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Pennsylvania

Task Force

The External Stakeholder Planning Team of more than 40 representatives has met six times to study and discuss the guiding principles and critical elements of a successful home and community-based services system. The team addressed the critical beliefs and goals to guide consumers, advocates, providers and government in future changes and decisions. The planning team presented a draft transition document with recommendations to the governor for review that provides a framework for a plan. The planning committee members do not anticipate further action until early 2003.

In the spring of 2001, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania created a Home and Community-Based Services Project, which includes an internal governance structure to A) create a seamless system of home and community-based services for consumers by striving for consistency across various programs and staff agencies, b) share information and ideas across program areas to capitalize on the skills and expertise of the Commonwealth's human resources and c) coordinate resources and maximize efforts across program areas and agencies. The HCBS Project Governance structure teams are listed below.

• The Executive Steering Committee was comprised of top officials from the various program areas who oversee and manage the governance structure and function as decision makers in reviewing and approving the work of the individual teams. The steering committee set policy on budget and broad-based system issues.
• The Streamlining Eligibility Team developed appropriate principles and approaches to assess eligibility and needed supports for individuals. The team reviewed current assessment mechanisms, and evaluates critical timeline points for assessment and reassessment of individuals, and also developed guiding principles for appropriate assessment tools and methods.
• The Tracking and Data Management Team developed and implemented procedures to collect, track and analyze program data, including individual-specific data. The short-term goals focused on assessing current systems for compatibility, identifying relevant populations, and determining which data points to include. In the long-term, the team will develop a methodology, produce and refine reports, and coordinate its data system with other agencies.
• The Policy, Program and Operations Team focused on developing and coordinating the policies and procedures for the various programs and Commonwealth agencies and on simultaneously developing a network of contacts among them. In the short-term, the team analyzed, reviewed and recommended changes to existing policies. The long-term goal is to reduce and minimize gaps and overlaps in the home and community-based service system.
• The Communications Team was responsible for outreach, education and training. The short-term goals were to research and identify appropriate outreach and educational topics, while also considering the appropriate vehicle to use. Over the long-term, the team will provide education to stakeholders and develop an effective campaign, including Internet materials, brochures and training.
• The Quality Management Team focused on quality of life and consumer satisfaction issues. To that end, it will assess its existing quality management system and recommend improvements and guiding principles for an effective quality management program. The focus of the team was on both quality assurance and measurement and continual quality improvement.

Implementation

No legislation in the 2002 legislative session was related to the Olmstead decision.

A number of lawsuits have been filed in Pennsylvania. For an update on all lawsuits in Pennsylvania and other states, see Status Report: Litigation Concerning Medicaid Services for Persons with Developmental and Other Disabilities by Gary A. Smith at http://www.hsri.org/index.asp?id=news

Pennsylvania's Department of Public Welfare received a $1.385 million Real Choice Systems Change Grant this year. The money is being used to fund the planning team, and $750,000 of the total is earmarked for local grants to improve access to local delivery system services.

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