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Happy Holidays From Your Quality Assurance Department!

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December ushers in the holiday season including Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah and the New Year. This is often a time of reflection as we contemplate our successes and challenges over the last year. If we could sum up 2024 in a few words, it would be a ‘year of change’. Services for people with IDD went through large scale changes in this last year.

  • Case Management Redesign required Colorado case management agencies to provide case management to all 10 Home and Community Based Service (HCBS) waivers as a means to simplify access to long-term services and supports. Within case management redesign, the Community Center Boards (CCB’s) were also transitioning to conflict free casement in which they could no longer provide both case management and direct services. This year the last 2 cohorts of Case Management Agencies (CMA) transitioned.

 

  • Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) abbreviated surveys: CDPHE spent this year conducting abbreviated surveys to catch up on several years of backlogged recertification visits to Program Approved Services Agencies (PASA’s). We had our recertification visit in April.

 

  • Updated/ New Regulations with the changes in Case Management Redesign came the need for the state to revise current regulations to align with the change to CMA’s. While the last minor revisions are going through final approval with the Medical Services Board, these updated regulations include changes for PASA’s.

 

As we look ahead to 2025, our system will have a few more large-scale changes.

  • NEW Person-Centered Support Plan (PCSP) & Colorado Single Assessment (CSA) tool to replace the current service plan (SP) and ULTC 1002. assessment. The new PCSP continues to outline the HCBS and long-term services and supports a person is receiving but the revised plan will be more person-centered and ensure better coordination of services. The new assessment will be a universal tool applicable to all people receiving HCBS services. Both tools will be implemented in 2025, HCPF is exploring a slow rollout and updates to the timing will be provided.

There was a lot of change this last year and our system is slated for more changes in 2025. Thank you for supporting the people we serve through all these changes. If you have questions or need assistance don’t hesitate to reach out, we are here to support you.

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Kenny Ride on the Railroad!

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Kenny recently took a fun weekend trip to the Georgetown loop railroad and had a blast! This has been a goal of his for about three years, so he was ecstatic that he was finally able to go. According to Kenny his love for trains started when he was a kid. He has always enjoyed watching movies that have trains because they look really cool. Kenny also usually likes to spend time watching YouTube videos on trains as well. HHP knew this was a goal of Kenny’s for a while and was able to take him up for the weekend. He even took some awesome pictures with Santa!

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Host Home Provider of the Month

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Please join us in congratulating Nancy for Host Home Provider of the Month! The following details were provided by her Residential Program Coordinator-

I would like to nominate Nancy Rogers-Fleming for host home provider of the month! I have been working with Nancy for about three years now, and it’s truly been a privilege! I remember my first time meeting Nancy and PRS Amy, was while I was shadowing another RPC.  It had been maybe the 2nd or 3rd visit I had shadowed, and I was nervous jumping into my new role. Nancy, however, was very quick to make me feel comfortable and welcome.  She took the time to tell me little details about Amy, the things she liked, disliked, activities she was participating in, shared photos, etc. This was especially important to me, because it allowed me to get to know Amy who’s nonverbal a lot quicker than I could have ever imagined, but also gave me a glimpse into the type of provider Nancy is.

Nancy has been a provider to Amy for 12 years, and as you can imagine Amy is a very important and loved member of Nancy’s family. This is very evident through the family tradition they have started together. One of my favorite traditions they’ve shared with me has been raising caterpillars every year and releasing butterflies on Mother’s Day. Amy looks forward to this every year and it’s a very special moment her and Nancy share together.

Nancy does a phenomenal job making sure Amy is heard and her needs are met. Whether that be through encouraging her to communicate through her DynaVox, ASL, or simply her body language and facial expressions. Nancy always ensures she advocates for Amy and provides unconditional love, support, and quality care. She is a provider that genuinely cares for the PRS in her home. Nancy has also assisted DM2 with respite needs have been very difficult to fill. Allowing other HHPs to receive much needed breaks, all the while providing excellent care for the PRS. Nancy has provided an individual she frequently respites for with an additional home he feels comfortable in, which has not been an easy task.  We truly appreciate her dedication and hard work, thank you for being such an amazing provider and someone we know we can count on!

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SH is the Change!

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When SH decided to find a therapist for personal counseling last fall, she knew that finding a counselor with disabilities was important to a good fit. She looked for months, through various avenues like her medical providers, her insurance, friends and family, but could not find a single therapist with disabilities. Rather than giving up, SH decided that she would fill that role and become a therapist for others with disabilities, even if she has to be the first one.

She is enrolled at Arapahoe Community College to start her studies in the Spring 2025 semester. This step is just one example of the way she lives her life in determined advocacy for herself and others with disabilities. With the persistence she floods into pursuing her goals, we feel certain SH is going to better the field she studies and we wish her much success.  Thank you SH for inspiring us to be the change we want to see in the world!

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Ray Succeeds With New Job and Driver’s License

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Ray has had an eventful couple of months working towards two big goals. He got his driver’s license and a new job as a crossing guard.

Rays’ mom reports that he looks proud and happy in his bright crossing guard vest as he gets to work around one of his favorite things in the world- buses. He enjoys helping the kids cross the street, getting to be part of one of the most important public transportation systems in America, and having a flexible schedule to make it to his Smash Bros tournaments. When asked he said he wouldn’t rule out being a bus driver one day – especially now that he has his license.

Getting his license was the easy part he says, passing his mom’s driving lessons was not. Although he can drive himself now, he is not done with buses. His dream car would be for everyone to use the public transportation system so that it can expand and be taken everywhere. (If he had to pick it would be an RV because of the nice amenities). He especially likes the MAX bus in Fort Collins.

Congrats again, Ray, for reaching these major milestones!!

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Host Home Provider of the Month

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The Loveland Team would like to nominate Brianna Yakovee for Provider of the Month!

Brianna is an experienced caregiver and provider who has dedicated much of her life to enriching the lives of those around her. From troubled teens to adults in the IDD community, she extends her compassion to any who need it. Recently, she opened her home to one of our PRS, Baylee. It was Baylee’s personal goal to find an HHP to move in with by the end of the year, and she sure found the right fit with Brianna and her home.

From the second Baylee gave her stamp of approval, Brianna started prepping her home. Being blind, there are some extra useful tools that help Baylee use the space around her. Brianna put sticky dots on the microwave for Baylee to be able to independently heat up her food – as well as on the washer and dryer to help her complete laundry. Arguably the coolest thing, though, is also a sound machine that sits outside of Brianna’s bedroom door, across the hall from Baylee’s room, that runs constantly, allowing Baylee to use it a sound locator throughout the house.

Their first weekend together was a girls weekend on the town. The ladies went shopping, had some yummy food and even enjoyed a movie showing together. Even on short notice, Brianna made sure Baylee and her roommate were able to attend our Loveland Halloween party. Brianna is constantly ensuring that Baylee (and her roommates) has access to the activities she enjoys doing while helping to promote independence and safety. Thank you for supporting those who lean on you, Bri. You’re a rockstar!

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Cat-Dad Robert Celebrates Two Birthdays

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Robert decided that his two cats Haley and Hillary would celebrate their birthdays together. He got decorations, a cake and treats for both of them, turning 2 and 7 years old respectively. He spent a couple months planning it and purchasing a new cat tree for them. They didn’t really go for the cake, but had some wet cat food instead.

Danyelle brought some toys and Jennifer (their coordinator) brought a catnip plant, which has since been replanted and chewed on happily by Haley (Hillary likes the dry stuff only Robert reports).

Robert had fun and his kitties did too!!

Kole and Billie 2024

Kole Lands a New Job!

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We continue to highlight positive happenings around the agency this month. Read ahead to learn how Kole and his provider Billie worked together to seek employment opportunities!

My name is Victoria and I’m writing to share a story on behalf of a person I work with. This person I am writing about has achieved a goal; it was to find a job.

Kole found a job at the prestigious restaurant Cheyenne Mountain Resort. He has been at this job for a few months and has done such an excellent job that they keep trying to give him more hours than he is allowed to work. I have only had KB on my caseload since March 2024 and in that amount of time he has shown so much growth! All of this would not be possible without the assistance of his amazing host home provider Billie.

I have watched her talk with him about goals and steps needed to reach those goals, I have watched her praise him when KB advocates for himself. Kole is doing so well at his job they sometimes ask him to do things outside of what he was hired for.

As anyone who knows Kole, you want to step in and protect him from being taken advantage of, but he has advocated for himself that there are some things he doesn’t mind doing and others he will say no to. It was a big step for him to ask Billie to let him handle his job on his own as anyone else would and if he needed assistance, he would let her know. Billie has gone above and beyond with picking him up after 10pm and dropping him off early in the mornings. She really is an HHP who just wants to see her PRS’s grow! I am so proud to work with amazing people like Kole and Billie!

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Missy Enjoys a Birthday Trip

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Sometimes we like to share positive stories, highlighting the relationships between the providers and the people they serve.
In early September, one of our individuals receiving services, Missy, told her HHP Genet that she would like to go on a trip to celebrate her birthday. They talked about where they should go, and Missy said she wanted to go visit some friends from church who had recently moved to Dallas and visit Genet’s daughter who also lives there.
Genet made all the arrangements, and they had a wonderful time visiting friends and family. They also made day trips to historical sights and local attractions.
Happy Birthday to Missy! One of her most valuable gifts is her amazing HHP Genet who does everything she can to make Missy’s wishes come true!!