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IRIS: News

Stay up to date with latest news and updates about the IRIS (Include, Respect, I Self-Direct) program.

Join the Wisconsin IDD-MH System Improvement Community of Practice Kickoff Meeting

The Wisconsin Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Mental Health (IDD-MH) System Improvement Report (PDF) came out in June 2024. It gives 37 specific recommendations for improving systems and services for people with IDD-MH needs in Wisconsin. Now, the project steering committee is getting ready to choose which of the 37 recommendations to start working on. They're hosting an online kickoff meeting on Thursday, December 12, and you're invited! Visit the Wisconsin IDD-MH System Improvement webpage for more information and to register for the meeting.

Geographic Service Region reconfiguration

Charge 2 of the 2020-2021 Long-Term Care Advisory Council aims to ensure Wisconsin’s long-term care programs focus on the whole person. That includes a focus on:

  • Access
  • Choice
  • Quality
  • Collaborative relationships
  • Efficiency
  • Cost-effectiveness

As part of this charge, the Council was asked for input on the number of Geographic Service Regions. Read more:

Policy Manual and Work Instructions updates

In 2022, IRIS staff are updating the IRIS Policy Manual and Work Instructions. The goal is to reflect the IRIS 1915(c) waiver that went into effect on January 1, 2021.

New policies and updates will be made to the current manuals. Those changes will be released before this project is finished. They will be shared on the Resources and Reports webpage. You can find them there under the Program Authority and Operations section.

Scorecards

There are IRIS consultant agency and fiscal employer agent scorecards. These tools can be used to help you choose an agency and an agent. In the scorecards, each agency has a star rating. The rating reflects performance on a number of items, including customer satisfaction. You’ll also find more information about the agencies and agents.

You can find the scorecards on the IRIS Participant Information page.

Beware of scam callers

Recently, spam phone calls were made to IRIS participants and their workers. The callers were trying to get personal information. They also demanded the IRIS participant pay money or face being arrested. The callers said they were from the IRIS program, IRIS consultant agencies, or fiscal employer agents. This is a scam.

The IRIS program wants to help you keep your personal information private and secure. We take this very seriously. Your IRIS consultant agency or fiscal employer agent may sometimes call you. However, they will never:

  • Ask you for personal or financial data over the phone.
  • Claim that your information is lost or missing.
  • Threaten you with arrest.

Be careful in calls asking for sensitive personal or financial information. If you get a phone call from someone you do not recognize or if you are not sure if you should provide information to a caller:

  1. Do not give any information to the caller. Hang up.
  2. Write down who the caller was and what the caller wanted. If possible, note the caller’s phone number as well.
  3. Never return a call on the number given to you in the unwanted call. Do not trust the information on your caller ID. Scammers can “spoof” their numbers. They can make it look like they are calling from IRIS or other organizations even when they are not.
  4. As soon as possible, contact your IRIS consultant. Or call the IRIS Call Center at 888-515-4747. Tell them you might have had a scam call.

If you have been scammed or if you think your identity has been stolen, report it. Contact the Federal Trade Commission.

Glossary

 
Last revised December 5, 2024