MONDAY REPORT

September 24, 2001

SPECIAL NOTE:  Copyright 2001. The Monday Report is produced each week as a benefit to the member agencies of the Child Care Association. Please protect this membership benefit - DO NOT copy and distribute this report to agencies/staff that are not members of CCA. Thank you for your cooperation.

Table of Contents

MARK CALENDARS NOW FOR CCAI FALL MEMBERSHIP MEETING---FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR THE CHILD CARE ASSOCIATION OF ILLINOIS AND ITS MEMBERS.. 1

POLICY COMMITTEE RETREAT SET FOR OCTOBER 17 IN BOLINGBROOK.. 2

CHILD WELFARE.. 2

CWAC FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION.. 2

Specialized/Treatment Rates to be effective 9/1/01. 2

Rate Changes on Multi-Year Residential 2

Rate Enhancements/Appeals. 3

2001 Closeouts and Audits. 3

Case Management Fee. 3

Excess Revenue. 3

Bedholds. 3

CCAI BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING.. 3

MENTAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.. 3

DD CONTRACTS COMMITTEE.. 3

GENERAL.. 4

LEGISLATIVE ALERT FOR TITLE IV-E TRAINING.. 4

MEDIA NEWS.. 4

VIDEOS AVAILABLE FOR LOAN FROM CCA.. 4

UPCOMING EVENTS/MEETINGS.. 5

Calendar 5

MARK CALENDARS NOW FOR CCAI FALL MEMBERSHIP MEETING---FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR THE CHILD CARE ASSOCIATION OF ILLINOIS AND ITS MEMBERS

Mark your calendars for October 25 and 26 at the Hyatt Lodge Oak Brook for the opportunity to participate in the Strategic Planning Process of the Child Care Association.

Join your colleagues and CCAI staff for a challenging two days of looking into the future. This is a unique opportunity to:

Participate in the Strategic Planning Process of the Association

Contribute your ideas and identify future potential

Examine the suggested directions for the CCAI as developed in the CEO Retreat

Examine future impacts on your agency

Determine how you will become involved in future CCAI directions and decisions

Provide input & critique ideas

Examine policy directions and determine how your agency will be involved

These two days form the second essential step of the strategic planning process for CCAI that started with the CEO and Board Retreat in July.  It will help confirm the directions, build the plans and guide strategic decisions for the next few years. There will be ample opportunity to exchange ideas in large group sessions as well as during smaller focus groups. The final strategic directions and the implications of those strategies will impact the association and our individual member agencies. Your participation is crucial!!! Watch the mail later this week for full details and registration materials.

Cutoff date for Hotel reservations is October 10. Reservations can be made now with the Oak Brook Hyatt Lodge by calling 630-990-5800 or 800-233-1234.  Be sure to tell the Hyatt Lodge that you are attending the Child Care Association Meeting.  The single occupancy rate is $115.00. (MB)

POLICY COMMITTEE RETREAT SET FOR OCTOBER 17 IN BOLINGBROOK

Changing times call for new measures, methods and strategies. Join your colleagues on the CCAI policy committee for our annual retreat at the Bolingbrook Holiday Inn on October 17, from 9:30-4:00.

We will: Critique the format, structure and role of the Policy Committee�past, present and future; Identify the key issues for Association policy and legislative work over the next year; Identify and discuss state and federal legislation of interest to CCAI; Strategize on how to succeed in future policy efforts; Discuss the status of current legislation.

This retreat represents a unique opportunity to �Jump Start� our policy work this coming year. Current members of the Policy Committee, Board Members and any member wishing to get involved in the Policy Committee this year are urged to attend. Watch the mail later this week for full meeting and registration details. (MB)

CWAC FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION

The CWAC Finance and Administration Committee met in Chicago on September 18, 2001. Topics and decisions reached included:

Specialized/Treatment Rates to be effective 9/1/01

With the DCFS decision to delay standardization of specialized and treatment foster care programs and rates, rates for specialized/treatment (using the existing methodology which freezes the FY�01 inflation factor) must be calculated. For some programs, the rate may decrease from that being paid since July l. This would mean that program already had a DCFS receivable to be created at the time of the first payment at new rates. After much discussion the group recommended to DCFS, and DCFS agreed, that the newly calculated rates would be effective September 1, since agencies learned in late August that the standardization would not proceed, had based expenses for the first two months on the previous year�s rate and would be able to more easily calculate slight increases or decreases based on the one month interval. Agencies can expect to be notified of new rates, effective September 1, by the October payment cycle.

Rate Changes on Multi-Year Residential

DCFS reported some agencies have not signed their amendments for the new rate on the multi-year contracts. Agencies are reminded that the rate methodology decisions were made by Bureau of the Budget and not DCFS. Failure to return the amendment will not change the new rate, and will eventually cause agency financial problems. We encourage any agency in this situation to contact Roy Miller of DCFS to discuss their concerns and questions.

Rate Enhancements/Appeals

There are some previous rate enhancement requests that have lingered in the regions. DCFS has assigned Larry Chasey to coordinate and track the status of these. DCFS staff expressed concern that some programs have submitted rate enhancements seeking a rate increase to offset utilization problems. Rate changes due to capacity issues will be decided only by the DCFS Director.

2001 Closeouts and Audits

Some agencies with group home and residential programs have experienced problems during their audit when seeking clarification of the amount of federal funds. DCFS has been trying to clarify the federal definitions to assure private agencies do not have to incur the same audit responsibilities from the feds, as does the state, since the feds can term the private sector as sub-recipients. DCFS has prepared a format to confirm all payments by service code and voucher and will forward this clarification to all agencies.

Case Management Fee

DCFS is working on draft language to clarify existing policies that would permit collection of case management fees by agencies when the case is closed with the agency but remains their responsibility.  This will be forwarded to the FAS group for review. Target date is October l.

Excess Revenue

DCFS is drafting new rule change language reflective of the agreement of the FAS group. Target date is to submit to JCAR by November 1. We will keep our agencies apprised of the JCAR submission and the need for any comments on the rule change.

Bedholds

DCFS continues to study internally how the implementation of the proposed bedhold policy would work. There should be another document for review by the November FAS meeting. (MB)

CCAI BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

The CCAI Board of Directors met in Naperville on September 19. At this meeting the board:

Questions from the membership about the board meeting can be directed to your board link. If you need assistance in identifying your board contact, please call our Springfield office.  (MB)

DD CONTRACTS COMMITTEE

At the last meeting of the DD Contracts Committee, the group continued its discussion of outcome and performance indicators.  As part of that discussion, a presentation was given about the DHS Core Indicators Project in order to determine if there was an overlap with the indicators identified by the Contracts Committee.  The Core Indicators Project is in conjunction with National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services and the Human Services Research Institute.  The first year of the project activities include two components.  The first component is a consumer survey/interview which includes interviewing adults with developmental disabilities who receive services and supports.  The second component is a family/adult support survey which includes a mail survey of families where an adult family member with a developmental disability is living in the household with parents, siblings or relatives.  In future years of the project, activities will include three additional components.  One component is a family/child survey which includes a mail survey of families where a child with a developmental disability is living in the household with parents, siblings or relatives.  Another component is the family/guardian survey in which the adult receiving services is living outside the family home.  The last component of the project is identified as the System Level Data where information from DHS and provider agencies is collected and analyzed.  Such areas include service utilization, access to services, abuse and neglect and staff turnover.

The core indicators outlined in the project include indicators in four categories:  consumer outcomes; system performance; health, welfare and rights; and service delivery system strength and stability.  The project results will identify Illinois� vulnerabilities, identify better allocation of resources and enhance cost effectiveness.  The results from the project can provide information to obtain legislative support, assist with budget requests, and identify inconsistencies within the state.  (JMS) 

LEGISLATIVE ALERT FOR TITLE IV-E TRAINING

We have been advised by CWLA that the House Ways and Means Human Resources Subcommittee will be voting soon on a bill to reauthorize The Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program (H.R. 2873).  This is the opportunity for an amendment to be offered to allow private agencies access to Title IV-E training funds.  CCA sent out a FAX to all members on Sept. 14^th asking you to contact Representative Jerry Weller who is on the committee and urge him to sponsor the amendment.  An update from last week indicated that the Committee might vote on the legislation on Friday, Sept. 21^st.  In talking with Representative Weller�s office last week, they indicated that would probably not happen last.  If you have not contacted Representative Weller�s office either by FAX or phone, please do so TODAY.  Since over 75% of the Title IV-E services for children are provided by private agencies, it is critical that Representative Weller continue to hear from us and advocate for access to these needed training funds.  Representative Weller�s telephone number is 202-225-3635 and ask to speak with Samantha Stockman.  You can also FAX a letter to The Honorable Jerry Weller, Member of Congress, 1210 Longworth HOB, Washington, D.C.  20515-1311.   (JMS)

MEDIA NEWS

PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL FAMILY WEEK, November 18^th-24^th, 2001.

Thanks to a mini-grant from the Alliance for families, CCA will be developing a public service campaign for National Family Week featuring pre-recorded public service announcements for radio and a number of other items developed around the theme, �Connections Count.�  A limited number of PSA�s will be available to member agencies for tagging in their markets on a first-come first-serve, so contact [email protected] to reserve your copies. 

VIDEOS AVAILABLE FOR LOAN FROM CCA

Three videos are now available for loan from CCA. They are:

�        �Attracting and Keeping the Best Volunteers,� a satellite videoconference produced by the Learning Institute for Nonprofit organizations

�        �Strengthening the Foundation of Effective Volunteer Involvement,� a satellite videoconference produced by the Learning Institute for Nonprofit organizations.

�        �Legacy of Community Action,� a documentary funded jointly by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the Kellogg Foundation and HBO, tells the story of a multigenerational family who overcomes poverty, welfare, drug addiction and family tragedy to transcend to success.  The film would be a great starter for discussion on collaboration and an excellent training film on the range of challenges social service agencies and workers face when working with clients.

Calendar

Sept. 28 -  �Coaching the Social Service Van Driver�, Lawrence Hall Youth Services, Chicago, IL�A Free seminar for CCA members.  For more information or to register please call Sandy or Barb and CCA 217.528.4409, Ext. 21 or 22 (Space is limited)

Oct.  2 � CWAC SACWIS Advisory Committee � LSSI, Desplaines

Oct. 11 - �Assessing, Diagnosing and Treating the Mental Health Needs of Africa-American Adolescents in the Juvenile Justice System� at the Palmer House Hilton, Chicago; For further information call: Wendy Reese at 217/522-2663 or 800/252-8045

Oct. 17 � CCA Policy Committee Retreat, 9:30 � 4:00, Holiday Inn Bolingbrook, IL

Oct. 25-26 � CCA�s Fall Membership Meeting, The Hyatt Lodge, Oak Brook, IL. The meeting is open to CCA Executive Directors and executive level staff

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