ARCA MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS FISCAL YEAR

Transcription

1 ASSOCIATION OF REGIONAL CENTER AGENCIES 915 L Street, Suite 1050 Sacramento, California Fax: ARCA MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS FISCAL YEAR The following document is presented in accordance with the ARCA Bylaws, Article V, Section 5.05, which requires a written annual report to the ARCA board. Legislative, Budgetary and Regulatory Processes # Interacted with the Legislature and the Executive Branch with regard to legislation of interest to the developmental services delivery system. Tracked more than 60 bills during the 2003 legislative session. Testified on legislation on which ARCA has support positions or oppose positions at the request of the bills authors as bill move through the legislative process. # Sponsored AB 200 (Richman) providing legislative intent to close four of the five remaining developmental centers over a ten year period and requiring savings to remain in the developmental services system. # Acted as co-sponsor with Regional Center of Orange County and San Diego Regional Center for AB 1393 (Bates) regarding vendorization standards. # Developed in-depth analysis of SB 577 (Kuehl) regarding responsibilities and authority of Protection and Advocacy, Inc. # Monitored and developed analyses of amendments to AB 896 (Aroner) throughout the 2002 legislative year. # Monitored implementation of AB 359 (Aroner), chaptered 10/10/99, the pilot project creating continuous nursing care in ICF/DD-CN facilities; worked with the Departments of Developmental Services (DDS) and Health Services (DHS). # Developed budget analysis (proposed fiscal year Budget Act) for ARCA members and developed verbal and written testimony for legislative budget committees. Analyzed Trailer Bill and Budget Act language. # Provided verbal and written testimony before legislative budget committees relative to various budget reduction proposals to the regional center budget and related programs as proposed by the Administration and the Legislature. (Note: Provided testimony, either written or verbal, Page 1 of 6

2 in opposition to various Republican budget reduction proposals affecting the regional center system and related programs.) # Developed an ARCA budget position paper regarding the budget, with dissemination through regional centers and the ARCA web site. # Successfully worked with the Administration and Legislature to mitigate regional center cash flow problems during the fiscal year and the fiscal year. # Responded to draft regulations regarding the following subjects: Title 17, Special Incident Reporting Procedures Regulations Title 17, Respite Regulations Early Intervention Regulations # Activated the ARCA Action Alert network regarding legislation of high importance to the organization. # After the elections, developed chart specifying which legislators served each regional center catchment area. # After the election, developed legislative information packet for regional centers to present to new legislators in their home districts. # Continued working with the ARCA communications network to develop immediate grass roots communication to the legislature and the governor on budgetary issues and legislation affecting the developmental services delivery system. Documents Affecting the Regional Center System # State of the State in Developmental Disabilities: 2002 Study Summary # ARCA Position Paper Regarding the California Budget Fiscal Crisis # Summary of ARCA Budget Positions (FY 02-03, 03-04) # ARCA s Legislative Platform and Budget Issues # ARCA Response to April 7, 2003, Joint Hearing of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 1 and the Assembly Committee on Human Services # ARCA Response to April 7, 2003 Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 3 Hearing # ARCA Response to CRA Position Paper Page 2 of 6

3 # ARCA Response to PAI, SCDD, USC University Affiliated Program Report on Individuals with Developmental Disabilities: Victims of Abuse and Neglect # ARCA Statement of Unity. Collaborations Regarding Significant Issues # Participated on/worked with: Performance Plan Task Force with DDS to develop pilot projects for new performance plan contracts; DDS Self Determination Task Force with pilot regional centers Mental Health Task Force consisting of representatives from DDS, Department of Mental Health (DMH), and Local Mental Health Directors Association. Planned Mental Health Summit for Regional Center Directors and County Mental Health Directors; monitored status of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) between regional centers and 58 County Mental Heath Departments DDS/ARCA task force to plan and implement computerized billing and management information system for regional centers (CADDIS); DDS and ARCA consultant to devise strategies to qualify additional persons for the Medicaid Waiver Program and qualify new services for federal financial participation. DDS/ARCA POS Variance Report II survey DDS/ARCA to develop a new community placement plan process for persons residing in developmental centers Legislative Analyst s Office (LAO) / Department of Finance (DOF) / DDS to provide information the regarding the Fiscal Year budget; DDS/ARCA to develop allocation methodologies for POS and operations DDS regarding proposed interagency agreement with California Department of Corrections (CDC) and related entities, on serving consumers in prisons DDS, DHS and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding issues pertaining to the Medicaid Waiver (MW) program DDS, OAB and area boards regarding Life Quality Assessment issues Page 3 of 6

4 DDS and regional centers regarding the regional center projected deficit and the purchase of service budget; DDS regarding decisions made by the Office of Administrative Hearings which regional centers believe are contrary to the law Plaintiffs attorney to support Sanchez class action lawsuit. Transfer of the Habilitation Program from the Dept. Of Rehabilitation to the Dept. of Developmental Services DDS to negotiate regional center standard agreement contract California Long Term Care Planning Council Public Awareness Committee of the Interagency Coordinating Council for Early Start Funding options for People First of California, Inc. The administration, legislature and financial institutions regarding regional center cash flow issues for the fiscal year and the fiscal year Industrial Welfare Commission and Regional Center service providers regarding Wage Order No. 5 Dept. of Rehabilitation staff, Rehabilitation Association and stakeholders regarding restructuring of the Habilitation program and quarterly meetings related to Rehabilitation program DDS, DSS and County Welfare Directors Association regarding Adoption Assistance Program DDS and Columbus Medical Services regarding the development of a regional center special incident reporting system DDS, in conjunction with the ARCA Eligibility Task Force, to develop documents relating to Autistic Spectrum Disorder Best Practice Guidelines and clarification regarding Fifth Category Eligibility DDS to update the original California Report on Autism Events, Presentations, Trainings, Projects and Materials Page 4 of 6

5 # Sponsored/Co-Sponsored: Training to legislators and legislative staff regarding the regional center system Participated in the UCP sponsored The World is Watching march on the Capitol Directors Emergency Planning Session Board Member Delegates retreat Regional Center Director/SELPA Directors Summit ARCA/DDS/Mental Health Directors Summit AIDS Trainings for Residential Care Providers # Presentations were made to the following regional center boards and discipline groups: Central Valley Regional Center, Golden Gate Regional Center, Inland Regional Center, Kern Regional Center, North Bay Regional Center, North Los Angeles Regional Center, San Andreas Regional Center, San Diego Regional Center, San Gabriel/Pomona Regional Center, Westside Regional Center Chief Administrators, Chief Counselors, Nurse Consultants Group and Chiefs of Clinical Services # Presentations were made to the following organizations: California Association of Health Facilities Organization of Area Boards Developmental Services Network UCP of Sacramento # Provided assistance to several regional centers regarding the development of their sufficiency of allocation reports and related issues # Created ARCA Consumer Advisory Committee and adaptable materials regarding ARCA s organizational structure # Created the Community Placement Plan Task Force # Created ARCA Rural and High Growth Area Task Force # Provided committee oversight regarding implementation of the ARCA Strategic Plan # Compared federal revenues from current year to past years # Compiled information on regional center parent-vendored respite procedures necessary to Page 5 of 6

6 support DDS effort to increase federal revenues # Assisted DDS in the development of spreadsheet tools to capture billing for contracted attendance information required to generate additional federal revenues # Developed spreadsheets for DDS related to regional center rent issues # Prepared and distributed report of POS expenditures by service code by regional center for the fiscal years , , , # Surveyed regional centers regarding cash flow; on liability and employment benefit insurance cost increases # Developed various statistical analyses of regional center information # Compiled and circulated monthly summary of regional center expenditure reports # Surveyed and compiled data on the cost of the budget delay to regional centers # Provided technical assistance to regional center administrators and fiscal staff # Participated in statewide CADDIS conference # Facilitated press conference for Capitol Press Corps regarding impact of budget stalemate on developmental disabilities services system; press conference resulted in television coverage throughout state and articles in major California newspapers # Transmitted monthly news clips to regional center public information contacts and weekly informational packets to the ARCA board # Revised existing and developed new ARCA fact sheets including the ARCA Fact Sheet, Regional Center Fact Sheet, Developmental Disability Fact Sheet and Lanterman Act Fact Sheet # Facilitated communication between ARCA and regional center public information contacts # Tracked media and public relations trends, stories and general coverage on issues related to developmental disabilities throughout the state # Updated ARCA website with all relevant legislative, budgetary and other information for use by regional centers and the community at large. # Produced annual ARCA calendar. # Participated in the Governor s annual tree lighting ceremony. Page 6 of 6