This report provides a summary of just some of the issues we worked on for our members and the people you serve in 2019-20. This annual report will also give you an idea of the issues we will be working on this coming year.
Although this was going to be one of our most successful years, we were forced to put most of our work on hold due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. In March 2020, Alliance’s efforts shifted from ending the DD Wait List , sustainable system funding, and eliminating subminimum wage employment to fighting to keep the supports and services intact and to help our members comply with the new federal and state emergency regulations to keep people safe and employed. This is a summary of some of that work.
Please feel free to share this document with your board, staff, and other non-member PASAs that would like to learn more about Alliance’s return on your investment. This work could not have been done without your support.
Colorado State Budget Highlights
Our collective work over many years resulted in the preservation of critical services and supports for people with disabilities, as well as the sustainability of vital community-based agencies who provide these services. Despite a nearly $4 billion deficit (representing about 25% of discretionary funding), IDD services were largely spared from draconian cuts. We can't say the same for many other important industries around the state, including state employees who received a 5% cut. Below are the critical IDD impacts:
FY 2019-20 Budget: We are happy to report that no IDD reductions were made to the FY2019-20 Budget. We were able to maintain the following:
New DD Comprehensive Waiver Resources:
399 new emergency waiver resources
150 new waiver resources
Provider Rates:
Across-the-board: All IDD services (including services on the DD, Supported Living Services (SLS), and Children’s Extensive Support (CES) waivers, as well as Early Intervention (EI) rates) received a 1% provider rate increase.
Certain targeted rate increases were also included, including a 14% individual 15-minute respite increase for SLS/CES, a 12% increase for respite per diem for SLS/CES, and a 1%-23% increase in GRSS rates depending on the SIS level.
All HCBS homemaker, homemaker basic, and personal care rates also received an 8.1% rate increase (which must be 100% passed through to employees who provide these services in the same manner as the DSP Rate increase in HB18-1407.
Other Budget Items Protected:
CES and SLS waivers were fully funded with no waitlist
Elimination of the State SLS waitlist
272 individuals can enroll in Family Support Services Program (FSSP) from the waitlist
Emergency COVID-19 Relief Funding
IDD Retainer Payments issued for Adult Day Services; Day Habilitation; Prevocational Services; and Supported Employment on March 13, 2020 to July 10, 2020
Temporary rate increases (4% and 8%) for residential, personal care, and homemaker services issued on April 1, 2020 to June 30,2020
CARES Act Provider Relief Funding for HCBS Providers
PPP Loan Funding
FY 2020-21 Budget
New DD Waiver Resources:
399 new emergency resources
The legislature kept 240 “churn” DD resources in the budget
Provider Rates:
Across-the-board: All IDD services (including services on the DD, SLS, and CES waivers, as well as EI rates) received a 1% provider rate decrease. The Colorado budget committee was considering a 5% reduction.
A $1.5M total funds increase for behavioral health fee-for-service (mostly impacts RCCFs)
A $530k total funds increase for Habilitation in Residential Child Care Facilities
Early Intervention:
The legislature removed the projected 6% caseload increase for 2020-2021. A January 2021 supplemental will be necessary if caseload growth occurs and the funds are unavailable.
Additional IDD-related decisions included in the Colorado Budget:
CES and SLS waivers remains fully funded with no waitlist
State SLS remains fully funded with no waitlist
FSSP did not receive a cut
The remaining funds in the IDD cash fund were moved to the General Fund, about $6.7M
DVR did not receive a cut
Alliance Bill Overview
Due to COVID-19 and $3.3 billion in mandated cuts to balance the Colorado budget, the following bills were postponed during the 2020 legislative session:
Alliance’s END THE WAIT Bill: Drafted as a Joint Budget Committee Bill and supported by Colorado Leadership and most of the Colorado General Assembly, this bill would have ended the wait for 3,000 people waiting for residential services on the DD waiver over multiple years and invested in IDD provider rates.
HB 20-1263 Disability Law Colorado, The Arc of Colorado, and Alliance’s Phase-Out Subminimum Wage Bill (SMW): This bill would have eliminated SMW by 2025, added new and restructured existing employment supports to maximize opportunities for people with IDD, and developed recommendations to streamline bureaucracy and reduce barriers to competitive integrated employment while protecting access to benefits so families are not penalized for income gains. View the Talking PointsHERE.
The group convened by Alliance, Disability Law Colorado, and The Arc of Colorado met at least monthly between May 2019 and November 2019 to develop the bill conceptand draft language which was introduced as HB 20-1263. The Task Force included representatives from these agencies as well as other stakeholders interested in employment.
Outside of our committee work, Alliance continued to follow a variety of ongoing stakeholder groups and the implementation of a variety of policies at the state level, including: Waiver Redesign; Electronic Visit Verification; the HCBS Settings Rule; and more.
Colorado Rulemaking Work
Alliance participated in the following rulemakings, including stakeholder meetings to develop rules if applicable:
New IRSS rules implementing required Division of Housing inspections (HCPF)
Implementing regulations for SB 19-238, requiring that an 8.1% rate increase be passed through to employees providing personal care and homemaker supports (HCPF)
Rights Modification rules related to the HCBS Settings rule (HCPF)
Colorado COMPS Order (CDLE), newly applying Colorado wage and hour laws to CCBs and PASAs. Alliance was successful in arguing for narrow exemptions to the Order’s overtime and rest period sections.
Alliance staff continued to provide national leadership within ANCOR as active members of the State Association Executives group and the Government Relations Advisory Committee
Alliance staff and members attended ANCOR’s policy summit and met with members of Colorado’s Congressional delegation in fall 2019
Federal initiatives included advocacy for: Isaiah and Margie’s Actto allow HCBS providers to be paid when DSPs support a person during a short-term hospital stay (passed as part of COVID legislation); a separate Standard Occupational Classification for DSPs; and the HCBS Infrastructure Act that would have issued grants to states to help them rebalance in favor of HCBS.
Alliance hosted weekly webinars for Colorado CCBs and PASAs to share information and resources, review guidance, problem solve issues, and have community discussions. From March 2020- June 30, 2020, Alliance hosted 16 COVID-19 webinars.
Alliance staff attended weekly stakeholder meetings with HCPF, CDPHE, CDHS, ANCOR and reported back to Alliance membership.
Alliance staff attended over 60 hours of HCPF webinars alone in a little over three months.
Alliance worked with HCPF and CDPHE to collect questions, comments, and topics for the state departments’ weekly webinars and reviewed the questions and IDD provider issues with HCPF staff on a weekly basis.
Alliance reviewed, analyzed, and reported on over 40 pieces of HCPF guidance and informational memos, as well as a variety of complex CDPHE, CDLE, CDHS and federal guidance and informational memos.
Alliance contributed to, reviewed, and reported on HCPF’s COVID FAQs
Alliance read and reported back on nearly 100 press releases from Governor Polis and the federal government.
Alliance continues to track PPE emergencies and assists members in accessing PPE.
Alliance helped coordinate transportation for people in wheelchairs leaving the hospital after recovering from COVID-19.
Alliance assisted members in identifying, understanding, and accessing COVID-19 relief funding, such as: Disaster Loans, PPP loans, Federal “CARES Act”, State COVID-19 relief funds, and private funding.
Alliance staff served as a 24-7 resource for our membership in most anything they needed during this pandemic.
Alliance contacted Colorado’s congressional delegation on COVID-19 funding and retainer payment issues, including frequent communications on the need for HCBS-specific funding in COVID relief packages.
Alliance hosted a Town Hall with Senator Michael Bennet specifically covering the experience and needs of providers during the pandemic. Senator Gardner’s office was invited to participate in his own town hall.
Alliance voted to expand membership by offering two new associate membership levels: The “Preferred Vendor” and “Strategic Partner” memberships will be launched in September of 2020.
80 of the 100 legislators participated in the “Alliance DSP for a Day” challenge.
Alliance strengthened the Alliance Government Relations (GR) Team and successfully implemented Alliance’s new GR decision-making process. In 2019, Alliance began to contract with Emma Hudson Consulting and Colorado Legislative Services for government relations and lobbying services, as well as Health Management Associates for data and IDD consulting services.
Alliance continued to participate and sponsor national events and conferences: Coleman Institute Conference, ANCOR National Conference, Families at the Forefront of Technology, IDD Nurses Conference, and The Arc Film Festival.
These reports are stored on the Board Page on the Alliance Member Portal. Please log in to the Member Portal or contact info@alliancecolorado.org to request a copy.
