HCBS Settings Compliance Countdown: 87 Days
HCBS Settings Office Hours moving to Monthly - SECOND Tuesday of the Month 10 am
With the wrapping up of site compliance action plans and validations, DDD is moving HCBS Settings office hours to the second Tuesday of each month through March at 10 am. The next meeting will be January 10 at 10 am. After March, we will likely move to quarterly meetings. Like recent office hours, we will start at 10 am and stay on as long as there are questions, concerns or clarifications.
Compliance Action Plans (CAPs) Clarification
Thank you to all those who have completed your CAPs. When you send back your final CAP for a site, you are confirming that the CAP activities have been FULLY COMPLETED. We cannot have sites waiting to complete compliance activities until March. Activities must be completed immediately including systems improvements, new processes and policies. By March 17, 2023, the state must have validated all of its provider controlled sites. We need to be able to confirm that sites have made the necessary changes well before that date. This sentence seems confusing to me. Alternative language: In January, sites with outstanding CAPs will be assumed to be at risk of not being in compliance by March. The Division will initiate discussions with those providers about transitioning people to different waiver sites. We want to work with providers to assure that does not happen.
Quality Assurance on Compliance Action Plans (CAP)
In addition to reviewing all initial CAPs submitted, DDD staff are performing quality assurance reviews on at least one site from each provider with sites with CAPs. Below outlines our process:
- DDD staff will reach out to the provider requesting evidence about a specific site (or more depending on the number of types of services and number of sites with CAPs).
- The provider should email the specific DDD staff person evidence showing compliance activities have been implemented in the areas that were identified as needing remediation. Email evidence, such as photos, schedules, copies of agendas of trainings, and signed documents to the DDD staff directly.
- DDD staff will use their QA tool to compare what the provider said they were going to do to address the compliance issues with the evidence that compliance is now occurring.
- If DDD staff does not see enough evidence, they will email to ask for additional items. If compliance has been found, the site will receive their validation letter.
DDD appreciates providers' patience and understanding that quality assurance is a critical component to ensuring sites are in compliance and that the State is doing its due diligence regarding statewide transition.
HCBS Settings Rule Beneficiary Complaint Process
Beginning in December, the DDD is offering a phone number and email for people who are concerned about individual issues with a site or service related to the HCBS settings rule. Call 877-657-0005 or email DHS.HCBScomplaints@illinois.gov and a DDD staff person will reach out within 72 hours to understand the issues and connect with stakeholders to problem solve solutions.
New Resource: Rights of People Who Have Guardians in Illinois and Get Medicaid Community Services
Following up from a training on Guardianship and the HCBS Settings Rule webinar, Equip for Equality, has produced a new 1-page guide Rights of People Who Have Guardians in Illinois and Get Medicaid Community Services that is now available for you to download and use.