SMP Sub-Grantee Management

What We Will Cover Today Why Sub-grant? Contracts & Work Plans Communication Reporting Monitoring FAQ’s and Lessons Learned

Why Sub-grant? Statewide coverage Culturally competent outreach provided by known, trusted providers “buy in” from existing service providers –increased knowledge and understanding of program

Illinois SMP Sub-Grantees Area Agencies on Aging Catholic Charities (Cook, Lake County) Senior Services Associates (Kane County) Illinois Network of Centers for Independent Living Coalition of Limited English Speaking Elderly Illinois Attorney General’s Office

Contracts & Work Plans

Clear expectations for sub-grantees Balance of standardization and flexibility –Standardized: workplans, contracts, reporting forms, referral of fraud complaints –Flexible: types of outreach conducted, materials utilized, who conducts outreach (staff/volunteers)

Contracts & Work Plans Senior Service Agencies –Area Agencies on Aging, Catholic Charities, Senior Services Associates –Funding – two components: 1/2 based on population 1/2 based on specific additional work plan activities (recruiting and maintaining volunteers, six fraud presentations/year)

Contracts & Work Plans All Senior Service Agencies: –Acknowledge participation on website, in newsletters –Share Fraud Alerts with network –Share SMP information & materials at community events, presentations on health care topics –Refer fraud inquiries to AgeOptions –Target outreach to at least one specific population –Evaluate and utilize volunteers (no active recruiting)

Contracts & Work Plans Some Senior Service Agencies also: –Provide at least fraud-specific 6 presentations/year –Recruit and maintain at least 2 volunteers to assist with SMP outreach (additional sub-grant funding for these activities)

Contracts & Work Plans - INCIL Illinois Network of Centers for Independent Living (INCIL) –SMP conference calls –Shares Fraud Alert s with network 4 Centers for Independent Living (CIL’s) –Staff trained by AgeOptions –SMP presentations to people with disabilities –$200/presentation

Contracts & Work Plans - CLESE Coalition of Limited English Speaking Elderly (CLESE) Network of 50 ethnic agencies in Chicago and surrounding suburbs Provide SMP presentations and media outreach - 12 different languages –Arabic, Assyrian, Bosnian, Spanish, Polish, Russian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Hindi, Gujarati

Contracts & Work Plans – Illinois Attorney General’s Office Silver Beat Program –Former “Senior Sleuth” program - volunteers –Educate seniors and empower them to share fraud information with others –2-3 hour training Attorney General present at some 6 sessions in FY2010; 244 attendees –Media attention/publicity for SMP

Communication

Each sub-grantee designates 1 SMP “coordinator” –trained by AgeOptions –All communications from AgeOptions sent to coordinator and executive director of partner agency Weekly Fraud Alert s –Current scam information, fraud in the news, other important updates –Sent to SMP partners, LTC Ombudsman, law enforcement, other providers, consumers across state

Communication Quarterly meetings/conference calls for all partners –Fraud-related speaker/presentation –Program updates –New materials –Activity updates from partners –Q&A/feedback from partners

Reporting

Sub-Grantees: Monthly or Quarterly activity reports (paper or electronic) AgeOptions enters and tracks data Simplified reporting forms –SMARTFACTS forms - too confusing, not obtaining full data on 1-on-1 counseling and simple inquiries

Reporting Two forms: –Outreach form Blank line for “topic” reveals more detail about outreach topic(s) –1-on-1 counseling and Simple inquiries - monthly tracking for each topic If volunteer completes activity, coordinator indicates name of volunteer and hours worked on form

Monitoring

AgeOptions: –Tracks partner activities each quarter, as reports are submitted –Contacts partners semi-annually to discuss work plan items not yet completed 6 months + 1 month before end of fiscal year No surprises - partners are aware of what remains to be accomplished, have time to do so Assessed before assigning new contract each year

Monitoring SMARTFACTS –Counties reached –Targeted populations reached Excel Spreadsheet - total activities completed by each partner –Monthly & across fiscal year –Tracking specific work plan items

FAQ’s from Sub-Grantees Reporting forms –AgeOptions created new reporting forms SMP materials - need updated materials, suggestions for materials –All Illinois SMP materials now on website ( Brochures, health care journals, Illinois SMP toolkit, tip sheets, PowerPoint presentations, reporting forms

FAQ’s and Lessons Learned

Lessons Learned - Communication Single point of contact at each agency Streamlines communication, maintains consistency and clarity Frequent monitoring Informed partners - positive relationships Work plan activities accomplished on time Feedback from partners Better response to partners’ needs Creative outreach ideas

Lessons Learned - Monitoring Tracking makes monitoring possible –SMARTFACTS reports - beyond OIG report –Excel spreadsheets Track each partner’s activities separately; specific work plan items Use formulas to sum activities, etc. –Written documentation of communications with partners about specific issues

Thank You! Erin Weir Healthcare Consumer Protection Coordinator AgeOptions (708) , (800) TTY: (708)