INDIANA PASRR PROGRAM REMINDER:
LEVEL II - MI ASSESSMENTS TRANSITION TO ASCEND TODAY - MONDAY, JULY 1ST
It's here! As of today, Ascend will start performing Level II PASRR evaluations for individuals with Mental Illness (MI). CMHCs will no longer accept Level II referrals.  All Level I evaluations with a  refer for level II outcome will now seamlessly transfer to Ascend, regardless of disability type.

For individuals with MI, CMHCs will finalize any individuals with Refer for Level II outcomes referred through Sunday, 06/30. Ascend will perform Level II - MI assessments, starting with referrals. For individuals with IDD, the process remains the same.

Ascend is tracking individuals who were in process starting June 28th to ensure no one falls through the cracks.
IN PASRR LII - MI GUIDE: Process Reminders, Tips & Resources
Make sure you are ready for today's transition by taking a close look through the training opportunities, resources, best practice tips and change benefits below.  

TOOLKIT: Your PASRR Resources

Check out these important go-to resources below as a first pass for all your PASRR and AssessmentPro questions. 



REGISTER: Q&A Sessions Taking Place Today, 07/01 and Tuesday, 07/02

Miss the recent transition overview and system demo webinars? You still have a few opportunities to learn about the Level II - MI transition. Join us for one of these insightful  Q&A sessions to field your toughest questions, taking place today and tomorrow at 2 p.m.!
 
Click Links to Register:
 

PROCESS:  What PASRR LII - MI Steps Have Changed?

Level I, Level of Care submissions, and Level II - IDD processes all remain unchanged. For Level II - MI, CMHCs will continue with any assessments submitted through 06/30/19. Ascend will start Level II assessments for MI beginning  07/01/19 .

The merging of the Level II - IDD and MI assessments process will result in a few changes  from the current workflow . These key differences include:

①
No Annual Resident Reviews
Annual resident reviews are no longer conducted as part of PASRR. Any resident reviews due in July are not needed and will not be conducted. If an individual experiences a status change of behavioral or medical condition, submit a new Level I with the new information so that MAXIMUS can review and determine if a new Level II is needed. 

* The annual resident review located on the web will remain there for approximately 1.5 months so that payments can be finalized.


②
Concurrent Outcomes Delivery
Level II - MI outcomes and Level of Care (LOC) outcomes will both be delivered at the same time, following the existing process used for the Level II - IDD assessments.


③
New Level II Evaluation Form
The existing  Level II - Mental Illness (MI) Form  and  Inappropriate Referral Form  will both be retired. They will be replaced by Ascend's gold-standard Level II Evaluation Form, which takes a more person-centered approach to achieve a more accurate assessment of the individual's needs.


④
Level II Referral Turnaround Times
Ascend must contractually complete the Level II evaluation 5 business days from the receipt of the Level II referral. Five days is the maximum, though still shorter than federal guidelines suggest.

In some cases this will be faster than the current process and in others,  slower. Ascend encourages you to take active steps to control the controllable items:

  1. Start the PASRR process early, when it first appears NF placement may be likely. Do not wait until the individual is ready for discharge.
  2. Submit a complete Level I, uploading (rather than faxing) all required supporting documentation.
  3. If you must fax, download the AssessmentPro coversheet and use it as the first page of your fax.
  4. Respond to requests for information in a timely manner. 
  5. Do not submit duplicate referrals. This slows down the process.




BENEFITS: Str eamlining PASRR Processes
With the unification of the Indiana PASRR LII - IDD & MI Processes under one entity, it will bring a number of positive changes, such as:


①
Efficiency/Consistency
Seamless and consistent referral processes from Level I to Level II across MI and IDD populations will reduce confusion and improve average timelines.
②
Data Gathering
It will also enable FSSA to compile valuable data on the PASRR population, including all members of that population.

③
Prioritization
Residents transitioning from the ER into NF are currently prioritized for Level II IDD, and that prioritization will continue for Level II - MI, ensuring the most urgent needs are addressed first.

④
Decision Consistency
The uniformity across assessment types will bring greater consistency to the decision-making process 





QUESTIONS? Contact IN PASRR Level II - MI Support: [email protected]
Ascend will continue to reach out via email to provide you with helpful reminders, that impact your work with the PASRR program. We invite you to visit our website to learn more about Ascend.

We are privileged to work with you to ensure individuals in Indiana receive the services and supports they need. Thank you for all you do!