The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has distributed Announcement 035-18: Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Settings Self-Assessment Period. Providers of the services listed below are required to complete the online HCBS Provider Self-Assessments in response to the HCBS Settings Rule published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) by 11:59 pm on June 12, 2018. Service locations for which ODP has not received a completed self-assessment will be deemed non-compliant.
- Community Participation Support in the Consolidated, Person/Family-Directed Support, and/or Community Living Waivers;
- Day Habilitation in the Adult Autism Waiver and/or Adult Community Autism Program;
- Residential Habilitation in the Consolidated Waiver and/or Adult Autism Waiver;
- Life Sharing in the Consolidated and/or Community Living Waivers; and
- Family Living in the Adult Autism Waiver.
Compliance with the HCBS Settings Rule for service settings for all other ODP Waiver services will be completed through the Quality Assessment and Improvement (QA&I) Process.
The HCBS Settings Rule requires that states assess all residential and non-residential settings which receive funding or payment through an approved HCBS waiver. The intent of the HCBS Settings Rule is to:
- Ensure individuals receiving HCBS have full access to benefits of community living and the opportunity to receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate;
- Enhance the quality of HCBS; and
- Provide protections to participants.
This includes opportunities to seek employment, work in competitive and integrated settings, engage in community life, control personal resources, and receive services in the community to the same degree as people who do not receive HCBS.
Adjustments to these tools were made based on feedback received through the pilot, and also based upon public feedback after the tools were released for public comment February 22 – March 16, 2018. The Provider Self-Assessment will assist in identifying potential areas of non-compliance and allow the provider to develop a corrected action plan outlining how they plan to achieve full compliance. It is important to note that the intent of the self-assessment is not to close or terminate any home or community-based services but instead to enable stakeholders to plan for transition to meet compliance with the Settings Rule.
The following documents have been made available for viewing/download: