept 21, 2006 Additional Training and a Feedback Session will take place on Thursday, Oct 19, 2006. This is required for all school psychologists! Target Implementation for OT/PT and Speech Therapists – Jan/Feb 2007 Initial Testing to begin Dec 2006 Hands-On Training and Set-Up to begin Jan 2007.

10. Impact on School PrincipalsMONITORING AND DOCUMENTATION Psychologists are no longer to submit Universal Contact Logs (UCLs). Psychologists must maintain paper Encounter Log forms as back-up for first 2 months of implementation or until they have demonstrated compliance with using new system. Principals must continue to review SETS report #8 to ensure that every student has an assigned provider for each service. The Office of Related Services will monitor service delivery for psychologists centrally. Principals must continue to review/sign UCLs for Speech Therapists, Occupational and Physical Therapists, and Social Workers.

11. Impact on School PrincipalsNETWORK/PRINTER ACCESS Users can work on the Tablet PCs in a “disconnected environment” but must have the ability to plug into the internet at a school site regularly (at least once/week, sometimes daily depending on caseload) to ‘sync’ their data. Sync process takes approximately 5 minutes. If jacks in CST rooms are not available, users are instructed to seek available jacks in other rooms, such as in the principal’s office. Psychologists have been instructed to call the ITD Helpdesk to set-up Printers and Email. Users have been instructed to identify 2 printers, if possible. First is the Lanier Printer in CST room, and a 2nd network printer as back-up, if available.

12. Impact on School PrincipalsSETS/IEP Writer Data Issues SETS/IEP Writer data is fed into the Encounter Tracking system once a week to ensure providers are working from the most updated and accurate IEP. Data discrepancies are inevitable. Staff from Related Services and the SETS Office are working together to identify data discrepancies as they reveal themselves in Encounter Tracker. In cases where SETS/IEP Writer data is incorrect (or missing entirely), the SETS Office will work with the ITA to correct these issues at the source. It is imperative that ITAs are responsive to addressing data errors in the source data as soon as they are notified. Encounter Tracker is not the cause of these errors, they are simply one vehicle to shed light on problems with SETS/Writer that must be resolved immediately.