Here is my policy on outside employment. If it helps anyone, feel free to use. The wording may look familiar because most of it comes from the voc hab guidance DODD offered several years ago.  No need to reinvent the wheel when someone already did.

Since the launch of Ohio Employment First in 2012, We Can Too has encouraged community employment goals in service planning, incorporating new services and new opportunities as a means to improve the quality of life for Ohioans with developmental disabilities. We Can Too supports trainees outside employment in a community job to expand their opportunities and are committed to supporting people who want to work in the community.   We Can Too can provide the necessary information about resources so that trainees can achieve their goals. We Can Too provides prevocational services that further goals such as attendance, attention to task, problem solving, and interpersonal skills.  


Karen Blumhorst, CESP


Capabilities LLC

124 S Front Street, St. Marys, OH 45885

www.capabilitiesinc.biz

419.394.0003 ext 1102

Karen.blumhorst@capabilitiesinc.biz



On Thu, Feb 27, 2020 at 11:37 AM Scott Marks <SMarks@opra.org> wrote:
Hi Everyone,

I completely agree with the sentiments expressed here regarding the ‘outside employment policy', and I do not believe there should be/is an expectation of this kind of policy necessarily living with the provider. This is one of many areas where integrated settings and person-centered planning intersect, where many of Medicaid’s standards for integrated settings really comes down to the planning processes and what is documented in someone’s plan. As long as someone who is working in the community and has supports in their plan documented of how that is accommodated, I believe that should suffice as the ‘policy’. 

Also importantly these reviews are intended to demonstrate how Ohio/DODD has implemented integrated settings throughout the state, and it is more important to demonstrate that statewide there is a process to support people working in the community.

Happy to discuss more, but yes we completely agree and do not think anyone should be creating new policies to satisfy this request.

Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns-

Scott Marks, MSW
Director Of Operations
Ohio Provider Resource Association
1152 Goodale Blvd. Columbus, OH
Mobile: 614-943-0975



On Feb 27, 2020, at 10:19 AM, Wendy Bejaige <wbejaige@triadresidentialsolutions.net> wrote:

Absolutely correct,

Wendy Bejaige, MOL
Executive Director
Triad Residential Solutions
419-482-0711



On Wed, Feb 26, 2020 at 3:01 PM <drastoka@embracing-autism.net> wrote:
I hope we do not need a policy for that - this goes back to the trust issue that Pete talks about.

 

What ODM is asking is just simply apart of their daily supports/services.  If we start requiring policies for ensuring that they have transportation to and from work, prompting an individual of when they have to go to work etc...we would need a policy outlining every hour of their day. Morning hygiene, assisting with dressing/clothes selection, walking from their home to their means of transportation safely, prompting them to eat their lunch etc...   Again - these types of general day to day supports fall under "duties of a provider" and really do not need to be in a policy, regardless if they choose to work in the community or at a local day/voc hab.  

 

Right?  It seems silly to me...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



-----Original Message-----
From: "Scott Marks" <SMarks@opra.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2020 1:43pm
To: "Ashley Brocious" <ashley.brocious@rtindustries.org>, "opra_members@opra.simplelists.com" <opra_members@opra.simplelists.com>
Cc: "Peter Moore" <PMoore@opra.org>
Subject: Re: Ohio Department of Medicaid HCBS Settings Targeted Review

Hi Everyone,
I posed this question to Nyoka at DODD to be sure and here was her reply;
"I spoke to ODM and this is the question that they are trying to get answered:

 

 

If individuals are employed or choose to work outside the setting, does the setting assist them by planning services around their work schedule, prompting individuals when it is time to go to work, and ensuring transportation is available?

 

 
So, does the provider have a policy about assisting with a flexible schedule, providing transportation to a job, volunteer, etc. 

 

 
If there is no such policy, they can simply state that and possibly show in practice that they assist individuals with getting where they want/need to go.
If at this point you have not received a call from any OPRA staff and/or received a letter from ODM about a review, then your agency is (almost definitely) not on the list! If you are still unsure if your agency will be subject to this ODM review, please feel free to reach out!
 
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns!
 
Scott Marks, MSW
Director Of Operations
Ohio Provider Resource Association
1152 Goodale Blvd. Columbus, OH
Mobile: 614-943-0975

On Feb 24, 2020, at 9:38 AM, Ashley Brocious <ashley.brocious@rtindustries.org> wrote:
Good morning,
Would anyone be willing to share their policies relating to the bullet below or point me in the direction of the rule I can reference regarding this?
  • Employment policies related to outside “participant employment opportunities”

 

Thank you,
Ashley Brocious
<Outlook-5o1kajs2.png>

 


From: opra_members@opra.simplelists.com <opra_members@opra.simplelists.com> on behalf of Peter Moore <PMoore@opra.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2020 1:14 PM
To: opra_members@opra.simplelists.com <opra_members@opra.simplelists.com>
Subject: Ohio Department of Medicaid HCBS Settings Targeted Review
 
Hello Everyone,

 

I hope you are well. 

 

Attached is a letter that outlines Ohio Department of Medicaid’s intentions to conduct site visits to non-residential service settings (Day/Vocational Habilitation).  The letter outlines the details related to the visits.  They will be visiting nearly 90 sites across the state.  OPRA staff will be reaching out individually to our members who are on the list.

 

If you have any questions please let me know.  You can also contact Nyoka.Craddolph@dodd.ohio.gov at DODD.

 

Thank you.

 

Pete

 

 

Peter J. Moore, MA
President/CEO
Ohio Provider Resource Association
1152 Goodale Boulevard
Columbus, OH 43212
Office: 614-224-6772
Cell: 614-398-8353

 

<image001.png>

 

 

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You are receiving this important information as a Member service of the Ohio Provider Resource Association. Unless messages and/or replies are specifically directed, each posting/response is sent to the entire listserv group, a large and diverse body. The views of individual listserv users do not necessarily reflect the views of the OPRA Board or Staff. To send a message to this listserv, please use the reply button. To reply only to the original sender, please respond to the email listed after -on behalf of- in the FROM line of the message header. Thank you.
You are receiving this important information as a Member service of the Ohio Provider Resource Association. Unless messages and/or replies are specifically directed, each posting/response is sent to the entire listserv group, a large and diverse body. The views of individual listserv users do not necessarily reflect the views of the OPRA Board or Staff. To send a message to this listserv, please use the reply button. To reply only to the original sender, please respond to the email listed after -on behalf of- in the FROM line of the message header. Thank you.

You are receiving this important information as a Member service of the Ohio Provider Resource Association. Unless messages and/or replies are specifically directed, each posting/response is sent to the entire listserv group, a large and diverse body. The views of individual listserv users do not necessarily reflect the views of the OPRA Board or Staff. To send a message to this listserv, please use the reply button. To reply only to the original sender, please respond to the email listed after -on behalf of- in the FROM line of the message header. Thank you.