Dear CLM Members,
Thank you to all our members that were able to join us for this month's Member Meeting. For those who were unable to join (or just need a refresher!) this bulletin contains an overview of what we covered and useful links.
A recording of the meeting is available for CLM members: access recording.
Meeting Recap
We had a comprehensive presentation from the Office of the Child Advocate, with Maria Mossaides and Melissa Threadgill sharing updates on the Juvenile Diversion Program, recent child welfare focus groups held by OCA, the Center on Child Wellbeing and Trauma, and implementation of recommendations from the David Almond and Harmony Montgomery reports.
Resources from the speakers:
- Read more about the Juvenile Diversion initiative here.
- Read the OCA Family Support and Stabilization focus groups Report.
- OCA's Presentation.
State Agency Updates
EOHHS Updates
Rates
- EOHHS will extend the 10% rate enhancement only for rates that were not reset from January 1 - July 1, 2022. To view the list of which rates are affected, click here.
- This additional 10% will continue to be provided until each rate is reset at its next scheduled time.
- The amount of the 10% will be calculated from the average of your FY2022 monthly spend for that service.
- The attestation process will be the same as the prior funds.
- The allowable uses will be the same as the current 10%.
- The Administration is working with the Legislature to decide when and how this funding will be appropriated.
- The deadline to spend these funds is not yet determined but is likely to be the end of FY2023.
Additional Updates
- Congregate care organizations that are enrolled in the Color lab-based PCR or BinaxNOW point-of-care programs should have received a survey regarding their surveillance testing plans moving forward after the new guidance changes go into effect on July 1st. The survey should be completed by June 29th. If you have any questions, please reach out to Sreya Sudireddy at sreya.r.sudireddy@mas.gov or Asya Rozental at asya.rozental2@mass.gov.
- If you are a congregate care program or have foster families with young children who need to be vaccinated, EOHHS can send their mobile vax unit to your site. Contact Asya Rozental to make those arrangements.
- A new Pediatric Behavioral Health Urgent Care Grant Solicitation was posted on CommBuys last week and it closes on July 15. Click here to see the solicitation.
CLM Updates
Legislative Updates
The formal session is coming to an end on July 31st. We have had some accomplishments thus far, such as the expanding access to adoption bill which was signed into law, but now is the time for the last push for our bills to get completed this session. Below are some of our high priority bills that we are focused on getting over the finish line:
- Birth Certificate Access - passed the House
- Positive Transition Plans for TAY - in Ways & Means
- Foster Parent Bill of Rights - is on the Senate calendar for Thursday 6/30 - see below
The Child Welfare Omnibus Bill introduced by Chair Finn includes some CLM priorities, including expanding focus on disproportionality and intersectionality in our data, and the Foster Parent Bill of Rights language. To read more about this bill and CLM's testimony, click here.
Foster Parent Bill of Rights
Members Take Action!
Senator Jo Comerford's office is looking for specific examples of when this bill would have helped foster parents, had it been in place. She would like to use these in her remarks from the floor.
Please email Rachel at rachel@childresnleague.org by COB Tuesday so she can accumulate those examples and send to their office.
CLM in Action!
CLM will also be submitting to Senator Comerford's office a list of talking points to bring to Thursday's consideration of this bill.
State Budget Update
The state budget is currently with the Conference Committee and should be completed in early July (slightly later than the June 30 deadline). To see our table breaking down the differing numbers between the Governor’s proposal, the House, and the Senate for CLM prioritiy line items, visit our website.
Chapter 257 was funded at $230M, which represents 50% of the BLS benchmark for setting rates. Our advocacy with the Collaborative is continuing–the 10% rate extension was part of that, and we are continuing to discuss with the Administration and with the Legislature the need for both short-term relief and long-term solutions to the workforce crisis.
Gubernatorial Outreach
CLM has sent a memo to all of the active campaigns with our priorities for the next Administration to support children, families, and providers. Feel free to use our memo in your own outreach to the campaigns. We hope to have roundtable discussions with the candidates for our members over the summer. Click here to see our memo.
Announcing Our New Website
For the past months, we have been working on updating and revamping CLM's website with our vendor, BocoHost. The new website featuring a brand new design, member portal, resources, and more is now live. Click HERE to check it out!
CLM Members can access the Member Portal on the new CLM website using the temporary password: password1.
Let us know what you think of the redesign, and what additional resources you would like to see on the website!