Update on Autism in Ohio

Transcription

1 Update on Autism in Ohio Autism In Legislation Statewide Autism Issues Resources Barbara Yavorcik Executive Director, Autism Society of Ohio

2 Why Am I Here? Cari, 26 Michael, 23 o Diagnosed at 3 o HS Class of 2007 o Employed part time

3 Autism in Legislation oaffordable Health Care Act oautism Insurance Coverage oohio Budget

4 Federal Health Care Coverage Affordable Care Act Passed in March 2010 Insurers are: o Prohibited from excluding coverage based on preexisting conditions o Prevented from selectively refusing to renew coverage;

5 Federal Health Care Coverage o No longer be able to charge people different premiums based on their health status, gender or occupation o Standardized annual out-of-pocket spending limit would be established so that no family would face bankruptcy due to medical expenses o Annual and lifetime benefit caps are prohibited

6 Federal Health Care Coverage o Habilitative and maintenance services are be covered o Coverage of behavioral health treatments, such as ABA therapy, are be covered

7 Health Care Reform IN PLACE NOW: o Benefits extended for dependents up to age 26 o High Risk Insurance Pool uninsured Ohioans with pre-existing conditions o Tax credits for small businesses that obtain health coverage for their workers

8 Federal Health Care Coverage o Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will have wide discretion on what is and isn't covered in creating the regulations associated with the bill. o Autism Organizations will be part of helping to draft the regulations that would affect behavioral health and other sections that would affect individuals with autism

9 Federal Health Care Coverage o What health insurance plans will be affected by this legislation is "to be determined, again through discretion of HHS development of regulations. o For specifics, the feds may well look to the states that have already passed autism insurance coverage or behavioral health legislation.

10 Bottom Line Federal Bill o Good news for families with individual with autism o Parts of the law do not take effect until 2014 o For information on how health care reform will affect you, visit: o For information from Ohio, visit:

11 National Legislation o Know the issues Autism Society of America The ARC o Information on Bills, action alerts, legislative information, update on activity in Congress

12 Autism Insurance Coverage o HB8 Passed by the Ohio House in the last General Assembly o No Hearings held in Senate o Bill died when new General Assembly took office in January, 2011

13 Autism Insurance Coverage o Current General Assembly not likely to entertain legislation Mandates not being considered Effect of federal legislation Not currently covered under state plans Not supported by business o Other Options Private Summit Pilot

14 Effect of Elections - State o Republican Controlled House o Republican Controlled Senate o Republican Governor o Every Major Statewide Office (Auditor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, etc.) held by Republicans

15 Ohio Budget o Passed June, 2011 o Fiscal year July, 2011 through June, 2012 o $55Billion o Cuts and restructuring in many areas affecting individuals with autism

16 Ohio Budget o Management of the Transitions Waiver is moving from ODJFS to DoDD o DoDD considering any and all options regarding the Transitions Waiver o Management of Intermediate Care Facilities for the Developmentally Disabled (ICFDDs) is also moving from ODJFS to DoDD

17 Ohio Budget o Significant reductions to subsidies to County boards of DD - the average reduction is 2.11% over two years combining federal, state and local $$. o Medicaid recipients who do not have a Medicaid waiver will move to a Medicaid Managed Care plan

18 Ohio Budget o Children with autism receiving Medicaid Services under Aged-Blind-Disabled (ABD) will be transitioned to a "managed" care plan o Community Psychiatric Supportive Treatment (CPST) participants now subject to hourly cap levels per year and prior authorization requirement

19 Ohio Budget o No cuts to optional Medicaid services - vision, dental, etc. o Rate reduction in for nursing facilities o Funding to community Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) boards significantly increased but still only ½ of level

20 Ohio Budget o Autism Diagnosis Education Project received continued funding o Help Me Grow program through the Department of Health was cut approximately 7%

21 Ohio Budget o ODE s budget is only a one year budget while the General Assembly comes up with a new structure for funding schools o Funding to Ohio's public schools is essentially cut due to loss of stimulus $$

22 Ohio Budget o Special Education was essentially flat funded o Funding to Educational Service Centers has been cut substantially o Autism Scholarship now includes an educational component

23 Jon Peterson Special Education Scholarship o Voucher for any special education student on an IEP o Only K-12 o Funding is on a sliding scale based on education category o Capped at $20,000 o Number of participants is capped at 5% of the previous year's special education students

24 Jon Peterson Special Education Scholarship o Waive right to FAPE o Signed IEP, have been evaluated o Enrolled in district of residence o District remains responsible for IEP and re-evaluations o ODE responsible for writing rules o Will be available in the school year

25 Ohio Budget o Definition of Mobility Impaired Person is expanded to include individuals with autism when considering their rights using service dogs o Created Interagency Workgroup on Autism

26 Restructure Ohio Government o Next order of business for Ohio General Assembly o Combining Departments o Movement of Services o ASO will be involved and keep you up to date

27 We Need Your Help Sign up for our mailing list! o To receive information visit and register in the login section of homepage o Also send action alerts Act on those alerts!

28 We Need Your Help Have more time? Sign up for the Ohio Autism Advocacy Network! o Team Members Visits Letters Contact o Team Leaders organize members and track information regarding effort o Send contact info to: askaso@autismohio.org

29 Find Your Legislators The Autism Society of Ohio has an easy Ohio Legislator Locator! o Visit and enter your address. State Representatives o State Senators o

30 Find Your Legislators Federal and State Legislators Autism Society o Visit and enter your address.

31 Update on Autism in Ohio o Flexible Support Waiver o Service Guidelines o Family and Children First Council o Interagency Workgroup o Ohio Autism Taskforce

32 New Flexible Waiver o $25,000/per year for children o $40,000/per year for adults o 100 slots for state funded for children with intensive behavior needs o Services to include service brokerage, psychosocial services, community inclusion, respite, adult day services

33 New Flexible Waiver o SELF Waiver Self Empowered Life Funding o Approved by ODJFS o Submitted and Re-Submitted to CMS o Waiting for final approval o Rules process in Ohio o Target: April, 2012

34 Family and Children First Council o Family Advocates Network Statewide network of advocates for families ASO leading this effort with DD organizations o Statewide Resources Webpage One Stop website on resources and information for professionals and families The RedTreehouse introduced October, 2011,

35 Autism Interagency Workgroup o Created at Governor s behest o DODD taking the lead o Convened in February, 2008 o Departments working collaboratively Health, Mental Health JFS, Education, Rehab Services o Building on work of Taskforce o Training, System Complexity, Resources

36 Autism Interagency Workgroup o Created a new website o Looking for feedback! Visit: or visit the ODODD website at and click on Interagency Workgroup on Autism under Learn More About on the Homepage

37 Ohio Autism Taskforce o Created under Ohio HB95 in June 2003 o Composed of autism stakeholders from around the state including parents, doctors, educators, and state administrators o Met for one year o Created a report listing 43 recommendations o Copies of the complete report is available at

38 Ohio Autism Taskforce Recommendations included: o School funding (including preschool) o Employment Incentives o Medicaid Buy-In o Parents Manual o Insurance Parity Mental Health, Autism o Early Screening o Address Regional Disparity o Autism Credential for Teachers

39 OAT Recommendations Realized o Early Screening Pilot o Medicaid Buy In o Mental Health Coverage o Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI) o Parent s Manual o Transition Guidelines

40 Recommendations In Progress Legislative: o Autism Insurance Coverage Administrative: o Recently Update Service Guidelines o Reducing Regional Disparity CBDD County Collaborative RAACs Early Screening o Family Advocacy Network o Flexible Supports Waiver

41 Recommendations Revisioned o OAT Report 7 years old o Recommendations achieved, revised, deleted o Process begun OCALI Advisory Board Reviewing Current Recommendations Will have opportunity for public comment April, 2012

42 Resources o Four Step Guide o Ohio Parent s Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorders o Transition Guidelines o Supports and Services Database o Additional Resources o Autism Society of Ohio

43 Four Step Guide o What to do if you suspect your child has a developmental disability o ASO worked with OCALI on this as a companion to the Ohio Parent s Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorders o Available at Click on Resources and I Suspect My Child Has Autism under the Parent manual

44 Parent Manual o Developed by parents o Chapters include: What is Autism Interventions Accessing Educational Services Living with Autism Advocacy Guide o Available from OCALI, Click on Resources ocali@ocali.org

45 Transition Guidelines o Developed by parents and professionals o Chapters include: Legal Issues and IEP Requirements Related to Transition School Age Programming Employment Postsecondary Education Community Participation Supported Living o Available from OCALI, Click on Resources ocali@ocali.org

46 Resource Database o Initially created by a coalition of autism groups o Currently run by OCALI o Lists resources in categories: Early Intervention (0-3) Special Needs (3-21) Post School (21+) o Available from OCALI, Click on Services Database o Send Resources to ocali@ocali.org

47 Lending Library o Resources for borrowing Books DVDs CDs o Sent to you, with return information o Available from OCALI, Click on OCALI Lending Library

48 Online Training Modules o Developed by OCALI, Autism Society o Training for: Parents Educators Medical Professionals Paraprofessionals College Professors Anyone interested in Autism o Free of charge, open source format o Available from OCALI, Click on Resources Currently 10, hope to have 60+

49 Autism Society of Ohio Efforts o Develop relationships with Ohio Departments (MH, H, E, DODD, JFS) o Autism Caucus Provide information to Legislators o Meet with Governor s office o ASO DIGEST e-newsletter o Ohio Autism Advocacy Network o Post legislative information on website

50 Resolving Problems with Schools o New Resource from ASO o Step by Step Guide o Includes resources o Use the Process! o Available at Click on Resources, then Parent Resources

51 Autism Society of Ohio o Information Packed website o Information and Referral o Training, Education o Facebook, Twitter o Local Chapters Support Groups Family Events Awareness

52 Autism Society of Ohio Autism License Plate o Available since October 2007 o Proceeds benefit ASO o Helps raise autism awareness o Ohio BMV - Specialty Plates

53 Questions?

54 Barbara Yavorcik, Executive Director Address: 470 Glenmont Ave. Columbus, OH fax: Web page: