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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has announced the release of ODPANN 26-021. The purpose of this communication is to announce the Quality Assessment and Improvement (QA&I) and Home & Community-Based Settings Rule Licensing Inspection Statewide Report, which includes QA&I Cycle 2 and licensing inspection data from fiscal years (FY) 2022-2023, 2023-2024, and 2024-2025.

This report is located directly on the MyODP website in the QA&I Reports section.

Please view the announcement for more details.

Today, the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) issued Bulletin 59-26-02, “Participant Review Tool,” which updates the standardized Participant Review Tool (PRT) for Service Coordinators (SC) as well as provides additional clarification on the location of face-to-face visits with participants when completing the PRT.

This bulletin also provides guidance to SCs on when increased face-to-face visits with program participants should be scheduled to protect their health, safety, and welfare. This bulletin rescinds OLTL Bulletin 59-16-12 and any other OLTL policy documents or parts of policy documents that are inconsistent with this bulletin’s contents. This bulletin applies to enrolled Service Coordination Entities (SCEs) performing services in OLTL Medical Assistance Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) for the OBRA waiver and the Act 150 Program.

Members are encouraged to review the bulletin, as well as the following documents that were included with the bulletin:

The Fiscal Year 2025/26 budget, signed into law on November 12, 2025, includes a $21 million investment to strengthen the workforce through increased wages for direct care workers providing services in the Participant Directed Model for Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) programs. This additional funding provides for a rate increase in the OBRA Waiver and Act 150 Program for Participant Directed (Consumer) Personal Assistance Services procedure codes W1792 and W1792 TU, effective January 1, 2026.

In anticipation of the upcoming rate increase, OLTL is updating the OLTL Home and Community-Based Waiver Services Rates fee schedule, for which additional communication will be sent in the future. To support the January 1, 2026, effective date, OLTL will be updating their systems to include PROMISe™ and the Home and Community Services Information System (HCSIS) with the revised rates. Service Coordinators do not need to make any service plan updates for the upcoming rate change, as a HCSIS system-wide update is being implemented to make the necessary service data rate updates to the affected service plans.

Please contact the OLTL Provider Inquiry Line at 800-932-0939, OPTION 2, Monday to Friday, from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm.

The Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Subcommittee meeting was recently held on November 12, 2025. During the meeting, a number of presentations were provided. In addition to the presentations, the agenda and a document that provided follow-up items from the LTSS Subcommittee meeting on October 1, 2025, were provided.

Members should take time to review the PowerPoint presentations from the meeting below:

The next LTSS Subcommittee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, December 3, 2025. The meeting will be held virtually only from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. Register here to participate. Participants also have the option to call in by dialing (415) 655-0052; Access code: 883-556-407#.

ADvancing States, which represents the nation’s 56 state and territorial agencies on aging and disabilities as well as long-term services and supports directors, has partnered with the Department of Health Policy and Management at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health to create a first-of-its-kind online training program to support our nation’s Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) program workforce. The initial Foundational Leadership in HCBS: Building Expertise to Better Support People in their Homes and Communities certificate program launches in September 2025.

The core training sessions deliver essential curriculum covering HCBS systems, policies, and operations — everything participants need to enhance their effectiveness and advance policy advocacy in this critical sector. Fewer than 20 spots remain in the September pilot session, and there will be another session offered in January 2026. The course fee is $600 for government and non-profit employees and $1300 for corporate employees. Group registration opportunities are expected to be available for the January 2026 session.

Quick Registration Links:

The course is offered exclusively online and is self-paced so learners can set their own schedules, but the course will require the equivalent of about two hours per week for 10 weeks. Participants will learn more about populations utilizing LTSS, the organizations and individuals providing LTSS, and the varied sources of funding for LTSS, with a focus on HCBS, plus key policy areas, including the Older Americans Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Medicare, Medicaid, and the processes by which individuals access services. Please view the Course Overview and Syllabus for additional details about course topics and learning objectives.

Sign up using the links above; for questions about the HCBS Certificate program, contact Annie Kimbrel via email.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has released information related to the FY 2024/2025 ICF Cost Report. The release includes the updated current version of the ID-46 form, along with documentation outlining the changes to be used when reporting FY 2024/2025 costs.

As previously announced by ODP Deputy Secretary Kristin Ahrens, the use of the HCBS fee schedule as a market rate limit for related-party Day Habilitation services has been eliminated for FY 2024/2025. The remaining cost report changes reflect improvements based on prior years’ experience.

ICF providers may now begin completing cost reports for each ICF site. Questions should be directed to Pam Gilbert, Fiscal Manager, ICF/ID Unit.

ODP has indicated that a follow-up email will be sent with more detailed instructions and submission requirements. Providers are reminded that all cost report submissions must be received no later than September 30, 2025.