Ed's Newsletter - STILL NO CILA RATE CALCULATOR (plus the "In Our Inbox" column)

McMANUS CONSULTING

DISABILITY SERVICES

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Ed’s Newsletter

No. 339 – Nov. 3, 2023

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PROVIDERS HAVE WAITED 9 MONTHS FOR DDD TO FIX ERRORS IN CALCULATION PROCESS . . .

One of the key recommendations of the Guidehouse Rate Study was the creation of a CILA rate calculator, which was scheduled to go into effect last January.? But, alas, on Jan. 27, the Division announced that it had discovered errors in the rate calculation process.?

New rates that were to be implemented as of Jan. 1 were frozen, and agencies were told that the rates in effect in December would remain in effect until March 31, to give the staff time to straighten things out.? That deadline was then extended until June 30, and then until Oct. 31, and now it has been extended until Dec. 31.

That’s right!? It is taking a year, and it very well may take longer.

The problem is enormous.? If the rate calculator was used as is, it would have meant a huge cut in the number of DSP service hours for which CILA providers are funded.

The They Deserve More coalition issued a memo Thursday on the subject.

“TDM has been doing pre-Veto Session advocacy meeting with legislators, anticipating implementation plans for the DSP Service Hours issue and the eventual pause set to expire at the end of December,” the coalition said.? “It has been TDM’s objective to inform legislators of the ongoing pause, the impact that eliminating these hours would have on current services, those currently on the PUNS list, and responding to the SODC crisis.?

“While TDM’s goal is to focus on DSP wage reimbursement and achieving the Guidehouse recommendation of 150% above minimum wage and funding associated, the impact of DSP service hours being cut does affect our strategy moving into the spring session, as well as the still yet to be distributed $12.5 million in supportive funding we secured in the January Supplemental during lame-duck session.”

THE ISC NOFO . . .

Still no word from DDD.? The 5-year contracts of the state’s 7 Independent Service Coordination agencies will expire June 30.? The Division has said it intends to conduct another competitive process for the contracts, but no details have been provided.

Thanks to all of you for reaching out to Gov. Pritzker and your legislators to voice your opposition to the NOFO.

IN OUR INBOX . . .

--On videotape of abuse at Shapiro Center . . .

FROM MARY ANN DYRDA, Glen Ellyn mom: “God bless that staff member and thankful she came forward.? I just don't understand how all the staffers can watch or participate in this kind of treatment.? I pray what goes around comes around.? Heartbreaking, they are treated worse than animals.? Even if they close these SODCs, where will residents go?”

FROM HEIDI ZIMMERMAN, Normal, MarcFirst staff: “I’d love to find a way to donate to that courageous staff as I doubt she will receive much severance pay (if any at all).? And the fact that only 2 cases there last year were substantiated most certainly tells us why she had to go to the lengths of secretly recording people.?

“I am beyond outraged at the continued dehumanizing treatment and violence against these individuals.? Violence they have had to endure for decades!? My only hope is that this will help end DD institutions in Illinois FOREVER!? You can put 1,000 cameras up but it will not stop the abuse as this setting inherently lends itself to abuse, neglect, and exploitation (and subsequent coverup/collusion amongst the staff).”

FROM TRACY MILLER, Highland Park, Benefits Plus Us LLC: “Sick. Very sick. Not just what those four sub-humans did to that resident, but our society is sick.? Mahatma Ghandi put it best: ‘The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.’? People think they can abuse someone who cannot stand up for themselves. They think they are cool, that they are special.? Well, I don't know if there is a hell, but if there is, I hope there is a ‘very special’ place for them there.”

FROM MARC TANENBERG, Northbrook dad: “As much as I applaud you for continuing to report on this pandemic of serious abuses in state run institutions, I must admit that I can’t handle reading about any more cases.? Our state’s OIG is obviously undermanned to deal with all these reported cases on a timely basis, and likely too bureaucratic as well.? How much more evidence does our governor and state legislature need to add resources to speed OIG’s response times?? Simultaneously, they must order DHS to develop and quickly implement a plan to shut down all remaining similar institutions.? Such a plan must also provide properly staffed community based alternatives to accept these residents.

“I don’t care how much money it costs to implement such a plan because how does one quantify the benefit from stopping more such incidents of torture along with other abuse and neglect.? We must act now!? No more excuses!”

FROM DIANE STONE, Naperville mom: “Public schools have resource officers. It’s time for these institutions to have state police employed and stationed 24/7. I'll ask again, IS ANYONE GOING TO DO SOMETHING?!”

FROM A PROVIDER CEO: “OMG!? I couldn’t even read this all the way through.? To think that community providers are fighting for every dime just to pay staff, while these facilities protect monsters who torture and maim residents and get paid union wages.? How can this possibly go on?? This made me feel desperate and overwhelmed thinking about what the residents must suffer - so abandoned and alone.”

FROM ALISA HAMILTON RICKETTS, Fairbury: “These institutions need to be shut down. Until this happens, around the clock monitoring needs to be started immediately.”

FROM BARRY SMOOT, retired OIG and Choate Center staff, author of “Failure to Protect”: “I and others revealed that this kind of abuse was occurring in DD facilities two years ago, but DHS leadership and most elected officials have sat idly by.”

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--On the abuse at Mabley Center . . .

FROM GREG LeRETTE, ex-Mabley staff, on abuse of a resident during the night: “That is so sad!? In 36 years work with developmentally disabled adults, I have known many!? I have to say I loved every one of them.? I think it’s the turnover of staff and shortage of staff.? And all the overtime that staff have to do.? It’s sad that the individuals are the ones that suffer, and that’s just wrong . I am sorry, but they’ve always had more chiefs than indians.? Just saying.”

FROM CINDY BIEHL MALONEY, ex-Mabley staff: “It is sad that these individuals are mistreated in their own homes.? New staff were told in training classes that if they witnessed something that appeared to be abuse, to turn it in.? I know all too well that if a trainee turns in abuse, results in retaliation and being let go.? I saw that happen many times during my time at Mabley.? Never understood why abusers are protected.”

FROM ROD PATTERSON, Pontiac, ex-director, Institute on Public Policy: “So, the Dept. of Public Health really thinks Mabley can fix it?? Two guys in the same room, one on 15 minute checks and one on 30 minute checks.? If somebody was checking the room every 15 minutes I think somebody would have noticed something happening.? Believe it or not, I have heard of staff filling in the bed checks at the beginning of their shift.? If those checks were being done as scheduled there would be no way the injury could have happened without somebody witnessing it.? And public health believes the facility can fix the problem?? Can public health lose its status with the Feds for being the state monitor?? Does HCFA still make surprise visits?? Does the victim have a family member as guardian or is he a state ward?? There are just so many layers of safe guards that just were not in place.?

FROM A FORMER KILEY CENTER STAFF MEMBER: “The SODC system is broken, due in large part to the strength of the employee union. Once staff are hired and make it past the probationary period, it is nearly impossible to fire them. Promotions are based on seniority, not qualifications. When that happens, staff who have been there the longest, not those who do the best work, train new staff and don't necessarily teach best practices. How do you build quality in that situation?”

FROM ALAN NADOLNA, board chair at Search: “The persistence of problems at state run facilities is a crime.”

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--On DHS proposing to end the Ligas Consent Decree . . .

FROM BRUCE SEITZER, Wilmette, retired mental health professional: “It’s particularly hard to fathom how the State could possibly deny the need for oversight by the court at a time when multiple investigations by ProPublica coupled with credible eyewitness accounts of abuse and neglect appear with increasing regularity. Suggesting that regulatory agencies simply look away isn’t exactly a solution.”

PEOPLE . . .

ALEXIS INDIA ALM, CEO of Shore Community Services, has announced that she will be retiring during the first quarter of 2024.? A search committee has been formed to select a new CEO.

ERICH KIRR is the new CFO at Aspire.? He formerly was director of finance and administration at North Side Housing and Supportive Services.

THERESA KOPITZKE has been hired as Vice President of Adult Programs at Keshet Disabilities & Inclusion.? She has been senior director of programs at Orchard Village for the past 2 years.

LESLEY GLENN is now working as a Transition Therapist at Envision Unlimited.? She formerly was a QIDP at Individual Advocacy Group and did a wonderful job supervising the CILA where my daughter Laura lives.? Hi Lesley!

EMMA HERSHEY, the CFO at Clearbrook, has been declared a finalist for the CFO of the Year award for midsize nonprofits, conducted by Financial Executives International.

Sertoma Centre and New Star Services have merged.? Their new name is Sertoma Star Services.? DAN STRICK, CEO of New Star, will be the CEO of the new agency, and GUS VAN DEN BRINK, Executive Director of Sertoma, will be the ED of the new agency.

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MELINDA MILLER has started a new position as ABA Clinic Director at AccessAbilities, headquartered in Merrillville, IN.? She has previously worked for Envision Unlimited, Pathways, NewStar and Elim.

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McManus Consulting was founded in 2011 by Ed McManus, who was an administrator with the IL Div. of Developmental Disabilities for 18 years, and previously worked as a Chicago Tribune reporter/editor and an assistant state’s attorney in Cook County.

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The publication of Ed's Newsletter is made possible by the support of the following members/affiliates who are on retainer: A New Age Human Services, A+ Autism Solutions, Access Living, Active Visions, Ada S. McKinley, Arts of Life, Aspire, At Home Mission, Autism Care Therapy, Avenues to Independence, CCAR Industries, Center for Enriched Living, Center for Independent Futures, Champaign Cty. DD Board, Clearbrook, Community Link, Douglas Center, Encompass/Keshet/JCFS, Friendship House, Garden Center, Gateway Services, Gateway to Learning, Genesis, Glenkirk, Good Shepherd, Helping Hand, Individual Advocacy Group, Land of Lincoln Goodwill, Lambs Farm, LARC/Lansing, Leeda, Little City, McHenry County MH Board, Malcolm Eaton, Misericordia, Mulford Homes/Diane Home Care, Oak-Leyden, Ohana Com. Services, Opportunity Knocks, Orchard Village, Pioneer Center, Progressive Careers & Housing, Ray Grahan, Rimland, Riverside, Royal Living Center, St. Coletta WI, Search, Sheltered Village, Thrive Com. Services, Trinity, UCP Seguin, Warren Achievement, The Workshop/Galena.?

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Independent Service Coordinators: Central IL Service Access, Community Alternatives Unlimited, Southern IL Case Coordination Services.?

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Disability-related law firms: Chamberlin Riechert Law Group, Clancy & Associates, Matt Cohen & Associates, Monahan Law Group, Rubin Law.?

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McManus Consulting provides consultation to these organization, and we consult pro bono with families by phone.? Our newsletter circulation is 2,600.

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