Season's Greetings

by   |   Thu, Dec 17th, 2015


Some of my friends are fairly relaxed about the holiday season. They tend to keep things low key and prefer to simply enjoy the extra downtime that this time of year provides. I respect this attitude towards the holidays, but this does not represent my Christmas attitude. I am obsessed with Christmas! This is by far my favorite time of year. Even as an adult, I anxiously await Christmas Eve when my family and I open our gifts. I am not afraid to admit that I am the proud owner of several Christmas-themed outfits and accessories. Without shame, I proudly wear my candy cane scarf, socks and matching earrings in tribute to this joyous time of year!

In the spirit of the season, I would like to personally wish you and your family a blessed holiday. I hope that you are able to celebrate this time of year in the manner that you prefer and surround yourself with those you love most. In addition to the presents, food and fellowship, I hope that you are able to take some time to reflect upon this past year and set some objectives for the year to come. I have spent some time doing this myself and I would like to share my reflections with you.

For County Boards, this has been a busy year. County Boards across the state are continuing to adapt to and plan for the state's redesign of the developmental disabilities sector. As you may be aware, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have called for a system redesign. This redesign asks for more opportunities for appropriate community-based employment and life-enrichment activities. These new opportunities are developed using person-centered principles which refers to the development of activities that reflect the talents and aspirations of individuals served. Additionally, this redesign requests a change to one of the traditional functions of County Boards. Specifically, by 2024, County Boards can no longer provide home and community-based supports and continue to receive CMS funding.

This is a big change, but it is essential to remember that County Boards will continue to play an active role. County Boards will continue to provide case management services by our highly-trained Service and Support Administrators, financially support individuals regardless of where they receive services, and partner with provider agencies and the community to ensure that excellent services and supports are available. There are undoubtedly challenges associated with this redesign, but there are also many opportunities. The focus on personalized community-based opportunities is an exciting way forward that will benefit the entire community!

I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this post. Again, I would like to wish you and your family an excellent holiday season and a happy new year!

Merry Christmas!

Kellie

Thu, Dec 17th, 2015