Illinois Department of Human Services
Division of Developmental Disabilities
Information Bulletin
DD.15.061
Change in Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) Award Letter Process for Site Approval
July, 2015
Purpose
This Information Bulletin will outline a recent process change in how the division processes CILA Award Letters. Previously all CILA award letters were sent to the Bureau of Accreditation, Licensure and Certification (BALC) to assure the CILA site had either been cleared by the BALC or was listed as "individually" controlled on the BALC database. Now only CILA award letters not found on the BALC database will be sent to BALC for site clearance.
Process and Procedure
This change in processing CILA award letters does NOT change the requirement that the Bureau of Accreditation, Licensure and Certification (BALC) inspect and approve agency controlled CILA sites or the requirement that individually controlled CILA sites must be reported to the BALC and listed on their database.
The division now has regular access to the BALC database and can check CILA site addresses prior to processing a CILA funding request. This change affords the division the opportunity to determine CILA site clearance without having to send a physical copy of the individual's CILA award letter to BALC for approval. Please note that wording on the CILA award letters has now been updated to inform CILA agencies whether or not they need to contact BALC for CILA site clearance.
This change should help providers by eliminating the need to contact BALC for CILA sites that have previously been approved for occupancy and should expedite the enrollment of individuals for billing by the CILA provider. This change will also save staff time in both the division and BALC.
NOTE: CILA providers will still need to contact BALC and report any new CILA sites owned or controlled by the agency as well as CILA sites owned or controlled by the individual. The agency notification to BALC would include all Family-Intermittent sites where the individual is to receive CILA services part time in while living with other family members.
- For CILA sites that appear on the BALC database the division will now stamp "CILA Site Verified (Date) BALC Database" on the agency copy of the individual's CILA award letter and the agency copy of a rate redetermination award letter as appropriate. There will also be a note on the bottom of the individual's CILA rate sheet which states "CILA Site is verified as being on BALC Database." For CILA award letters with CILA site verification the CILA Agency does NOT need to contact BALC. The division also will NOT be sending a copy of the individual's CILA award letter to BALC.
- For CILA sites that do NOT appear on the BALC database the division will not stamp the agency copy of the individual's CILA award letter or the agency copy of a rate redetermination award letter. There will also be a note on the bottom of the CILA rate sheet which states "CILA Agency MUST contact BALC for CILA site approval. CILA Site is NOT verified as being on BALC Database." For CILA award letters WITHOUT CILA site verification the CILA Agency WILL need to contact BALC. The division WILL send a copy of the individual's CILA award letter to BALC.
The division strongly recommends and encourages CILA agencies contact BALC prior to submitting CILA funding request packets for individuals who will be served in individually controlled sites. This early contact should help assure the address clearance is posted on the BALC database prior to the division processing the CILA funding request packet.
Effective Date
June 10, 2015
