TEMPORARY SERVICE MODIFICATIONS
The Department of Human Services’ Division of Developmental Disabilities (Division) recognizes the unprecedented pressures the COVID-19 pandemic has had on its service system. We are grateful to the individuals we serve, their families and guardians, direct support professionals, community providers, and other stakeholders for their commitment during this difficult time.
The Division has been continually working to communicate information as it becomes available and introduce flexibilities in critical areas, including the hiring of agency staff and self-directed employees, how funding is provided, and the manner in which service monitoring occurs. They also recognize that, to work through this national health crisis, further flexibilities are needed. Areas that are being worked on include additional flexibility around funding, criminal background checks, and provision of Home and Community Based Services in alternate settings. Further flexibilities will be announced once federal approval is received.
While the Division continues to work closely with the federal partners at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), they are taking action now to allow the provision of remote services in certain areas.
Effective immediately, and until further notice by the Division, the following temporary modifications related to remote provision of services will be in place.
These temporary modifications apply to waiver services defined in Section 17 of the Supports Program and Community Care Program policy manuals. All other policy manual service definitions, qualifications, documentation requirements and limitations remain in place.
Suspension of In-Person Service Delivery & Limitation on Service Provision in Alternate Settings
The requirement for in-person service delivery is temporarily suspended for the following services, as outlined below. The requirement for service delivery in a community-based setting outside of an individual’s home is also temporarily suspended for the following services, as applicable:
Behavioral Supports, Natural Supports Training, Career Planning, Cognitive Rehabilitation, Community Based Supports, Community Inclusion Services, Day Habilitation, Goods and Services (Classes), Individual Supports – Hourly, Interpreter Services, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Prevocational Training (Individual and Group), Speech, Language & Hearing Therapy, Support Coordination
,
Supported Employment (Individual), Support Brokerage.
