Good Afternoon,
As you can see below, our Waiver amendment for 30-day public comment was posted yesterday! I want to thank all DDD stakeholders who were part of this process. From members of the Ligas Rates Oversight Committee and Subcommittees, to those who participated in the waiver feedback sessions and members of our DD Advisory Committee who discussed the updated service definitions, and everyone in between who contributed to the substance of the Waiver Amendment, including our DDD and DHS staff! This was a HUGE undertaking and could not have been accomplished without the entire community behind it. We appreciate all of your help and look forward to the implementation of these monumental changes to the I/DD system. Onward!
QUICK NOTES
- We encourage you to please get vaccinated! Per IDPH, the preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from July 9-15, 2021 is 1.9%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from July 9-15, 2021 is 2.3%.
- GETTING CLOSE! The Human Services Research Institute has issued an extension for providers to complete the Staff Stability Survey until July 31, 2021. Please complete!
- If you're interested in our submission to the Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on enhanced FMAP uses you can find it here. Please note we will need to receive approval from CMS prior to implementation.
- We finally have the Guidehouse Rate Study posted online. Check it out!
- Also, a big thanks to Kathy Carmody, of the Institute on Public Policy, for leading our functional literacy stakeholder team and for those that volunteered to serve on it. More to come!
WAIVER AMENDMENT
The Division of Developmental Disabilities is pleased to announce the posting of the Waiver Amendment for the Adults with Developmental Disabilities. As a reminder, this Waiver Amendment implements several priorities from the Guidehouse Rate Study including, but not limited to:
- Increases frontline staff wages (DSPs and nurses, supervisors, and QIDPs);
- Creates a rate methodology for Community Day Services including increasing the day programming hours to 1,200 hours annually;
- Updates the rate methodology for Supported Employment including increasing the rate and adding a service limit for Supported Employment - Individual Employment Supports;
- Adds Virtual Day Services as a new waiver service and creates a rate methodology for it; and
- Updates the service definitions for Residential Habilitation, CDS, and Supported Employment (Individual and Group).
Look no further for the HFS Public Notices List, the Public Notice for this Waiver Amendment, and the proposed Waiver Amendment.
With the posting of the Waiver Amendment, this begins a 30-day public comment period. Those wishing to submit comments can do so as follows:
- Email: HFS.HCBSWaiver@illinois.gov
- Mail: Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services
- ATTN: Waiver Operations Management
- 201 South Grant Avenue East 2FL
- Springfield, IL 62763
CDS GUIDANCE
Thanks to all who participated in the Updated CDS Guidance webinar. We will be moving the CDS Guidance Information Bulletin to final this week. We wanted to follow up on a couple of items.
- While the IDHS Infection Control team will review and provide updates on operational guidance for COVID-19 infection control, they will still be required to follow IDPH and CDC direction on infection control guidelines for the state. The Division will continue to issue guidance through Information Bulletin or on our COVID-19 webpage.
- IDPH has determined that CDS is considered a congregate facility. You can find the guidance here. As such, the masking requirement remains.
- Providers with questions about infection control practices should continue to reach out to the Division directly with questions to DHS.DDDComments@illinois.gov.
- The Division continues to encourage all CDS providers to complete the Risk/Benefit Tool in conjunction with the individual, guardian/family and, if applicable, residential provider.
AGENCY CONTROLLED CILA HOME MODIFICATIONS
We've received questions on how community providers can access funding for agency controlled CILAs to use on home modifications. Each agency controlled CILA has a one-time $15,000 to use on home modifications. This may include fire safety issues such as sprinklers, windows and/or accessibility modifications that would benefit all individuals living in the CILA. Please note:
- Home Modifications needed for a CILA home that is agency controlled do not count against any one individual. The individual's name is used to account for the funding, but it doesn't count against their individual service limit.
- However, if the modification is specific to an individual, and will only benefit that individual, in the CILA, the cost of the modification does count against the individual's service limit.
- In addition, remote Supports do count towards individual service limits. Providers should divide the cost (equipment and/or ongoing monitoring) evenly among the number of individuals they're supporting.
The Bureau of Reimbursement and Program Support tracks all Adaptive Equipment, Assistive Technology, Minor Home and Vehicle Modification and Remote Support requests and awards. We also track whether or not the awarded amount counts against the individual's service limit. If anyone has a question of an individual's available funding, please contact George Bengel.
Thank you for all you do!
- Warmly,
- Allison V. Stark
- Director, Division of Developmental Disabilities
- Illinois Department of Human Services
- 600 East Ash-Building 400, Springfield, IL 62703
- Tel: (217) 782 -6803
The information contained herein should not be considered a substitute for the appropriate official statutes, rules, regulations, or the advice of legal counsel.
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