DADS Provider News, Alerts & Bulletins —
Consumer Managed Personal Attendant Services (CMPAS)

This art and writing workshop brings caregivers and care recipients together for six weeks in April and May.  Caregivers, with the help of writing experts of Badgerdog, will explore family memories and the experience of caregiving through a variety of writing styles. At the same time, care-recipients will create visual artwork—including sculpture, painting, and drawing—with assistance from Mobile Art program volunteers.

These workshops are offered by Badgerdog and Mobile Art and funded by St. David's Foundation Health's Angels. The work created during the workshops, both written and visual, will be published and displayed at a celebratory party. The workshops occur on Sundays, 1:00-2:30 p.m., from April 21 to May 26 at the Town Lake YMCA, 100 W. Cesar Chavez, Austin TX.  Admission is  Free! Contact Cecily Sailer at the Austin Public Library Friends Foundation to register: 512-542-0076 or csailer@austinlibrary.org.

The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) and the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) have signed a new Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), effective October 2012. The updated MOA outlines coordination policies and practices, service definitions, and a data sharing agreement between the two agencies. In addition to the policy and practice changes and clarifications, the MOA includes a greater level of detail than the previous MOA; this is intended to provide more helpful guidance to staff, providers, case managers/service coordinators, individuals receiving DADS services, and other stakeholders involved in assisting an individual receiving DADS services to gain and maintain competitive, integrated employment.

Please take a moment to review the MOA, and become familiar with its provisions.

DADS continues to receive extensive stakeholder concern regarding the proposed rules to allow services to be provided by a licensed home and community support services agency (or HCSSA) outside of its licensed service area. Given the complexity of the issue and ongoing concerns with the current draft, DADS will not request approval to publish the proposed rules for public comment in the Texas Register at this time, pending further stakeholder discussion and possible revision. Please stay tuned for notice of future meetings on this topic and thank you for your interest in DADS services.

The Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) is issuing this alert to provide information to DADS providers concerning West Nile virus.

The Texas Department of State Health Services has documented a higher than usual number of human West Nile cases in Texas this year due to the warm winter and recent rains, particularly in the North Texas region.

Humans can contract the virus from the bite of a mosquito that is carrying the virus. West Nile virus can cause serious illness or death. West Nile neuroinvasive disease symptoms include stiff neck, visual problems, body tremors, mental confusion, memory loss and seizures. The milder form of the illness is West Nile fever. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and bone aches, nausea and drowsiness.

People with the milder form of illness typically recover on their own, although symptoms may last for several weeks. Up to 80 percent of people infected with West Nile virus will have no symptoms and will recover on their own.

There are no medications to treat or vaccines to prevent West Nile virus infection. People over 50 years old and those with compromised immune systems are at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill when they become infected with the virus. If people have symptoms that cause them concern, they should contact their healthcare provider.

Reduce exposure to West Nile virus:

To help reduce exposure to West Nile virus, individuals should use an approved insect repellent, according to the label instructions, every time they go outside. Approved repellents are those that contain DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Wear long sleeves and pants at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.

Environmental control activities include eliminating standing water, including water collected in empty cans, tires, buckets, clogged rain gutters and saucers under potted plants. Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water.

Remember the "Four D's" to defend against West Nile virus:

• DUSK and DAWN are the times of day to limit outdoor activities. This is when infected mosquitoes are most active.
• DRESS in long sleeves and pants when outside. For extra protection, thin clothing can be sprayed with repellent.
• DEET is an ingredient to look for in an insect repellent. Follow label instructions and always wear repellent when outdoors.
• DRAIN standing water in old tires, flowerpots, and clogged rain gutters. These are mosquito-breeding sites.

For more information on West Nile, visit: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/

The Department of Aging and Disability Services Consumer Rights and Services section implemented a pilot project on January 2, 2012 to evaluate the receipt and processing of full service delivery during expanded Call Center hours. The pilot concluded on June 30, 2012. While the analysis and evaluation is underway, expanded hours will continue to operate Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m.- 7:00 p.m. until further notice.