OILP Quarterly Connection
November 30, 2023 
>> ERICA:  Good afternoon or good morning, depending on where you are.  I'm Erika Mcfaden.  
>> My pronouns are she, her, and hers.  And I am -- well now I'm probably brown headed middle-aged woman, white with glasses and flag hires and I wanted to let you know that we are going to be sharing a lot of great focusing with you guys today.  
>> ERICA:  The first thing on your mind is do I have the right dates for the PPR?  We will go over those with you and give you an update on the fiscal reports and I'm sure you have been getting emails from our fiscal office but we are going to give you resources.  I know a lot of you are works on your SPILs which is great.  They are all due the end of June.  We're going to point to resources and talking to you about new TA projects that we have this year that you may not have heard of as well as some updates from the other projects that we have that you may not be aware of.  We'll have ample time at the end ever for your questions and comments and now is the time to do that.  Actually, at the end of the session.  
     With that said I'm going to turn it over to Ed Ahern who is going to talk to about the due dates for the upcoming reporting. 
>> ED:  What better time than to talk about the PPR submissions.  These are the great tools where we see the great work you're doing.  CIL PPRs are due 12.31.  ILS PPRs are due 1.31 the 2024.  If you received funding under the public health work force you will find your PPR is included in your CIL PPR.  
     In a note, should you not receive funding for that when you get to that portion of your PPR, in the narrative part simply put that you do not receive funding for that.  
     In addition to our PR submissions, there are also a number of Financial Reports that will be required.  SF425s will be due coming up.  I don't want to bombard you with numbers on that now.  Two things.  You'll be getting our wonderful newsletter in the next week outlines these things and we will also be sending a -- strike that. email in reference to PPR and other review, other report due dates.  
     So that's it on the PPR submission and deadlines but I want to also touch on one thing here.  Many of you, one of the things that we are working on is providing some targeted technical assistance to sisters that we are finding that may need some support in certain areas.  And we are really ramping up that technical assistance.  And these are yellow flag reviews.  So as you may hear about some of your colleagues that may be getting those or you may be working with those as well.  These are really an effort for us to really help fill some gaps.  Whether it be things like low numbers on core services.  
     So just to make you aware, we will be using our PPRs to really gauge what centers may need some help.  So I wanted to tag that onto the PPR submissions.  And as with the PPRs, there's lots of resources for ILRU and your program officer is there as well.  So that's all.  Thank you.  so now I'm going to turn it over to my colleague Jennifer Martin.  
>> JENNIFER:  Thank you Ed.  I'm one of the program officers in the Independent Living programs.  I'm a Caucasian female with dark brown hair, brown eyes x wearing a bold red lip color.  I'm wearing a silver and black blouse in front of a blue background with a CIL logo and my pronouns or she, her.  
     We would like to remind everyone that ACL recently held a remember that are in collaboration with ILRU in October of 2023 entitled the power of your SPIL, meaning the State plan for Independent Living.  We wish to thank you all again to all of you who attended.  We wanted to remind you that the recording and webinar materials are available on ILRU's website and I will put the direct link in the chat momentarily.  
     In addition, we would also like to mention that the monthly newsletter from the office of Independent Living programs should be distributed someone within the next week by email and we would encourage you to share the newsletter with your staff if you haven't already as there's a great deal of beneficial information included.  
     We also wanted to remind you that previous issues are also available on ACL's website and I will put the direct link in the chat momentarily as well.  I will turn it back over to Erica to discuss our new projects.  The floor is yours.  
>> ERICA:  Thank you.  I know some of you have heard about this.  Some rumblings about our grass roots advocacy project and so I finally have the ability to share with you all kind of what ACL is envisioning and what we're up to.  
     So I don't know if you all heard Jill speaking about how important it is, grass roots advocacy, how important it is to build a cross disability, culturally device cross disability movement that goes advocating or pushing for state change or local community change.  And fitting that it's around the 50th Anniversary of the Rehab Act that we look the basically recategorizing the movement.  ACL has contracted with HSRI to establish a grass roots network.  What the goal is to partner with national organizations such as NICL and April and be able to work with our sisters, our SILCs, our disability -- basically, it's the US EDs and DD councils and all the different disability organizations, bring them together to start looking at in their states how they are going to coordinate advocate.  
     Providing TA and identifying partners and strengthening basically the movement.  So the goal is actually to build the next generation the cross the culturally diverse leaders.  An additional Government Code goal is to connect grow and strengthen the works of grass roots advocacy and action coalitions supporting each other and provide skills and no will to advocate for improvements in the quality of community living.  I know you have all heard us in the past and Jill has been talking about our commissioner, talking about, you know, H C.B.S. settings rule and looking at how states can provide feedback on how that's looking on the ground will when people don't have basic rights to pick their roommates or decide how they want to spend their day or even what they want to eat for dinner.  
     This is advancing it even further and it's actually looking AT&T a state level what teem want to focus on.  What kind of civil rights they want to focus on.  Where they are at now.  And so the hope is that this is a five year project.  We hope it's a five year project.  Starting with year one and the hope is this will strengthen our movement and be able to give people the information and resources that they need to actually move the needle and be at the table that they need to be at.  
     So year one, grass roots -- we don't have an official name for it yet.  I think that's part of what we're working on this year is the name.  But just be aware that you're going to be getting information in the next months because of the -- the next few months because this is quickly moving and we'll continue to update you as we have developments with what's happening with this coalition building.  
     It's supposed to be national, statewide, as well as local.  Stay tuned on that.  
     The next project is the Native American action plan.  We have put so much funding over the last several years into studying how we can better work with Native American and tribal communities and highlighting best practices.  But it's almost like we've done so much and what now?
     Instead of focusing on research, research, research, we want to come up with an action plan.  If we figure out what's worked, how do we get the information out to our TA Centers or where are the barriers we need to address?
     This next year we have contracted with [indistinct] group to look at what we have done so far and we are partnering with tribal communities as well to help us identify the resources we have missed.  The goal is to provide better TA for or centers and SIL Cs and DSEs moving forward.  It's a one year project and we should have results and I want you to be aware we are looking at that as well.  What do we do moving forward.  
     The last is a contract with the association of university centers on disabilities.  And it's looking at developing a model for providing peer to peer support for to help people with disabilities find and most importantly, learn to use augmentative and alternative communication tools.  
     AUCD which is the contractor is seeking proposals for a subcontract to support this work.  And they are looking for proposals by Monday December 18th and it is a very important project.  And the reality is that a lot of people don't have access to augmented equipment or communication tools and this is how people that have that challenge or that barrier, be able to pair them up with others, that they can learn from each other.  They will have an advocate and what types of AUC is expirable having a better support.  People with disabilities to get the tools and resources they need to be able to live the lives they want.  
     And so just again the proposals for this project, if you are interested being a UCAD due December 18th, I can put the link to what this is in the chat.  If anybody is interested or has a focus at the center on augmentatives communication devices.  
     With that said, I think that sums up all the new projects for this year.  And I think I'm going to turn it over to -- and we have existing TA projects that you all may not know about and I'm going to turn that over to, the first one I guess, Jennifer.  
>> JENNIFER:  Thank you, Erica.  I appreciate that.  We have highlights to share on the direct care work force initiative of the direct care centers will be launching a -- one of the major areas of focus will be supporting systems change while providing technical assistance to partnerships across state disability agencies and Medicaid work force boards and other state and local stakeholders to strengthen recruitment, retention, and training of the direct care work force.  
     So if any of the CILs are doing work related total direct care work force crisis or if you have identified any best practices that you would like to share, please email Caroline Ryan.  I will put that email in the chat.  And with that, I will now turn it over to my colleague Ed Ahern for highlights on transportation.  Ed, the floor is yours.  
>> ED:  Thanks Jennifer.  Many of you may not know that we support some really great transportation efforts that are going on that I wanted to brief you for.  ACL has two transportation grants with the community transportation association of America.  CTAA.  The first is transit planning for all.  And that is a grant that's just ending up but if you're unfamiliar with the transit planning for all website, it's chalked full of grate information.  Our latest and really exciting project is the accessible transportation resource center.  
     Originally we were going to call it the national transportation accessibility center and we wanted to make sure it was about accessible transportation.  And that was just awarded last year.  During the first year we have had some great activity.  We put together a steering committee that will help guide this ATRC.  
     And I'm happy to say that that steering committee does have some really great Independent Living Center representation.  They are going to be meeting biannually and they are going to be connecting regularly and they are actually having their first inaugural meeting now and I was able to be a part of it and great enthusiasm there.  
     NATAN.  You may have received email around that.  
     The goal is to identify, disseminate, and support replication of accessibility strategies.  They are looking at everything.  From passive travel.  They are looking at vehicles.  They are looking at technology.  So lots of great stuff that's going on and they are developing a website to disseminate information and best practices and we're looking for that early in 2024.  
     So lots of great stuff.  I will encourage you.  We will put it in the newsletter if it's not already to sign up for the NATAN which just send out a great newsletter and encourage you, especially some of your staff that may be transportation minded to stay?  Touch with the great work we're doing there.  I will stop there and say thank you and pass it along to my colleague, Peter.  
>> PETER:  Thanks and I do see the questions and we'll take them at the end.  However, the next item on the agenda is the housing services resource center.  And I'm going to summarize what this sister has established so far in 2023.  
     Of course, we're 11, twelfths of the way through 2023.  One accomplishment is they expanded the partnership and reach of the center, including collaboration with hood and the Department of Health and human service agencies.  This collaboration was led by the take into consideration for Independent Living and includes the administration for children and families, the Centers for disease control prevention and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services and AS AMS A and ASPE.  Affordable accessible houses and services for people with disabilities, older adults, and people experiencing homelessness.  The Center has had ten webinars so far in this calendar year about housing homelessness aging disability and -- health care stakeholders.  
     16,000 people registered and approximately 8,000 individuals participated.  The Center has this year published 12 new products on its website.  Cross sector resources and guidance and training technical assistance.  State Medicaid disability aging and Behavioral Health agencies and the aging disability networks homeless services and knelt works and health care systems providers and tribal organizations of the.
     Earlier this month announced the housing service dollars partnership accelerator.  Medicaid programs working to expand innovative housing related supports and services through approved section 1115 demonstration or section 1915I state plan benefit covering people with disabilities and older adults experiencing homelessness and at risk of homelessness.  This is in the early stages.  Many states have expressed interest in receiving more support with implementation with other states.  
     This accelerator is a 12 month program.  Federal collaboration to support selected states by providing them with individual technical assistance.  The opportunity to learn from peer states.  
     The next item on the agenda is DETAC.  As part of the disability appointment TA Center there are two wise E-Learning communities open to registration for CILs to register for.  One is bring your device tech trade in which is folk you go on helping participants with using technology accessed via AT centers, waivers, providers and other forms of support.  And the first attachment that we're sending you contains more details if you want to ask us about that.  
     The other E-Learning community open for CILs to register for is called beyond limits.  Personal journeys toward employment says success and facilitated different backgrounds and different geographic areas.  
     Better understanding how to support people with disability outside their journeys for employment.  We have two upcoming specific E-Learning communities that we'll offer only to CILs.  
     One will be called peer support for CILs, building employment services and will focus on helping CILS learn about the strategies and resources to make an impact on the individuals seeking appointment.  Starting February with a session per month until August 2024.  The application will go live December 14th.  
     The other of the two that we open only to CILs is the E-Learning community called the past, present, and future of CIL communities.  Ideas and tips and strategies at serving students and youth with disabilities through the planning and implementation process.  Helping CICs under -- this learning E community will be announced M first, 2024.  I forgot to give a visual description of myself.  
     I'm 38 years old and I'm a dark skinned man with short dark hair and I'm wearing glasses and I'm wearing a white shirt and a blue tie and I use he him pronouns and I'm sorry that I didn't start with that.  I'll continue talking about DETAC.  
     We have additional TA coming the summer of 2024.  Podcast that NICL that will produce focusing oat impact of ableism on employment and the goal will be to finalize the podcast by December 9th 2024 and have it be a shared we source in April to celebrate the commemoration in 2024.  The other product coming this summer.  Highlighting what consumers can expect when walking into a CIL.  Target publication date is necessary sixth 2024 which will be a time to share the webinar September 10th 2024.  
     That's my update about DETAC.  We're going to move onto the part of the webinar where we answer questions.  So the first unanswered question is from - 
We have a wealth of consumer input from our leads assessment activities survey with --  with 122 respondents and 82 attendance at five listening sessions translating the data into meaning of the realistic outcomes oriented measurable goals objectives action plans seem over excelling.  Can a SILC request individualized technical assistance during the initial framing stages of writing or SPIL?
>> ED:  Initially ILRU has some wonderful resources and I would encourage to you review those and then you can reach out to ILRU to get some specific assistance.  Always reach out to your program officers but I will tell you there's a lot of SPILs.  There's a lot of centers and we will give you any time at that we can.  So it's going to be based on individual, you know, we can point you to resources.  So our question, our answer is we might be able to give you some assistance.  We'll most likely point you to the resources so that you have what you need and I'll allow my colleagues to jump in.  
>> PETER:  Don't want to you over estimate the value of ILRU both the written and recorded resources on the website which is be very helpful including the ones we are referring to, what you cement to be kind of asking is that you may need a statistician to help you.  Let me tell new advance we are not statisticians so if what you need is to take the data and translate it into something helpful using statistical methods I'll tell you in advance we can't help with you that.  ILRU may be some help.  Please excuse me.  We're going to move opt the next question.  
     Thank you please provide guidance about the recent changes that allow the SPIL to determine the county service areas for CIL instead of their original contract?  Do we have a volunteer to answer the question out loud while I type the answer into the question and answer?
>> ERICA:  I can go ahead and answer that.  I know that our community has been asking for this for quite some time.  You have a pardon from ACL has been come out decades ago that set original contracts or grant in place.  Meanwhile the population shifts happened around you over the last 40, 50 years and we haven't been able to change your part C funding distribution because of the language in the Rehab Act.  
     So what ACL has been able to allow you to change is the service area that are determined and the state plan.  So what that means is we don't want to see you know less people get served.  That's not what we are looking for but we are looking for, for example, if you're serving other areas that you weren't before, you could include that in your you know when you work with your state, your state network and you guys look at the different areas that you're covering, you know, you just make sure they are coordinated and that areas are not doubly serves or more areas unserved now.  I think that's what we're looking for.  
     We just want you all to come to some agreement on that and make sure that we have more than half the CILs are signing off and that it is clear in the SPIL of who is serving what county.  No, we're not going to dust off your original grant award from 40 years ago to make sure they match with what you said.  Okay?
>> PETER:  I'm typing it now but to get it straight.  Basically, you're allowed to do it as long as it doesn't result in duplication and doesn't result in unnecessarily unserved areas and if and when you do it, we're not going to hold you to the standard of your original part C award.
>> ERICA:  Exactly.  Yes.  
>> PETER:  I will type that.  The next question is with the HPWF being added to the PPR the data you want is from the same time frame as the PPR.  I just want to make sure that is the data you want.  These are two distinct questions and let's answer that first.  Public health work force is the same time frame that's the answer to that question.  
     The next part of this same question is last year the PPR for sex it only had two options and it would not let you finalize it unless those numbers matched the other options, what are we to do with the participants who do not identify as male or female?
>> ERICA:  Let me answer this question because we have additional information on this one.  So the first thing and I know Peter, I'm going to let you talk about the ILSPPR in a second but before we get to that, I just want to mention that you know, ACL is actively trying to get sexual orientation gender identity questions added to the PPR for both the ILS and CIL areas.  In certain areas that doesn't bode well and in other areas it does.  It's volunteer.  We have an ACL approved questions and if you want to use them and capture your own Beta and use those, nothing stops you from doing that.  It's just that until we go through clearance and do the whole public comment, we can't officially add them to our instruments yet.  I think we're expecting to add them for the FY24PPR property cycle and I just wanted to give you a heads up on that.  If you want to see the questions that we have already, I can send them to you.  We have them and some states have asked for them.  I'm welcome to share them with you all.  
>> PETER:  We're in the process but it's not ready yet for your usage yet.  So yes we do realize that some consumer self identifies as neither male or female and we are preparing that.
>> ERICA:  Can you share about the ILSPPR where that is now?
>> PETER:  It's in the 60 day notice and comment period and you're welcome to make comments on it and if you give me 30 seconds I will give you the link to where you can comment on it.  Give me 30 seconds to find this link.  Here we are.  
>> ERICA:  For background, what Peter is posting, so the ILS pace PPR, we had made revisions based on what a group of people had met through our stakeholders met this summer and last spring and we were able to make some of those changes as well as the sexual orientation gender identity questions and those are currently out for public comment and Peter is now looking for the link to be able to post in the chat.  You're welcome to review and make any comment and it's open through at least the end of January, end of December, January.  Sometime in there.       
>> PETER.  It's taking a minute to load but here it is.  Okay.  Public input.  Here it is.  I have the link.  I'll type it into the chat.  It's on the ACL public input page under open for public input, the first one.  
     And you can look at it right now but yes, it does have many more questions other than male and female and there's sexual orientation options and yes, we are addressing that exact issue you're asking about.  So that answers both parts of that question.  
>> ERICA:  Wait a second, Peter, I think Ed made a section that if a Q90 is requiring you to have the male and female equal number of consumers, maybe there's a way we can work around that and we can talk to Q90 if that's becoming an issue.  If that is the issue, confirm that Q90 will require you to put a male or female in the field and if that's the case, we can absolutely change that with Q90.  Confirm that is the problem.  
>> PETER:  We do work with Q90 to modify the database so we certainly can do that.  Meanwhile, should we go ahead and move onto the next question.  
     Within the objectives section we discovered that you must include a at the same time about how it fulfills the purpose of the act.  Do we need a statement for each objective.  My understanding is you don't.  If you mean each objective in the act, you don't need a distinct statement for each objective in the act; is that correct? can someone please tell me if that's correct.  We don't need a distinct statement for each objective in the act?
>> SANDRA:  This is Sandra from ILRU and I think the question is whether or not you need a statement for each objective in the SPIL.  
>> PETER:  SPIL objective, is that what the question is asking?
>> SANDRA:  I believe so.
>> PETER:  It wouldn't hurt.  I don't know if it's strictly required but you probably ought to do so.  What do the rest of you think?
>> ED:  I think we can take this and do a little more research on that and get back to -- it's a good question and I think I understand it.  But I think are you giving an overall picture of how it fulfills the purpose of the SPIL or each objective and it's something I'm not clear on.
>> PETER:  I'm not clear how to answer this question off the top of my head either.  Let me put it on my less of questions to further follow.
>> ERICA:  You have to give me a second so I can wrap my mind around what the question is and so that I can provide the right answer and I'm pulling out the SPIL instrument as well so that I can understand what's being asked.  
     The question is does a statement regarding -- I'm so sorry, guys.  Where is the question?  Could somebody read me the question?
>> PETER:  I have it in the chat so it's in front of us.  It is in the Q&A.  Here.  Okay.  It's in the chat right now.  Within the objective section we discovered that you must include a statement about how it must fulfill the purpose of the act.  She means the objectives section of the SPIL.  Yes.  Okay.  That's the question.  Okay.  
>> ERICA:  Okay.  So yeah so what I would tell everybody before I would just tell them to look at the instructions of the state plan.  Because we have a lot of instructions in there and the answers to your questions are not in the instructions then I would ask us, yes, absolutely your objectives should include your scope and desired outcomes and targeted outcomes and indicators.  That has to be on each objective and the instructions give dollars more detail about how that should look.  So, again, if you have not looked at the instructions recently, I know there's been additions made to the instructions from last spring but I would encourage to you please, please look at them.  Because they have been beefed up a bit.  So can somebody put a link to our site of where those are?
>> ED:  Yeah.  
>> SHARON FINNEY:  This is Sharon.  We have a question from brook Wilson.  Let me unmute her.  
>> PETER:  We have the question from Br, on ok Wilson and we're in the middle of it.
>> SHARON FINNEY:  One moment and let me find her.  
>> PETER:  If Brooke which the son will type into the chat whether this answers the question, that will be helpful.  
>> SHARON FINNEY:  Your mic is open.
>> BROOKE:  I raised my hand so that I could give clarification on what my question S I understand that every state plan has to include all of your objectives.  My question is, is can you just summarize how your goal and objectives in line with the act or do you want a statement for each objective about how it falls in line with the act?
>> ERICA:  I believe according to what we have said in the instructions, I think that we are looking at each objective and haw it follows the act and the reason is to prevent people from straying away from what the intent was and I think that is why that that was put in there originally.  I don't know if others will concur but that is my assumption why they want to make sure the objectives that are put out there follow the intent.  
>> BROOKE:  Okay.  Thank you.  
>> ERICA:  If anybody disagrees, let me know.  But that was my understanding at this point.  Keep in mind, it can just be a sentence or something.  It doesn't have to be anything over the top.  You don't have to write three paragraphs or anything.  As long as there's some kind of connection.  
>> PETER:  [Reading]
     I had more questions in the Q&A.  Okay we'll get to the next one now.  
     In the past there has been trainings including a checklist, will OILP be releasing a checklist for final approval?
>> ERICA.  We can absolutely look at the checklist and update and send it back to you all as part of ensuring that you have everything covered.  
>> PETER:  Yes.  Let's not phrase it we can absolutely.  We can't guarantee that we need to go through a PRA process or something like that but we'll see what we can do.  Okay.  
     And the next question from Brooke about you SPIL with the change in PO structure how will it impact the approval process will the State POs be approving the SPILS or how will this with structured?  Yes.  Any updates on submission -- when will the portal be available.
>> ERICA:  It's being worked on.  When you will be allowed to submit your SP ILs and if he wasn't available they are going to find that out and get it to you but we, I'm not sure.  
>> JOHN:  Can you hear me?  Thanks for the asking.  Yes, here is a summary of the plan and I can put it in the chat or the Q and.  A.  A summary of the plan for submitting SPILs on the Q90 portal is as follows.  The portal will be ready for a SPIL beta group who will enter either a practice test SPIL or their completed SPIL for FY2025 to FY2027 that SPIL and that will be during the months of February and March and all the other SILCs will be able to enter their SPIL in the Q # zero portal between April 1st and June 30th.  Any questions on that?  That's helpful answer to that question.    
>> PETER:  Can you please run an update on the ILS SILC --
     
     The question is intended for Ede does he want to answer that?
>> ED:  Erica?
>> ERICA:  I can answer that.  We are, working with Mathematica and you have been asking forever to have better performance measures for the CIL program and we actually got funding to have Mathematica review where we're at and I send over information from the detail at group to them from the issues we have had within assistant reporting.  We have seen the inconsistency of how definitions are applied.  Involving stakeholders and interviewing people and getting your feedback and recommendations on how we can change some of the measures to make it more relevant.  I have some of the things you feel like you are putting on is what is the point of this and it feels like you're copying and pasting the same thing every year and we don't want things to lose impact and our goal is to have more powerful PPR that still ensures compliance with the section 725 and in addition will give us the stories we need, the stories that impact that you all need to get more funds.  So fingers crossed that this will be a good evaluation.  But they are just now starting like I just sent the proposal over.  This week and so I think they are not going to start work on this until next month.  Stakeholders interviewed and being included as part fortunate this process.  
>> ED:  The outcome will be PPR and CIL PPR that really reflects what you guys have been saying for a while and have been giving the feedback to us.
>> ERICA:  The next CIL PPR restoration is February 25 and the hope is that we get the revisions all completed by the summer of 2024.  And then what we'll have to end up doing is going back to the ILS PPR because we didn't change anything related to consumer files and we knew we were doing the CI L1 and we left that part alone.  The ILS PPR we didn't change the measures because we knew we were doing the work with Mathematica but the Part B DSE, SILCs, we made the changes that you suggested.  
>> ED:  Yes and of course that information will also be part of the body much information we give Mathematica and all of the feedback on all that stuff that pertains to both will be a great starting point for their work, I think.  
>> PETER:  That answers that question.  We're going to move onto the next one from Kim.  It's more of a statement than a question.  According to Kim Gibson we need to be careful because our funding is so stretched by doing an unserved areas without additional funding.  Well, yes, that is the case for many part CCILs.  I'm not sure I know what you mean, need to be careful about.  Erica is typing an answer.  I mean, because it's more of a statement than a question, I'm not sure if you're asking for an answer or a reply of some kind.  If you do have a question, feel free to type it into the Q&A and we'll try to answer it.  The next question is from Nicole Dave.  If you are serving more counties because of the SP IL federal dollars can cover and that and you're servicing counties not previously identified s that okay?
     We answered this earlier.  If the SPIL increases as a part CSPIL service area we're not going to tell you because it contradicts the original part C award, it's not allowed.  The SPIL is allowed to expand a part CCILs service area beyond the original part C award.  I'm not sure if that answers the question.  The next is from Kimberly.  Okay that one, let's see what became of that one.  The question --
>> ERICA:  John Cheney is on the phone and can he address that?
>> PETER:  According to Q90 --
>> JOHN:  Obviously, our tool the Q90 portal is made to gather the information that so, that the ACL is asking for on the PPR.  So if the office of Independent Living programs at the ACL requests us to make a change, then certainly, we can do that.  So yes, we will follow your guidance if you would want us to say for example in section 3.5 add another option, you know, and we can do that at this time.  
>>   PETER:  Thanks for that answer.  
>> ED:  This is Ed.  John, could we also make that not a required equal number as far as the total and let that number be different and see if we weren't to put another option in?
>> JOHN:  We can definitely do that.  We can make it so that that's not one of the validated numbers meaning that the total of male and female would not have to equal the total number of consumers served.  That's very simple to do.  
     I know that what some CILs have done in the past is because there was no other option, you know, let's say that they serve 100 males and one hundred females and then in the additional information narrative that I think is in section seven, they have said hey, we actual -- they have clarified those numbers.  They have said hey, of the ten male that's we reported servicing, they identified differently and we wanted to they will you about this and they put their information in there.  In that additional information narrative.  And so we've seen them do that in the past.  Now so what we're open is doing whatever works for you.  We can add another category or Rincarz.  Rincarz move male/female count as something that's validated so the numbers could be lower and the information could still be put into the additional information category.  So they are a number of options.  You know, we're open to the ACL's directive on that.
>> ERICA:  Thank you, John.  I appreciate the update.  We can't add a measure until it goes through public comment, you know, the PRA process.  If you could just do what Ed suggested and not require them to add up.  I don't want them to fake numbers either so if you can just help them so it doesn't have to add up.  I think that will be the immediate fix until we get the additional measures added.  
>> JOHN:  One option also a slight variation would be to put male/female, you know, other.  
>> ERICA:  We can't do that without going through approximate.  RA.  We can't add anything.  
>> JOHN:  Let's make it where it doesn't have to be validated.
>> ERICA:  If you can do that without changing anything and just a click, that would be helpful.  
>> PETER:  Changing the PPR instruments mid-year or any time after October 1st would change the date requests that we are to report on, however if we aren't collecting that data yet the numbers will be off.  
     Yes.  You can always add where's, we didn't collect this and we didn't know and we'll accept that.  I'll type it into the chat.  We'll try to give advanced notice.  If you need to type into the text of the PPR that you did not correct the data because you lacked advanced notice, then please do so.  Anybody else have anything to say about that?
>> ED:  No.  Just that we want to work with you.  We want to help you get the best SPIL out possible.  So your best PPR possible.  So talk to us if there's an issue.  Use the comment sections, definitely, in the PPRs to let us know what you're thinking.  
>> PETER:  Please do.  We understand that everyone is different and we understand that you can't grab all the information in the world and please explain and we'll work with you with this respect.  Okay?  The next question is from Mary Evilsizer.  I have reviewed the SPIL document would recommend clarity anytime CIL is on the document, identify address CIL Part B or part C can see how this would confuse the document if there is not clarity.  Agree.  
     Is ILS reports due 12.31?  No.  Due 1.1.  Ed?
>> ED:  That's correct.  Erica, the public health work force will not be due until 1.31 with the PPR is that correct?
>> ERICA:  1.31 is the due date for the Part B programs January 31st.
>> PETER:  Is ACL plan to provide trainer training on the indirect cost rate in 2024.  Not that I know of.  Does anyone know if we are?
>> ERICA:  Yes.  
>> SANDRA:  I am the director for training and we are working with the ACL team on an indirect straining on cost rates and some of the final issues coming up as part of the reviews and that will be in January and you'll see an announcement in your in box soon.  
>> PETER:  Sorry about that I gave you the wrong answer and Sandra gave you the right answer.  
     We'll have data February March -- this next question is from Brooke Wilson advising the PPRs.  When revising the PPRs talking about the.    
>> ERICA:  Peter, if I can, if again earlier I think I had said this.  There's one section of the ILSPPR exactly the same as the CILPPR and that's related to the consumer files.  For the Part B CILs.  That part we left alone.  Because we were waiting to do the CILPPR so we can make the same changes on the. Or Part B ILRSPPR.  The only thing we have changed is the sexual identity pores that we are trying to get through.  We did make that change and we are going to do that again with the CIL PPR.  
     Looking at the consumer section, copying over what we have in the CILPPR.  Does that make conscience?  Again, the expectation, once we do all of these revisions, you won't have to start collecting the data until the following year.  Unless it was during COVID we did because that was a crisis bus form allowedly we would not do that.  We would go through the process and you would not start collecting the data until the following year and I want you to know that.  We're not going to ask you to do something after the factor something like that.  It will be moving forward.  
>> ED:  I want to jump on and use this as a friendly reminder when you're doing a Part B ILRSPPR that if you're any of the centers receiving part C funds, their information does not go under the consumer section and that's been a question that's come up a number of times.  If the Center receives part C funding, those numbers for consumers will not be on the ILSPPR.       
>> PETER:  We're going to go ahead and move onto the next question.  Since we have done that part of you change that midway will that impact my report?  We have answered that.  Thanks for the response to my question.  Great information today.  That's not a question.  Let's look through the chat and see if something in the chat is a question that needs an answer.  Katrina says please repost the link to the calls for proposals for the augmented devices and the link is not working.  You're right.  It gives me the error.  
>> ERICA:  I have reposted it.  
>> PETER:  Let's see.  The next question s these links will be in the newsletter?  Yes, they will; is that correct? yes?  Yes?  The next question let's see.  We answered it.  
>> ERICA:  Brooke, is it possible to unmute you to make sure we uncover.  
>> PETER:  Q&A will you revisit?  Yes, I will.  Here we are.  
>> BROOKE:  This is Brooke, and you answered all the questions that I put in the Q&A.  It was four in one.  
>> PETER.  How can you change without the process.  I'm not sure what that question is asking.  The question is how can you --
>> BROOKE:  This is Brooke again.  When we were talking about if there could be changes of the sex being male or female or other options, I was just stating the portal is just that, it's a portal.  And so you just take the instrument and transfer it into the portal so Q90 would not be able to make changes would you say going through the process and we would have to do public comment and you found the without arrange and the solution to make that not a required -- the sex doesn't have to match the total number of CSRs.
>> PETER:  That is correct.  Erika types we can't at "other" yet.  So okay.  That seems to be all of the questions in the Q&A and all the questions in the chat.  We have a little time left in our schedule so if you have any question questions you can please type that in now or you can raise your hand and I'll call on you.  
>> ED:  This is Ed and I'm going to take two minutes for two different things.  One is keep your eye on the ILRU training calendar.  Beside it's being chalked full of great stuff, there is going to be a webinar coming up early in the year, specifically around emergency management and disaster and including goals around that in your SPIL.  
     So if you got great deal great goals around that, come share them.  If you're looking to include those, that will also be coming up and also want to remind you about the opportunity for all of our CILs and our SILCs to distribute free COVID vaccinations.  We have quite a robust program now.  Reach out to me via email if you want to get your center signed up where we're distributing thousands and thousands through our centers and through our silks and thank you for those extra moments.  SILCs.  
>> ERICA:  You had so many great questions.  I just want to say, I never worry about having not enough on the agenda because I know you all will ask any kind of questions.  I want you to know we're here for you if you ever have any questions.  When we don't have the calls you can email us and we will try tower best to answer.  ILRU is our trustee team of TA we have been relying on a lot lately.  Would you like to share upcoming trainings that would be helpful?  Not to put you on the spot but I'm.  
>> SANDRA:  I put in the chat the link to the training.  The first Thursday of every month, the next opportunity will be next Thursday and we are taking a SPIL and going into detailed discussions about the instrument and the instructions.  Feel free to join us there.  Also we are hosting a new training and technic at assistance zeros on a monthly basis as well for a new CIL or SILC staff.  If you have folks that have just joined your organization and they are within the first year of their employment, feel free to share the opportunity to get together to learn some basics on some hot topics as well as to do some peer sharing and peer support for that process.  Check out the webinars that are coming up.  Again, as mentioned, we have the financial webinar and indirect cost rate coming in January and we have a couple others that will be available in the spring.  
     So feel free to check that out.  
>> ERICA:  Thank you, Sandra.  
>> ED:  We have another question in the chat, in the questions.  
>> ERICA:  Do you want to take that Ed?
>> ED:  The question is from someone who is anonymous.  Can you explain more about the yellow flag reviews and the types of reasons and when it would become a red flag.  Yes.  
     So I'll give you some of the -- yellow flag reviews.  Yes, we call them yellow flag reviews but really they are concentrated technical assistance through your program officer, through a reviewer and ILRU in some cases but when we're seeing things that might be an issue down the road -- for instance, if I'm reviewing a BP and they had 500 consumers over the past year and in the last 3PPRs they have had 22 instances of peer monitoring.  Although they meet the released.  Alkaline requirements of that PPR being approved, why the peer metric being a core and that could be a number of things.  If somebody did not draw down any of their CDC funding we might start by being looking at that and look for other things and see how we can help them have better ability to use that.  
     So when would they become a red flag?  Other things too that could be a yellow flag.  A complaint or a concern or just a genuine query.  But a red flag will first of all they don't necessarily become red flag it's.  Mostly they will not.  It is our expectation because we are pulling our resources to give you guys the resources that you need to do that.  But they could move to and it would be based on it if, you know, if there were some things could start as a red flag review because of the severity of things.  And Erika might want to jump in on that time but with the yellow flags we're really focusing on that.  We have great team of Fellow reviewers and we were probably doing about 20 yellow flag reviews now and we're seeing some great things and we're having great discussions and we're learning from it so that we can helps and create trainings along the way.  I hope that answers your question.  If anybody has other questions about that, certainly time them in.  Or let us know.  
>> SHARON FINNEY:  This is Sharon.  We have a question from Stephanie Jensen.  Stephanie?  Go ahead.  
>> STE pH ANIE:  I must have accidentally raised my hand.  My apologies.  
>> SHARON FINNEY:  Thank you.  
>> PETER:  Any update on the review process.  [Reading]
As far as in person and on-site visits, I don't know that I can answer that.  What do the rest of you think?
>> ERICA:  Brooke, thank you for your question.  I think that you're right.  There is a lot more scrutiny of PPRs.  But to be quite honest, we've been talking about this process for years now.  I put in the link, I think somebody else asked and Ed answered the question, there is a link to our comp documents and the process happened we should have been following the whole time and we have been to extent and we went through COVID of course and now we're coming out of COVID and now we're just trying to follow up on what we have already said that we are going to do.  So what we call - 
Tier, tier two.  After this new year it's been nine years and now we are starting to make sure that people are doing all the required core severances.  There's been ample time and TA and now we're just start to go follow up and I just want to be clear.  I mean, the purpose of us following up and doing these yellow flags are not to, you know, get people in trouble but it's really to strengthen our programs because the burr you guys are, the burr IO looks as a whole and it makes more consistent reporting and the numbers are more accurate.  The hope is when you get requested to be a yellow flag that you're able to share what happened with other peers.  There's not going to be a confidential informant every year there's going to be a couple dozen at least that get yellow flagged.  The red flags can happen.  Our fiscal office hulled them.  It could be random.  It could be because of serious issues that were never addressed and they continue to not be addressed.  There's a multitude of reasons why it might become a red flag.  We will always communicate with you if there's an issue and our goal is to make sure you are better and you make us look better when you're better and you talk to each other because I think peer support is the best way to strengthen our programs and we're just going to keep working with all of you.  If you ever have questions or concerns, you can always come to us and let us know.  
>> ED:  I want to jump in here.  I have been corrected.  When I was talking about COVID tests, I might have said vaccinations.  COVID tests and I want to make sure environmentalism is clear on that.  Thank you.  That's correct ERICA:  Thanks Ed.  It looks like there's a couple other questions in the chat Peter?
>> PETER:  Okay.  So let's go ahead and this one is from anonymous attendee.  Is the PPR report -- due 12.31.  C IPPR will be due 12.31.  
>> ERICA:  Unless there is something on our end, there will be no extensions. Er year it will being the same date.  31st for CILS and January 31st for states and SPILs and Part B programs.  
>> TETER:  Do the DSEs get invited to these meetings and get training.  [Reading]
     By these meetings, if I mean the quarterly sessions, yes we do invite the DSEs.  
>> SANDRA:  We have a hand up from Shelly Richardson.  
>> PETER:  Go ahead, Shelly.  
>> SHE.  LY:  I'm sorry I accidentally raised it.  I had my question answered.  
>> PETER:  Does anyone else have any other questions?
>> ED:  This is Ed.  I'm putting my email into the chat.  If you are interested in distributing those COVID tests available with our partnership with - 
Great opportunity and drop me an email and I will get you going.  
>> ERICA:  Thank you, Ed, and I'm going to ask the OI LP crew.  And you Jennifer and John son you joined us.  Do you have anything else you would like to share today before we adjourn this meeting?  We’ll all right then.  And it looks like we have answered your questions today.  If you think of others just let us know.  And I just want to say you all have a wonderful holiday season.  
     I hope that you all get some relaxation.  I know the PPRs are due at an unfortunate time but hopefully you'll get at least a little bit of break in there somewhere and just please reach out if you have any questions.  Or ideas.  We're always open to hearing about how we can get better and provide better information for you.  
>> ED:  Erika there's one question I think we should take.  For vaccination grants we have funds left.  Can we still spend it?  I did not see any information about a no cost information for that.
>> PETER:  Sorry I didn't call that one out.  
>> ERICA:  Are we talking about the CDC funding?  Those are currently being closed out.  The CDC funding already got for those who requested it, they already had a one year no cost extension which would have expired the he happened of September and now all of those awards or being closed out.  If that's what you're talking about.  
>> ED:  That's from Tink Miller.  Tink, let us know if that didn't answer your question.  Okay.  That's the answer.  Thank you, Erica.  
>> ERIC:  Thank you, everyone.  Have a wonderful holiday season.  Talk to you all next year if not before.
>> PETER:  Thanks for putting up with my scatter thought approach.  
>> ERICA:  Talk to you all soon.       
     
[ Event concludes ]