• Identification of emerging issues and trends and the development of strategic policy proposals to address such issues;
• Development of implementation plans in support of the Governor's policy initiatives;
• Providing inter-agency coordination and facilitating the collaboration between the executive, legislative and judicial branches of state government;
• Providing inter-agency coordination and facilitating the collaboration between the State of Connecticut, the Federal government and local municipalities; and
• Responding to federal legislation, regulation and policy initiatives and implementation of federal programs and mandates.

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

RFI # 2022_0204_OPM_HHS

Health Disparities & Prevention Insights

Release Date: 02/04/2022

Responses Due:  03/14/2022, 5:00 PM eastern time

Summary:  The Office of Policy and Management (OPM) is interested in learning about potential uses of capital investment to address public health disparities and has issued this RFI to gather knowledge, ideas or best practices in the community health and behavioral health industry to strengthen the operations, effectiveness, and accessibility of community health centers and mental health and substance use treatment providers to address disparities in public health and accelerate the post-COVID-19 pandemic recovery. 

To view the complete RFI and related information please click THIS LINK, or paste the following into your browser:

https://webprocure.perfect.com/wp-web-public/#/bidboard/bid/97423?customerid=51

Long-Term Services and Supports 

• Public Policy Development - HHS identifies and analyzes emerging long-term services and supports issues in the areas of financing, service delivery, and types of care.  The Division emphasizes the importance of shifting the balance between public and private resources and institutional and community-based care. 

• Partnership for Long-Term Care – HHS administers Connecticut's Partnership for Long-Term Care, the State's partnership with the insurance industry that educates Connecticut's residents about the importance of planning ahead for future long-term services and supports needs and provides high-quality private long-term care insurance to help with those planning efforts. 

• Long-Term Care Planning Committee – HHS staff Chair and provide staff support for the Planning Committee, which is responsible for issuing a State long-term services and supports plan every three years.

• Assisted Living Projects - HHS also coordinates several assisted living projects involving various State agencies.

• Long-Term Services and Supports Website – HHS staff helped develop the state's first long-term services and supports website.  This website has now been replaced by the My Place CT website.

• Annual Nursing Home Census – HHS staff surveys Connecticut nursing facilities annually on September 30th of each year and provides aggregate information on the status of nursing facilities and their residents.

  Health and Human Services

• Block Grants – HHS coordinates the development and legislative submission of eight allocation plans for over $165 million in federal block grants pursuant to C.G.S. Section 4-28b. This involves initiating the formal planning process, providing technical assistance to state agencies, coordinating the review and analysis of plans, coordinating submission to the legislature, facilitating legislative approval of the plans, and following up on outstanding issues raised at the public hearing.

•  Licensure and Certification Workgroup - formed pursuant to Special Act 17-21.  The Act requires OPM to convene a workgroup to conduct a review of the certification and licensure processes of certain nonprofit community providers, and study potential efficiencies.

• Tobacco and Health Trust Fund – HHS Chairs and provides staff support to the Tobacco and Health Trust Fund, including disbursement of up to $6 million annually in accordance with C.G.S. Section 4-28f.

• Evaluation of Employment Assistance Programs for Individuals with Disabilities in Connecticut  Public Act 23-137 § 2 required OPM to (1) identify and analyze existing employment assistance programs for persons with disabilities, including, but not limited to, persons with an intellectual disability or other developmental disabilities, and the capacity of and demand for such programs, (2) recommend financial incentives for businesses to employ a greater number of such persons, (3) create a workforce plan that incentivizes businesses to provide training programs, offer modified interviews to accommodate the needs of such persons and reserve market-rate, full-time jobs and (4) submit findings and recommendations to the legislature by January 1, 2025. The final report submitted on December 30, 2024 can be viewed here.

• Evaluation of Statutory Definitions and Regulations: Intellectual Disability and Related Programs Public Act 23-137 § 4 tasked OPM to (1) develop and recommend new state statutory definitions for intellectual disability and developmental disabilities and identify related programs for persons with such disabilities that may need to be changed or redesignated in accordance with any new statutory definitions,  (2) evaluate whether an Intelligence Quotient should be a factor in such definitions, (3) evaluate the level-of-need assessment tool used by state agencies that serve persons with an intellectual disability or other developmental disabilities, and (4) submit a final report to the legislature by no later than January 1, 2025.  The final report submitted on December 30, 2024 can be viewed here.

• Plan and Timeline for The Transition of Oversight from The Department of Consumer Protection to The Department of Public Health Public Act 23-48, Section 11 required OPM to develop a plan to transfer the responsibility for registration and oversight of homemaker-companion agencies, as defined in section 20-670 of the general statutes from the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) to the Department of Public Health (DPH). Such plan shall (1) provide a timeline for the proposed transition, and (2) include recommendations on appropriate training standards that (A) exemplify best practices for providing homemaker and companion services, as defined in section 20-670 of the general statutes, (B) provide instruction and specialized training benchmarks for the care of clients with Alzheimer's disease, dementia and other related conditions, and (C) ensure a high quality of care for homemaker-companion agency clients and may evaluate and make recommendations on the appropriate use of the term "care" in describing the services provided by homemaker-companion agencies and any limitations on the use of such term to ensure consumer clarity and submit a final Plan to the legislature December 2024. The final report submitted on December 30, 2024 can be viewed here.

   

• Child Poverty and Prevention Council- In June 2015 the State's Child Poverty and Prevention Council statutorily sunsetted.  HHS had Chaired and provided staff support to the Council, assisting in the development of various reports.

• Prevention Services Funding - Through the biennium budget that ended June 30, 2011, OPM developed a Prevention Services Budget every two years in conjunction with the Governor's Biennial Budget.  In 2014, Connecticut's General Assembly removed from the statutes the requirement that OPM produce a Prevention Service Budget.

• Interagency Council on Affordable Housing -Authorized by Section 8-37nnn of the Connecticut General Statutes to advise and assist the Commissioner of the Department of Housing in the planning and implementation of the department.  HHS had Chaired and provided staff support to the Council.

•  Certificate of Need Task Force - Per Governor Malloy's Executive Order 51A, the Certificate of Need (CON) Task Force was established to undertake a review and analysis of the state's CON process and programs and determine if changes are necessary to ensure quality of care and access for all state residents and the preservation of an open and competitive health care market.  The Task Force convened from April 12, 2016 - January 9, 2017 and submitted a final report of recommendations to Governor Malloy on January 15, 2017.  Click here to access the CON Task Force final report.

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