Dear Friends and Colleagues,

In November 2022, OPWDD contracted with Guidehouse, Inc. to independently assess New York's current developmental disabilities service delivery system.  The assessment evaluated whether utilizing managed care to pay for OPWDD services could benefit the system and improve outcomes for people.  This examination of managed care was based on OPWDD’s Strategic Plan objective to explore ways to provide equitable access to high quality, person-centered, needs-based services.  In conducting their examination of managed care, Guidehouse engaged extensively with stakeholders – both within New York and beyond – to understand current supports for people with developmental disabilities, their concerns, and what they, their family members, and service providers think about moving to a managed care payment model for services.  This included:

• Participating in eight town hall and focus group sessions, including six with people with developmental disabilities, families and natural supports, and two with providers and Care Coordination Organizations;
• Issuing two separate surveys to broaden Guidehouse’s feedback from people and their loved ones, as well as the provider community;
• Presenting at six stakeholder and advisory board meetings to share and receive information;
• Closely communicating with leadership within OPWDD and other NYS agencies to gain understanding and perspective of expertise; and
• Conducting a robust literature scan, and national review of services and supports; and
• Interviewing other states with managed care systems and national managed care experts.

Today, with the work of Guidehouse complete, OPWDD is pleased to release the Final Report and Recommendations that resulted from this extensive assessment process.  No decision on the managed care recommendations of Guidehouse will be made today.  I encourage you to read the full Guidehouse Final report, along with the plain language report summary now contained on our managed care webpage.  Any additional thoughts or feedback on the Report can be submitted to ARPA.Inquiry@opwdd.ny.gov.  I thank everyone who contributed to this important milestone in the development and advancement of the service system that is so important to all of us.  Your contributions to this conversation were essential and appreciated.

Sincerely,

Willow Baer
Acting Commissioner

https://opwdd.ny.gov/news/opwdd-issues-final-report-managed-care-assessment