Todd Rokita Warns Hoosiers Of Utility Scams

On a monthly basis, many Hoosiers worry about the costs of paying utility bills. Their concerns intensify when the arrival of cold, wintry weather forces them to crank up their furnaces to heat their homes.

Attorney General Todd Rokita is warning Hoosiers to stay alert for scammers who try to take advantage of their fears.

He advises watching out for certain telltale tactics. Often, Attorney General Rokita said, scammers will:

• Call to tell you that you have utility payments overdue and that you must pay right away — often through unorthodox methods such as wiring money or using gift cards.
• Call “as a courtesy” to let you know you overpaid your utility bill — and asking for personal information they supposedly need to refund your money.
• Send you an email or text with a link indicating that you have an overdue bill or invoice.
• Show up at your house unexpectedly to supposedly make needed repairs to equipment such as gas meters — and say you must pay on the spot to keep the heat on.

Don’t fall for such schemes.

Over the past year, the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration has worked with providers and stakeholders on the best ways to maximize one-time enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage funds from the American Rescue Plan to improve home- and community-based services for Medicaid beneficiaries. Building on feedback from more than 660 stakeholders, FSSA’s Home-and Community-Based Service Spend Plan outlines how FSSA is investing an estimated $817 million into the HCBS landscape through March 2025.

Following an initial round of HCBS stabilization grants, FSSA is focused on targeted investments that support building provider capacity, enhancing HCBS and caregiver support. Recent examples of these investments include the DDRS’ Innovation Pilot Grant, HCBS Provider Readiness grants and 988/crisis response system development.

A key and critical focus of FSSA’s Spend Plan is on developing our direct service workforce. To that end, we are putting the final touches on a Direct Service Workforce State Plan that will include short-, mid-, and long-term strategies around wages and benefits; training and pathways; and promotion and planning. The plan was built in partnership with the Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy at Indiana University and informed by individuals with lived experience, direct service workers, providers, and others, and we anticipate releasing it next week.

In advance of the DSW State Plan release, FSSA is excited to launch a critical short-term wages and benefits strategy in the form of a Direct Service Workforce Investment grant opportunity. Direct service workers are essential in providing the day-to-day, in-person HCBS supports necessary for people to live, work, and participate in their communities. To recognize the value they bring to HCBS, FSSA is currently engaged in reviewing HCBS waiver rates in partnership with our provider networks. While that important work moves forward, the Direct Service Workforce Investment grants are intended to provide immediate support and offer resources to help retain and maintain a quality direct service workforce.

FSSA is dedicating $130 million to this opportunity with a requirement that 95% of funding awarded flow through to direct service workers. To be eligible for this funding, providers must comply with the following:

1. Active during State Fiscal Year 2022: Defined as having submitted claims for qualifying paid expenditures during State Fiscal Year 2022 (July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022)
2. Currently active: Defined as currently providing services to Medicaid beneficiaries
3. Medicaid provider that provides services to individuals in the home and community: As of the date of attestation, providers must be an actively enrolled IHCP provider and delivering the following types of services:
   • Adult Day Services
   • Adult Foster Care
   • Assisted Living
   • Attendant Care (including Self-Directed Attendant Care)
   • Community/Day Habilitation
   • Extended Services
   • Facility Based Supports
   • Facility Habilitation
   • Home Health Services
   • Homemaker
   • Participant Assistance and Care
   • Pre Vocational
   • Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)
   • Residential Habilitation and Support (Hourly & Daily)
   • Respite Care
   • Structured Family Caregiving
   • Waiver Transportation
   • Workplace Assistance

To receive funding, eligible providers should submit the attestation form at this link by Dec. 22, 2022. The form requires providers to attest that they will:

• Direct 95% of the grant funding to direct service workers
• Develop a plan for how they will direct grant resources to direct service workers. Completed plans must be posted to the provider’s public-facing website and submitted in the attestation no later than Dec. 22, 2022. Respond to a final grant impact survey that captures how the dollars were spent
• Obligate money from each round prior to receiving the next round of funding
• Comply fully with the HCBS Settings Rule: After the March 17, 2023 deadline, providers must be compliant in order to receive further rounds of funding.

FSSA is planning to host a webinar on Dec. 1, 2022, at 1 p.m. ET to provide an overview of the grant. For more information on the grant or the webinar, please see the full announcement and FAQ posted on the FSSA HCBS webpage and look out for further communication from FSSA.

EVANSVILLE, IN – Ivy Tech Evansville Foundation’s Women in Philanthropy Circle of Ivy has awarded $20,000 that was donated by its members in the Evansville region, for four projects benefiting current or potential students at Ivy Tech. Statewide the Circle of Ivy provided a total of $263,649 to 84 projects.

The initiative raises funds to diminish barriers to higher education for Ivy Tech Community College students.

Evansville’s funds were provided for the following projects which were voted on by the members of the Evansville region Circle of Ivy:

Amount Funded: $2,355

Stamp Your Passport: Global Learning is for Everyone (Study Abroad)

This funding provides scholarships for students to study abroad in Budapest and Prague during 2023, as well as for international educational opportunities and events on the campus. A partnership between Student Life, Wellness and Fitness, and Study Abroad has been formed. Students will have a variety of opportunities to learn about their world on and off campus. Many of the campus events help to strengthen the tie between academics, and other areas of the institution, providing students with a comprehensive, and holistic learning experience.

Amount Funded: $4,600

Advising Technology Upgrade

To aid in serving students better, safely, and more efficiently, this funding will provide one-on-one devices for students and advisors to use in a new style of advising and enrolling students and meet federal regulations for privacy of information. Students will be able to sign in securely using these mobile devices to register and access their student information. The devices will reduce paperwork and student traffic to the different offices on campus, making Advising the place where students go to get enrolled. And, this also allows advisors the ability to be flexible about where they meet with students – even right outside classrooms or in the Commons.

It will also allow advisors to participate in registration fairs, and also help student apply for loaner laptops and emergency services, as well as on location at local high schools.

Amount Funded: $10,000

Community Engagement: Adult Education and Literacy Programs

Circle of Ivy will provide the finances necessary to serve students and the community in the Adult Basic Education, English as a Second Language, and Literacy Programs offered at Ivy Tech. Additional funds will be allocated to pay for exams and bus passes, establish new program locations, and purchase digital textbooks for distance learning. Due to the community need for adult education and literacy programs, our campuses’ accelerated growth has exceeded the allotted grant funding in only the first half of the year. These programs are offered to the community as free open entry/ open exit programs designed to assess and academically challenge adult students who would like to learn English as a second language or acquire the core skills needed to earn a High School Equivalency diploma. Instructors provide 45 hours of Adult Education and English Literacy programming each week in Princeton, Rockport, and at three Evansville locations.

Amount Funded: $3,044.96

Ivy Success: Look GOOD! Feel GOOD! Do GOOD!

Ivy+ Career Link will provide motivated Ivy Tech students in their final two semesters of classes with the opportunity to access resources that will allow them to look good, feel confident, and be successful in their job search. Resources include an Ivy Success Package of a professional grade pen and padfolio for the completing participants, along with the chance to be awarded an Ivy Success Platinum Package of a $25 gas card to assist with transportation to & from interviews and a $100 gift card to assist with purchasing interview attire. To be awarded the Ivy Success Package and qualify to possibly be awarded the Ivy Success Platinum Package, students will complete three critical tasks related to job search success: 1) draft a resume and have it reviewed by a Career Coach, 2) upload resume to HireIvy and get it approved for use on the site, and 3) complete a mock interview either in person or online via interviewing.com, including feedback from a Career Coach and the review of information addressing appropriate interview attire.

“This organization has done so much over the years and continues to provide transformative experiences for Ivy Tech students. When women join together, we are a force for good. We are so proud of all the projects that have been funded by the Circle of Ivy,” said Courtney Roberts, President of the Ivy Tech Foundation.

“We are so excited to see all of the great things that our local Circle of Ivy members have been able to do for our students, said Celia Shoulders, executive director for resource development, for the Ivy Tech Foundation in Evansville. “Not only does our organization come together for fun events and to learn more about the college, but members also care deeply and give to help our students. We hope even more women will want to join our Circle of Ivy.”

Since its inception in 2015, Circle of Ivy has grown to more than 1,000 members. In seven years, the members have raised more than $1 million to assist with 384 projects.