UPDATED - V.2 - COVID-19 Home Based Support (HBS), Bogard Specialized Services & Fee-for-Service Billing, Agency and Consumer Guidance

Illinois Department of Human Services

Division of Developmental Disabilities

Information Bulletin

DD.20.024 FINAL

Purpose:

The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) is committed to protecting individuals with developmental disabilities in Illinois. This communication is intended to provide updated guidance for the Home Based Support program, as well as guidance for providers who are authorized to provide Behavior Intervention, Individual/Group Counseling, Individual/Group Therapy as well as to providers of Physical, Occupational and Speech therapy, Self-Directed Assistance, Temporary Assistance/53C and Bogard Specialized Services.

Overarching:

The Division is clarifying and adding additional temporary changes to assist agencies to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic. The changes are allowed only during effective dates as defined by the Division.

Home Based Supports:

  1. Providers should continue to try to obtain required signatures for Service Agreements and other documents when possible; verbal or email approvals will continue to be acceptable during this time. This exception remains in effect.
  2. Personal Support Workers (PSWs) may continue to support a waiver participant in the hospital and be reimbursed. The provided personal care services are not intended to replace personal care services required to be provided by hospital staff. The personal care services provided by a PSW include communication, intensive personal care, and/or behavioral stabilization.
  3. Service agreements must be updated accordingly and account for all services.
  4. If an individual must travel out of state due to health and/or safety concerns due to COVID-19, Personal Support services may be provided while the individual is out of the state. The PSW must follow all the same rules and policies as if the service was being provided in state.

 Self-Directed Assistance Guidance:

  1. The DDD expects Self-Directed Assistants (SDA), if applicable, will continue to provide remote support for individuals and families via electronic and/or phone and video communications. This exception remains in effect.

Individual Controlled Personal Support Worker Guidance:

  1. As stated in Information Bulletin DDD.20.020 COVID-19 PSW Background Checks effective October 7, 2020, PSWs are required to get their fingerprints completed before beginning to provide services. However, they don't have to wait for the results of the fingerprint-based check to begin providing services. Once the results of the fingerprint checks are received, the appropriate action will be taken.
  2. We suggest families continue to implement a health screening protocol prior to their PSW coming to their home. Refer to Illinois Department of Public Health Guidelines for more information.

Agency Based Personal Support Worker Guidance:

  1. As stated in Information Bulletin DDD.20.020 COVID-19 PSW Background Checks, located here: https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=126628 , effective October 7, 2020, PSWs are required to get their fingerprints completed before beginning to provide services. However, they don't have to wait for the results of the fingerprint-based check to begin providing services. Once the results of the fingerprint checks are received, the appropriate action will be taken.
  2. We suggest families continue to implement a health screening protocol prior to their PSW coming to their home. Refer to Illinois Department of Public Health Guidelines for more information.

 Supports that are Fee-for-Service:

A number of services under the waiver are provided on a fee-for-service basis. In general, all fee-for-service providers, who are not able to provide service in person, should continue to provide services remotely via electronic, phone and/or video communications. These will be billable through applicable DDD billing codes.

Behavior Intervention & Treatment (Level 1 & Level 2):

  1. If this service cannot be provided safely in person, the DDD encourages this service to continue to be provided remotely via means of electronic, phone, and/or video communication to individuals, families and agency staff. This exception remains in effect.
  2. Behavior Intervention & Treatment services provided remotely via electronic, phone and/or video communications are billable through the applicable DDD billing code.

Occupational and Speech & Language Therapy, Counseling and/or Therapy for Group and/or Individual

  1. If this service cannot be provided safely in person, the DDD encourages this service to continue to be provided remotely via electronic, by phone, and/or video communications which are billable through the applicable DDD billing code. This exception remains in effect.

Supported Employment Guidance (39U/39G only):

  1. Providers can continue to provide employment in-person supports to individuals who are employed with appropriate safety precautions.

Bogard Specialized Services:

  1. If this service cannot be provided safely in person or if COVID mitigation level prohibits in person visits at nursing homes, the DDD expects that Bogard service providers will continue to provide remote support electronically, by phone, and/or video communications to nursing home residents. This exception remains in effect.


Resources:

Illinois Department of Public Health at www.dph.illinois.gov  

Centers for Disease Control at www.cdc.gov  

Administration for Community Living at https://acl.gov/COVID-19

Self-Advocacy Resource and Technical Assistance Center at www.Selfadvocacyinfo.org


The information contained herein should not be considered a substitute for the appropriate official statutes, rules, regulations, or the advice of legal counsel.


Effective Date:

November 13, 2020