Legislative Session Wrap-Up
By Director Barbara PalmerIt was a busy legislative session for the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, and the agency received funding for some very needed issues. However, other important requested funding just didn’t happen this year. We are disappointed that no money was allocated to enroll people off the waiting list or to meet the increasing needs of people already on the waiver as Governor Scott recommended. APD continues to be committed to protecting the health and safety of our customers.
Some of the appropriations highlights include:
- Over $41 million of recurring funds for provider rates, including rates to meet the U.S. Department of Labor minimum wage rule, that had previously been funded with non-recurring funds.
- Maintained funding to provide Enhanced Intensive Behavior (EIB) residential settings to those residents of Carlton Palms who require a higher level of care to transition into the community.
- Over $3.5 million to purchase emergency generators for the Developmental Disability Centers.
- $250,000 to assess and redesign the agency’s transportation business model. A report is due by February 1, 2019.
- $900,000 to continue the Employment Enhancement Program to provide supported employment services to individuals on the waiver waiting list.
- Over $700,000 of additional funding to continue implementation of iConnect. This system will provide APD with a central client database. It will also include electronic visit verification of some waiver services.
- Over $800,000 for Information Technology software to improve the security of client data.
- $208,395 to continue the redesign of the Questionnaire for Situational Information assessment tool.
- $172,500 to increase the personal needs allowance of residents of the Developmental Disability Centers.
Additionally, an important agency bill successfully made it through the legislative process. The Medication Administration (HB 1373/SB 1788) bill won unanimous support in both chambers and has been signed into law by Governor Scott.
This bill accomplishes the following:
- The legislation increased the minimum number of hours (four to six) needed for the training of medication administration and the administration of medication by unlicensed direct care staff for agency clients to incorporate training by simulation for three routes of delivering medications.
- Staff previously trained in a four-hour course will not be required to be retrained with the six-hour course.
- If staff maintain their validations, retraining is not required.
- With this change, it should become easier for direct service providers to receive validation for some routes of medication administration.
- Providers will no longer have to pay for registered nurses to come to their facility to validate Medication Assistance Providers on the following routes: otic (ear), topical (applied to the skin), and transdermal (medicated patch), as these will be done by simulation at the time of the required initial coursework.
- This law requires direct care providers to complete a two-hour annual update course that can be credited to the annual in-service credit that is currently required by rule in medication administration and medication error prevention.
- In addition to registered nurses, the training and determination of competency and initial and annual validations can be conducted by a licensed practical nurse. Physicians may also validate competency to administer medication.
We feel enhanced medication administration training is another way to improve the quality of life for our customers. APD looks forward to working with providers to implement this new training to benefit both our customers and those delivering the care to them.
We look forward to another good year as we work together to make a difference in the lives of the individuals and families we serve.
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