Dear ISS Stakeholders,

We hope you are adjusting to these difficult times. We wanted to take a few moments to provide some reminders and updates.

There appears to be a lot of scams surfacing at this time. We would like to remind everyone to not give out personal information to anyone over the phone, social media or in person. The type of personal information you should not give out is your social security number, banking information, date of birth and other identifying information.  

Community Habilitation and SEMP face to face services may be provided remotely (via telephone or video technology) by support staff. Support staff can use non- public facing technology in good faith such as Skype, Apple Face Time, Facebook Messenger video chat. Public facing application that are prohibited are Facebook Live and Tik Tok.

If the treatment team (Circles of Support, Broker and Care Manager) determines that the Community Habilitation services are essential and need to be modified to be provided remotely, then here is what we need from the Circle of Support:

Please email your Self-Direction Coordinator (SDC) detailing the need for Com Hab services and SEMP to be delivered remotely.

  • Please ensure you are explaining how the services will be delivered, i.e. phone call, FaceTime, other video conferencing technology etc.

Please note that the Com Hab staff /SEMP staff will need to work on current valued outcomes as identified in the Staff Action Plan (SAP) and listed on the timesheet.

  • If changes are needed to the current SAP, your Broker will need to update as soon as possible to accurately reflect the needs of the participant. Once SAP is completed, then the timesheet can be updated.

In addition, we need the Life Plan to be updated to accurately reflect this new need as well.

  • Due to the urgency of this potential need, waiting on the Life Plan update will not hold up someone starting to use Com Hab/SEMP remotely. However, please note that we do need it as soon as possible.

Non Face to Face services may also be provided and billed for, including staff transportation time. Example: Delivery of groceries or supplies, assistance with running errands or outdoor household chores. If this is the case, in the description column of timesheet, please be as specific as possible as to the type of errand and where a support staff went. 

We want to remind everyone to follow the CDC recommendations to help contain the spread of the virus by staying home if you are sick, wash your hands thoroughly and often during the day, cover your mouth with a tissue or cough and sneeze into your elbow and avoid touching our face if possible.

Please report a participant or staff’s positive COVID-19 diagnosis to health@issny.org so we may provide the necessary follow-up.

Try and stay in contact with your Self –Direction Coordinator and respond to their inquiries so that we many know that you are safe.

Remember all timesheets, reimbursements, invoices including Broker Invoices can be uploaded electronically through the portal. If you do upload them, please do not mail them. If you mail them, we may not be able to process them as quickly.

Thank you and stay safe!

Alan Kulchinsky
Executive Director