June 13, 2024 Minutes

Weld Area Agency on Aging - Advisory Board Meeting Minutes

Meeting Location: Zoom Invite & Area Agency on Aging, 315 N 11th Ave., Bldg. C., Greeley, CO
Meeting: Thursday, June 13, 2024 (Thursday) 9:00 am – 11:00 am

1. Roll Call:
   • Board Members
     • Attended: Kay Broderius, Commissioner Buck, Susan Collins, DeAnn Cure, Nancy Haffner, Ann Curry Sanchez, Teresa Schunter, Gillian Smith, Lynn Young
     • Absent: Ruth Leitel, Valeria Ortiz, Aaron Sanchez, Theresa Schunter, Vice-Chair Jami Shepherd, Diana Vasquez
   • AAA Staff
     • Attended: Jill Colavolpe, Deputy Division Head; Meredith Skoglund, Community Outreach Manager; Michelle Roper, Administrative Assistant
     • Absent: Tami Grant, Deputy Director Human Services; Kelly Morrison, Division Head
   • Guest: Laura Frawley & Jessica Jardee, Weld County Case Management Agency - Home & Community Supports Division
2. Program
   • Weld County Case Management Agency - Home & Community Supports Division: Presented by Laura Frawley & Jessica Jardee
   • Introduction and Overview
     
     • Until recently the Division was known as Weld County AAA. The Division is now recognized as Weld County Case Management Agency - Home and Community Supports Division.
     • As of July 1, 2024, Weld CMA will house all Medicaid Children waivers and all Adult HCBS waivers.
     • The goal is to increase the quality of case management services and decrease barriers to accessing and navigating the right services/programs that work best for the individual.
     • The department serves over 1000 individuals with phone calls made to each client every 3 months and home visits every 6 months.
   • The Medicaid Plan and what it looks like:
     
     • State Plan (Health First Colorado) – Mandatory Benefits include: Inpatient and outpatient hospital services, physician services, laboratory and Xray services, more… Optional benefits include prescription drugs, dental services.
     • Long Term Care: Mandatory Benefits include nursing facility services, home health. Optional Benefits: PACE, case management.
     • HCBS Waivers: Optional Benefits include waivers participant directed services, transition services.
   • Process for Home and Community Supports Division:
     
     • Case manager completes a functional assessment with the individual to ensure they meet functional eligibility and targeting criteria for waiver.
     • Develops a service plan with the individual / family.
     • Set up services with HCBS providers based on the developed service plan
     • Maintain contact with the individuals/family regularly, monitor and adjust services as needed according to their changing needs.
   • What are HCBS Waivers?
     
     • HCBS waivers are designed to help specific populations with the most intensive medical needs. HCBS Waivers in Colorado are designed to give people with disabilities or certain diagnoses greater level of choice in how
     • and where services are obtained. HCBS waivers have additional program rules, regulations, waitlists, and qualifying criteria.
     • Adult HCBS Waivers are:
       
       • Brain Injury Waiver (BI)
       • Community Mental Health Supports Waiver (CMHS)
       • Complimentary and Integrative Health Waiver (CIH)
       • Developmental Disabilities Waiver (DD)
       • Elderly, Blind and Disabled Waiver (EBD)
       • Supportive Living Services Waiver (SLS)
     • Children’s HSBS Waivers are:
       
       • Children with Life Limiting Illness Waiver (CLLI)
       • Children’s Extensive Support Waiver (CES)
       • Children’s Habilitation Residential Program Waiver (CHRP)
       • Children’s Home and Community Based Services Waiver (CHCBS)
   • Other programs available
     
     • Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF)
     • Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)
     • Long Term Home Health (LTHH)
     • Home Care Allowance (HCA)
     • State Supported Living Services (State-SLS State General Fund)
     • Family Support Services Programs (FSSP)
   • Questions, Answers and Comments:
     • Q: Member Collins – Does each individual fall into a set waiver? It can be overwhelming between Medicaid and what waiver to apply for.
     • A: HCSD – Each individual works with a case manager to see what resources or supports they qualify for outside of their current waiver – it’s tailored to each person. The individual would apply for State Medicaid and then Long-Term Medicaid to see what waiver they qualify for.
       
       
     • Q: Member Haffner – Have you had any trouble locating medical records for certain individuals?
     • A: HCSD – It’s rare, but yes.
       
       
     • S: Commissioner Buck – There has been a tremendous amount of work done to make this happen – GREAT JOB!
     • A: HCSD – We have found there is a tremendous amount of collaboration within the group to service everyone more effectively.
       
       
     • Q: Staff Member Roper – How many clients does each Case Manager assist?
     • A: Staff Member Colavolpe – 90-95 for each SEP, 65-70 for Adult IDD and 77 for children.
       
       
     • Q: Member Curry Sanchez – Does the Case Manager change often for clients?
     • A: HCSD – It’s important to not move people around and keep them with their original Case Manager as much as possible. Found that cross training helps all clients especially with 200 new children’s cases coming in.
       
       
     • Q: Commissioner Buck – Are there still open positions to be filled and have there been enough applicants?
     • A: HCSD – Four new staff members are currently being trained and there have been a lot of great applicants.
       
       
     • S: Member Collins – Not all communities have been as successful as Weld County, great job!
       
       
     • Q: Member Curry Sanchez – Are there a lot of minority community members?
     • A: HCSD – There has been an increase through education and partnerships with other agencies.
       
       
     • Q: Member Smith – What is the process to start an application, who to contact?
     • A: HCSD – You can contact Case Management Intake to get started.
       
       
     • Q: Member Haffner – Did HCSD realize the scope would be so large?
     • A: Staff Member Colavolpe – Didn’t quite realize the magnitude of it until working through it. The billing component has been a large undertaking. Thank you to the Commissioners for believing in Weld County Human Services to take this on.
3. Approval of Minutes:
   • Motion made by Member Haffner to approve the minutes from May 9, 2024. Member Collins made first approval and Member Smith made second approval. All approved.
4. Committee Overview, Sign-up, and Committee Reports:
   • Nutrition:
     
     • Staff Member Skoglund – Evening meals in Platteville have had a great turnout. UNC contract rates are increasing as of July 1, 2024. Staff members Fagan, Like and Koban have been making site visits.
     • Member Young – The food has been excellent.
     • Member Smith – Going to Lochbuie and Fort Lupton for a meal in the next couple of weeks.
     • Member Haffner – Recently had lunch at Birchwood and they are very organized.
   • ADRC:
     
     • Staff Member Skoglund – Meets quarterly.
   • AARP Livable Communities:
     
     • Member Collins – Not meeting till August. Receiving emails with assessments and working on survey.
   • Fraud Updates:
     
     • Member Collins - Hard to know what is real anymore.
     • Member Smith - Receiving calls about being thrown in jail as intimidation tactic. Be skeptical. They are starting to use AI to copy people’s voices.
     • Member Young - Received a fraud call about a toll charge (refer to handout).
     • Q: Member Collins – Does AARP fraud information go out to enough people? Does Information and Assistance receive calls about fraud?
     • A: Staff Member Skoglund: Those calls are referred to Adult Protection or police or each site has fraud presentations.
   • Legislative & CCA:
     
     • Updates were emailed out from Vice Chair Shepherd
   • 50+ Art Show:
     
     • Member Haffner – All set for September 18, 2024, at LINC Library.
     • Staff Member Skoglund – Looking forward to adding the new art pieces this year.
   • Beyond 60
     
     • Member Collins – Always looking for articles.
   • Monitoring, Oversight & Requests for Proposal
     
     • Staff Member Skoglund – Provider evaluations start next week. Sign up sheet provided for Board members to sign up with a limit to 2 members per visit.
     • Member Smith – The evaluation at North Range last year was a great experience.
     • Member Collins – Are there updates on budget cuts for OAA?
     • Staff Member Skoglund – The budget has been approved and will be reviewed at the August 8, 2024, Board meeting. Two new staff members will join AAA with no 40% cut. When the Weld County Commissioners saw what services
     • would be lost, they made sure that would not happen.
     • Staff Member Colavolpe – The HCSD, Long Term Care and Adult Protection Services budget is separate from the OAA budget.
5. Board Participation Updates:
   • Member Smith – Just joined the Weld County Human Services Board.
   • Staff Member Roper – There will not be a Board meeting in July and will resume on August 8, 2024.
   • Member Curry Sanchez – Attended the Future of Aging Conference which was great with a very positive impact.
   • Member Young – Attended the Allen Buckingham Senior Legacy Awards and found the award recipients to be very well deserving of the award.
6. General Agency Updates:
   • Staff Member Colavolpe – There will be a proclamation on June 12, 2024 with the Weld County Commissioners for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). Human Services will be walking in support of WEAAD at 11am on June 19, 2024. All Board members are invited to participate.

   Upcoming Events

   • GRG Grandparent Pampering: TBD
   • Project Connect: TBD
   • Caregiver Appreciation Day: TBD
   • AARP Shred Event 2024: TBD
   • Greeley/Weld Senior Foundation 2024: TBD
   • 50+ Art Show: September 18, 2024
   • Senior Symposium: October 2, 2024
7. Adjournment
   • Motion to adjourn meeting. All agreed.

   Next meeting

Thursday, August 8, 2024, from 9:00 – 11:00 am