DDDS Aims to Expand Opportunities and Access for Individuals with Disabilities to Join the Workforce

DOVER (Oct. 31, 2022) – The Delaware Division of Developmental Disabilities Services (DDDS) announced today efforts to expand services and supports for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to seek and secure employment.

“October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and our division is committed to expanding employment opportunities for the people we serve,” said Marissa Catalon, Director of the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services. “The current workforce environment provides a great opportunity for the people we serve to secure a job where they can use their individual skills, abilities and talents to contribute in a meaningful way to their community.”

Catalon said there are many opportunities for individuals with disabilities to enter the workforce, but they need some help doing so. She said DDDS is committing additional financial resources to support the expansion of these opportunities through a strategy that expands the number of employment specialists available in the state, encourages more provider agencies to engage in supported employment, and pilots a new program designed to train those with disabilities to serve others with IDD.

“We are thrilled to see these investments being made by our colleagues at DDDS,” said Molly Magarik, Cabinet Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS). “These are more than just service enhancements, they are investments in the lives of our friends and neighbors and our communities across the state. And they open the possibility for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to work in their community alongside people with and without disabilities, at competitive wages. This offers a direct pathway to greater autonomy, self-sufficiency and health.”

Catalon said DDDS is committing funds to hire and train 25 new employment specialists. This increased workforce could support up to 400 individuals we serve in their pursuit of community integrated employment.

“The demand for employment services today is much greater than the capacity of our existing provider network,” said Jody Roberts, Director of External Relations and Strategic Partnerships for the division. “The public health emergency and increased workforce competition has impacted the recruitment and retention efforts of our provider network to hire and retain skilled employment specialists. These employment specialists provide crucial supports for people with IDD to obtain, maintain and succeed in these jobs.”

To accelerate the use of these new resources, existing DDDS Home and Community-Based Service providers who are authorized to provide Individual Supported Employment Services may seek approval from DDDS to hire up to two new employment specialists and be reimbursed for wages, trainings and other employment-related expenses for the first six months of the new hire’s employment.

“We know it takes time before these services can become financially sustainable for our providers, and we don’t want that to become a barrier to implementing these new programs,” Catalon said. “That’s why we’re offering to cover the costs of the first six months for these providers to encourage them to take the time needed to make this effort work for everyone involved.”

Finally, the Division will be partnering with RCM Training and Consulting to implement its program, the DSP Academy. The programs trains individuals with disabilities to become DSPs – or Direct Support Professionals – serving those with individuals with IDD.

“The DSP Academy is a truly innovative program,” Roberts said. “It simultaneously works to address the impacts of ongoing workforce shortages in our service system and provides training and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities in Delaware. It’s a model for the communities we hope to create all across Delaware.”

DDDS is one of 10 divisions in the Department of Health and Social Services. It serves more than 5,000 service recipients statewide.

DOVER (Oct. 21, 2022) – The Delaware Division of Developmental Disabilities Services is announcing today that it is mailing letters to service recipients and legal guardians who were impacted by a recent data breach incident and is providing information to the public regarding the incident.

On August 23, 2022, staff within the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services (DDDS) discovered that in the process of creating new user accounts in the division’s client database, DDDS staff inadvertently provided access to individual records of 7074 individuals. As a result of these actions, 159 new users had potential access to service recipients’ personal, identifiable information and protected health information as well as potential access to more detailed information through accessed accounts.

A thorough investigation of the incident was conducted. Using forensic analysis available through the software’s vendor, the division has been able to determine how many users accessed information not intended for their use, and which service recipient records were opened and viewed. While the division has determined that only 12 detailed records were actively accessed, certain personal, identifiable information and protected health information was passively available to any user with the erroneous access level. The software vendor is unable to determine who may have passively viewed this information.

Based on this internal investigation and consultation with the software vendor, the division is taking corrective measures to tighten security and protection of the personal health information of its service recipients. DDDS has:

• Reviewed and reinforced its Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-related policies and procedures.
• Established new guidelines for the creation of user accounts and a tightened approval process for accessing records.
• Worked with its vendor to institute technology checks on providing access.

The division will incorporate lessons from this analysis into the design and implementation of its new client data management system scheduled for transition in 2023.

As required by HIPAA and state law, the Delaware Division of Developmental Disabilities Services has reported this breach to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and to the Delaware Department of Justice.

The Division of Developmental Disabilities Services is also establishing a dedicated call center independently staffed by a contracted company to answer any questions about this incident. Call center representatives have been fully versed on the incident and can answer questions or concerns individuals may have regarding protection of their personal information. Additionally, the division will be offering free access to credit monitoring to all impacted parties for a period of one year.

The call center can be reached at 1-833-875-0644 Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding U.S. holidays.

Information will also be posted on the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services website at: https://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/ and the division’s website: https://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/ddds/.

NEW CASTLE (June 22, 2022) – Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Secretary Molly Magarik today announced five leadership changes for the agency involving the Office of the Secretary and the Division of Public Health.

The changes:

Dava Newnam, who has served as Associate Deputy Cabinet Secretary and Chief Operating Officer for DHSS, has been named Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Special Populations, Strategic Planning and Innovation.

Newnam has served in various roles at DHSS for 27 years. In January 2021, she was named Associate Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer for the department, with responsibility for managing a $3 billion budget and 3,500 employees. During her tenure, she led the consolidation of business operations department-wide under the Office of the Secretary, including procurement, accounts payable, accounts receivable, grants administration and budget development and helped organize DHSS’ first employee Leadership Academy. In her previous role as Director of the Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities, she led more than 700 employees and was responsible for directing the state-run Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill in Smyrna; community-facing units serving about 20,000 vulnerable Delawareans older than 60; and the Adult Protective Services unit, which protects vulnerable adults who are at risk of abuse, neglect or financial exploitation. She will begin her new role July 1.

“Dava Newnam is a strong leader who has a wealth of knowledge about DHSS and the people we serve,” said Secretary Magarik. “As a former Director of both the Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities and our Division of Management Services, I know she understands the evolving needs of Delaware’s seniors and adults with disabilities, and is strategic in prioritizing and maximizing the resources that DHSS receives on both the state and federal levels. Dava also has been working on the frontlines to reduce the staffing shortages that DHSS is facing, especially in health care-related positions.”

Newnam is replacing Sarah Noonan Davis, who has served as Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Special Populations, Strategic Planning and Innovation since February 2021. During her tenure, Noonan Davis focused on special populations, as well as strategic planning and innovative practices that are needed to move the department into the 21st century. She oversaw the Divisions of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities, Substance Abuse and Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities Services, and Visually Impaired, and the Department’s three in-patient facilities, the Stockley Center, the Delaware Psychiatric Center, and the Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill. During her tenure, Noonan Davis’ accomplishments and contributions included overseeing the transition of services from one of the state’s largest providers of substance use disorder (SUD), mental health, and intellectual and developmental disabilities services; spearheading continuous quality improvement initiatives at the Delaware Psychiatric Center and within the Psychiatric Residency program; overseeing the implementation of the Homebound COVID-19 Vaccine program; and aligning initiatives and services across the DHSS divisions through the creation of the internal SUD Workgroup and the Pregnant and Post-partum People with SUD subgroup. Her final day at DHSS will be June 30.

“I am grateful to Sarah Noonan Davis for the energy, compassion and strategic thinking she has brought to her role as Deputy Cabinet Secretary,” Secretary Magarik said. “I know this was a difficult decision for Sarah, and I join other DHSS employees in wishing her the best in her endeavors to come.”

Carla Mitchell-Penny, Human Resources Director for DHSS, has been named Chief of Staff in the Office of the Secretary. She will work in conjunction with executive team members to determine and prioritize departmental strategies and goals, ensure the cohesive movement of departmental objectives toward the mission, and streamline and standardize daily operations in the Secretary’s Office. Mitchell-Penny replaces Michele Stant, who left to become Chief of Financial Management in the Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance. Mitchell-Penny began her new role June 21.

In addition to the Deputy Secretary and Chief of Staff announcement in the Office of the Secretary, Secretary Magarik also announced temporary changes in leadership at the Division of Public Health:

Dr. Rick Hong, who has served in various leadership roles at the Division of Public Health (DPH) during the past 15 years, has been named Acting Director of the Division of Public Health, effective July 1. Dr. Hong will lead the division temporarily during the search to find a replacement for the departing DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. Dr. Rattay is leaving DPH at the end of June after more than 13 years of leading Delaware’s public health team and serving the people of Delaware.

Dr. Hong, who served during much of the COVID-19 pandemic as Medical Director at DPH, is currently serving as Medical Director for the Emergency Medical Services and Preparedness Section at DPH.

“I am grateful to Dr. Hong, who has so much experience with the Division of Public Health programs and especially its COVID-19 response, for assuming this additional role,” Secretary Magarik said. “Having him lead the division until we can find a physician to lead DPH means that all of our programs there, including the COVID response, are in very good hands.”

Jamie Mack, who has served in various positions at DPH during his 18 years with the agency, has been named Acting Deputy Director, effective July 1. After stints in the Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention and Community Environmental Health programs, Mack joined the Director’s Office as the DPH Policy Lead in 2015. He completed his Master’s Degree in Public Administration while working as the Division’s Liaison with the General Assembly, supporting policy efforts across a wide range of public health priorities. Mack returned to his roots in December 2017, taking over as Section Chief of Health Systems Protection and serving as the State Environmental Health Director for Delaware. He lives in Magnolia, with his wife, son and daughter.

Steven Blessing, who has served as Chief of the Emergency Medical Services and Preparedness Branch of DPH for 10 years, has been named Acting Deputy Director in charge of the State Health Operations Center (SHOC), effective July 1. SHOC oversees the COVID-19 response in Delaware and other public health emergencies. Blessing has served in other DPH leadership roles for the past 28 years, including Emergency Medical Services Director, Paramedic Administrator and Executive Assistant to the Director of Public Health. Prior to his work with DPH, he was an investment banker with Dean Witter Reynolds and served eight years as an Officer in the U.S. Army. Blessing earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Delaware and a Master’s Degree from Webster University in Webster Groves, Missouri.

Mack and Blessing are replacing Deputy Director Crystal Webb, who is also leaving DPH at the end of June after 13 years as Deputy Director.

The Department of Health and Social Services, with about 3,500 employees, is responsible for meeting the health and social service needs of Delawareans by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency and protecting vulnerable populations.

DOVER (May 4, 2022) – The Delaware Division of Developmental Disabilities Services (DDDS) announced today that the Columbus Organization will continue to operate as the Division’s Targeted Case Management Provider, providing case management support to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families across the State. Targeted Case Management through the Columbus Organization provides each individual and family with access to a Community Navigator ensuring a person-centered planning approach that supports individuals receiving services to live their best life.

“Our Division’s top priority is to ensure every individual we serve, and their family, can access the services and supports they need to lead the life they want to live,” said Marissa Catalon, Director of the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services. “Columbus’s Community Navigators do just that by connecting individuals to the communities they live in.”

The Columbus Organization works to serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities by making connections to services and supports in the community. Those include access to, for example, supported employment services and day services, behavioral supports, or assistive technologies. They also support families in gaining access to respite services and home or vehicle modifications.

Carlos Hernandez, Senior Vice President with the Columbus Organization, shared his enthusiasm for this opportunity to continue partnering with DDDS. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with DDDS and to making a significant impact on the lives of so many people in Delaware. Beyond the benefits of maintaining continuity of care for these individuals, we also believe that Columbus’ complex care model, state-of-the-art training and analytics tools, and dedicated Quality Assurance team, will contribute greatly to helping individuals achieve their meaningful life-goals while improving health outcomes.”

DDDS began working with the Columbus Organization in July 2017 when the Division first implemented Targeted Case Management Services. Over the past five years, Columbus has maintained an excellent record of Medicaid compliance. The nonprofit’s average compliance scores are consistently in the 90th percentile; this year its Medicaid compliance scores range from 95% to 98%.

The Columbus Organization will continue to provide services primarily to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) living in their own home or in their family home. DDDS has additional case management and resource coordination services for individuals with IDD living in provider-managed residential settings and for those individuals served by the Diamond State Health Plan Plus – a Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) program.

DDDS is one of 11 divisions in the Department of Health and Social Services. It serves more than 5,000 service recipients statewide.

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The Department of Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of life of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.