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Category: Scott Mendel's Articles
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The recent series of articles in the Chicago Tribune regarding group homes in Illinois has made clear that the direct care staff (DSPs) at ICF/DDs and CILAs are significantly...

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Category: Scott Mendel's Articles
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  I thank all the families that have submitted comments to the Department of Developmental Disabilities regarding its Draft Information Bulletin on receiving health care and other...

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Category: Scott Mendel's Articles
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Dear Misericordia Families: Once again we need you to act quickly and submit a comment by Friday, August 26 to the Illinois Department of Developmental Disabilities. At stake is our right to...

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Category: Scott Mendel's Articles
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I have previously described the person-centered planning process required by the new CMS rules which will go into effect in March 2019.  I noted that the new rule requires that the...

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Category: Scott Mendel's Articles
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In my last article I described how the new CMS rules define what constitutes a “community” setting for purposes of Medicaid funding.  I mentioned that the rules permit...

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Category: Scott Mendel's Articles
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The federal agency in Washington D.C., the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), issued new rules that define the types of homes and employment opportunities that will be eligible...

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Category: Scott Mendel's Articles
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Last summer, when the General Assembly and the Governor failed to agree on a budget for fiscal year 2016, starting on July 1, the State took the position that it had no authority to issue...

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Category: Scott Mendel's Articles
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Court Finds that Even Homes in the Community Can Fail to Provide the Least Restrictive Environment Required by the ADA. Last month, the Court of Appeals in Chicago issued an interesting and...

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Category: Scott Mendel's Articles
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It has been a busy two weeks for the continuum of care license legislation, but the goal line is finally in sight. I last reported that the House Human Services Committee had approved...

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Category: Scott Mendel's Articles
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On Wednesday, May 11, the House Human Services Committee held a hearing on the Senate bill (SB 2610) establishing a continuum of care license and voted 12 to 2 in favor of the...