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Bureau of Developmental Services (BDS) Newsletter - July 2024 |
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Message from the Bureau Chief
Hello,
Welcome to the latest edition of the Bureau of Developmental Services (BDS) newsletter! In this issue, we’re excited to highlight some upcoming engagement opportunities where you can share feedback and ideas with BDS. We are also spotlighting several events happening in our community this summer and fall, informing you of some BDS staffing updates and sharing several valuable resources from our community partners. Additionally, we invite you to show appreciation for direct support professionals (DSP) and home care providers, which will be used to create a collection of gratitude for DSP appreciation week.
I look forward to seeing you at one of our summer engagements or at an upcoming community event!
Jessica Gorton
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July is Disability Pride Month
DHHS supports the inclusion of people with disabilities in meaningful ways to mold strong and diverse communities.
Disability Pride commemorates the month that The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed on July 26, 1990. It is meant to promote inclusivity and for all individuals with disabilities to celebrate as they are. The Disability Pride flag with zigzag colors represents the different disabilities, and how disabled people move around barriers in creative ways. To learn more and ways to support Disability Pride, visit ADA Anniversary Tool Kit.
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BDS Personnel Announcements
We are pleased to announce that Melissa Occhipinti has accepted the position of Administrator II. Melissa Joined BDS in July, 2021 as the Regional Liaison to Regions 3 and 7. Prior to BDS, Melissa held multiple positions within the Bureau of Family Assistance (BFA) here at DHHS. Prior to her 8 years in Long Term Care, Melissa was a Family Services Specialist. Melissa’s years of experience working within BDS and BFA have provided her with the opportunity to cultivate excellent communication skills, problem solving strategies, breadth of knowledge relative to Medicaid Eligibility and Long-Term Care Services, and a positive approach to daily challenges. Melissa will supervise the regional liaison team, and daily operations in collaboration with the Operations and Utilization Manager. Melissa stepped into her new role on July 12, 2024.
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We are pleased to announce Samantha Bean has accepted the position of Administrator I. Sam has been in the human services field for over 10 years. She began her career in direct support with children with emotional and neurological disorders in both a residential and school setting at Spaulding Youth Center. She then moved into a service coordinator role serving adults with developmental disabilities and acquired brain disorders at Lakes Region Community Services. In 2023 Sam joined the Bureau of Developmental Services as a program specialist in the Prior Authorization Unit. Sam has been a valuable member of the BDS team, and we are excited for the knowledge and experience that she will bring into this role. Sam will supervise the program specialist team, as well as Level of Care/Waiver eligibility in collaboration with the Operations and Utilization Manager. Sam started her new role on July 12, 2024.
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We are pleased to welcome Ashley Palma as the BDS Waiver Specialist. Ashley has been in the human services field for over 10 years. She began her career in direct support with children with Autism and other developmental disabilities in the Concord School District. She then began working with Granite State Independent Living where she worked in the Community Work and Benefits departments, before becoming the Director of Community Service. In 2023 Ashley became the Program Director at NeuroRestorative NH, where she oversaw the day-to-day functions of residential homes for adults under the DD and ABD waivers. Ashley’s duties will be focused on federal compliance and policy, rule revisions and approvals, waiver development, amendments, ongoing reporting, and training initiatives. Ashley will report to Lindsey Magee, Waiver Administrator.
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We are pleased to welcome Ashley Wilson to the BDS team as a Regional Liaison. Ashley has been in the developmental services field for over 12 years and comes with a wide-ranging perspective of the service system, starting as a direct support professional and then as a service coordinator within the area agency system to further advocate with individuals and their teams for person-centered outcomes. She then moved into the Assistant CM Supervisor, subsequently transitioning into Case Management Supervisor. Ashley left the AA system to further expand her career in human services to become the Director of Brain Injury Services at BIANH, where she oversaw the independent service coordinators and Neuro-Resource Facilitators and acted as a liaison to the 10 area agencies in NH. After a brief hiatus outside of the human services field, Ashley returned to the AA system as the Intensive Services Manager where she provided supervision and guidance regarding individuals with dual diagnosis, complex needs, and intensive treatment services. Ashley joined BDS on April 19, 2024.
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BDS Engagement Opportunities
Service Options in the Developmental Disabilities (DD) Waiver
The Bureau of Developmental Services is pleased to announce a series of presentations on the current services available on the Developmental Disabilities waiver. Join us Wednesday evenings from 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm to review the services in more detail. There will be four sessions with four services reviewed at each session.
Click on the announcement below for the links to register for each event. You will receive a link to the Microsoft Teams event upon registration.
Summer 2024 Focus Groups
The Bureau of Developmental Services is kicking off a series of focus groups to hear additional feedback, experiences, and thoughts from stakeholders on specific topics. These sessions reflect priorities shared from our stakeholders during our winter/spring engagement opportunities.
Click on the announcement below for the links to register for each event. You will receive a link to the Microsoft Teams event upon registration.
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Summer/Fall Event Highlights
New Hampshire Family Support Conference
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Conference Background: The NH Family Support Conference is a state-wide conference organized by volunteers benefiting families and caregivers who have a family member with a developmental disability, acquired brain disorder or special medical needs.
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Conference Date: August 3, 2024
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Conference Location: 700 Elm St, Manchester, NH 03101
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Website Link: https://familysupportconference.com/
Advocate New Hampshire Conference
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Conference Background: ABLE NH, in partnership with the UNH Institute on Disability, will be bringing back the Advocate NH Conference this year. If you are a self-advocate interested in the planning of the conference, please reach out to Leah at leah@ablenh.org.
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Conference Date: October 4, 2024
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Conference Location: Concord Holiday Inn, 172 N Main St, Concord, NH 03301
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Website Link: https://ablenh.org/event-info/advocate-nh-conference/
3rd Annual Disability Justice Parade
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Background: ABLE NH, our state’s only disability justice organization, is hosting this event to celebrate the power of inclusion.
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Event Date: October 5, 2024
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Location: Manchester, NH
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Website Link: https://ablenh.org/events/
18th Annual New Hampshire Caregiver’s Conference
Celebrating NH's Direct Service Professionals!
Direct Support Professional and Home Provider Awards
The Direct Support Professional and Home Provider of the Year awards will be presented at a ceremony on Friday, September 13th at 10:00 am on the State House lawn in Concord, NH.
There will be a few presentations as well as a Gubernatorial citation read to commemorate Direct Support Professional appreciation week, which is from September 8th through the 14th.
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Direct Support Professional (DSP) Recognition Week
Direct Support Professional (DSP) Recognition Week (September 8-14, 2024) provides us with an opportunity to pause, acknowledge, and highlight the dedicated direct support workforce that is the heart and soul of supports for people with disabilities.
The Bureau of Developmental Services, in collaboration with the BDS Communications Committee, invites you to share your heartfelt quotes, stories, and photos celebrating DSPs. BDS will include submissions in website and social media posts celebrating DSP Recognition Week. Your submissions help to highlight the incredible work and dedication of these professionals. To share your appreciation, please email BDS at bds@dhhs.nh.gov or scan the QR code provided.
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New Hampshire Alliance for Healthy Aging (NHAHA) Advocacy Resources and Upcoming Listening Session
Improve your advocacy skills. The updated NHAHA Advocacy web page highlights past legislative successes and other links for advocates. Visit Civic Empowerment or Ways to Advocate to investigate the opportunities to hone your advocacy skills or share your advocacy story. NHAHA Advocacy partners with New Futures to advance healthy aging policy in New Hampshire. Building on past successes, the advocacy priorities for 2024-2029 will continue to strengthen and enhance our advocacy infrastructure and promote policies that improve the health and well-being of all of us as we age in New Hampshire.
Express your ideas for the upcoming legislative session. The success of AHA Advocacy depends on the collective voice of our members. We rely on hearing from you to inform and target our advocacy. Do you have policy ideas that would advance healthy aging in New Hampshire? Do you have concerns about specific areas such as caregiving, long term supports and services, or the workforce? Have you experienced problems accessing housing, transportation, food, medical or home care services? We are listening.
Sign up for a Virtual Listening Session!
Can’t make a listening session? If you can’t make a listening session feel free to contact Martha McLeod or Judith Jones at mmcleod@new-futures.org or jjones@new-futures.org.
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Partner Resource Corner
This month, we are excited to spotlight valuable resources from our Area Agency partner, Gateways Community Services.
- Gateways Community Services developed a High School Transition Services resource webpage. This page is filled with valuable information and resources specifically designed for school-aged youth, young adults, and their families.
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Introducing New BDS Webpage - Individual and Family Information and Resources
We are excited to announce the launch of the Bureau of Developmental Services (BDS) new webpage, dedicated to providing valuable information and resources for individuals and families. This new webpage is part of our commitment to enhancing communication and accessibility to information and resources, as highlighted during our recent stakeholder engagement sessions. You can find the BDS Stakeholder Engagement Feedback Summaries on the BDS website.
The new webpage offers a collection of resources, updates, and information tailored to meet the needs of our community. We believe this will serve as another important tool for staying informed and connected with BDS. The BDS Regional Liaison contact list is a resource that can be found on the page as well.
We value your input and encourage you to share your feedback on the webpage through "Your Voice Matters".
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Policy Spotlight
House Bill SB409 Update
While House Bill 1593 did not pass, the information related to recreational funding was successfully included in Senate Bill 409. This bill has passed both the House and Senate and is now awaiting the Governor’s signature. BDS continues to monitor and will begin developing guidance on the recreation funding process upon passage of the legislation.
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DHHS Roadmap
Over the next fiscal year, the DHHS Roadmap 2024-2025 will focus on three major commitments: Invest in People and Culture, Promote Thriving Communities, and Improve Customer Service. The Department will fulfill these commitments through 15 initiatives and 43 goals designed to benefit all New Hampshire communities.
Building on the success of the DHHS Roadmap 2023, the updated Roadmap is the result of extensive input from community partners and DHHS program areas. The Department looks forward to working with all of our partners to make the DHHS Roadmap 2024-2025 a reality.
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Ways to Get Involved
BDS encourages individuals and families to get involved in their community stakeholder groups.
Quality Council - The Developmental Services Quality Council was established to provide leadership for consistent, systemic review and improvement of the quality of the developmental disability and acquired brain disorder services provided within New Hampshire's developmental services system. To stay up to date on the Quality Council meetings, please visit their website.
Family Support Council - Each local Area Agency has established a Regional Family Support Council consisting of members who are or who have a family member receiving services. The Family Support Council provides advice and oversight to the area agency in the development of family support plans. Each Area Agency also has a family support coordinator to assist families to acquire supports and services. To stay up to date on Family Support meetings and events in your region, please contact your local Area Agency.
New Hampshire Council on Developmental Disabilities - The New Hampshire Council on Developmental Disabilities is a federally funded agency that supports public policies and initiatives that remove barriers and promote opportunities in all areas of life for people with disabilities. The Council carries out its mission through education, advocacy and the funding of innovative projects that make a difference in people's lives. To stay up to date with the DD Council’s meetings and events please visit their website.
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Stay Connected!
BDS remains committed to strong connections with individuals and families. To enhance our communication, BDS is implementing GovDelivery, a tool designed to streamline and strengthen communication between state governments and their local communities.
To get connected with the latest updates, please follow these simple steps to subscribe:
- Click Subscribe below or visit https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/NHDHHS/subscriber/new
- Enter your email address.
- Handpick the Subscription Topics that interest you and align with your needs.
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