ODP Announcement 19-066 serves as notice of the opportunity for public comment on proposed changes to the Consolidated, P/FDS, and Community Living Waivers. These changes (referred to as waiver amendments) are anticipated to be effective on October 1, 2019. As part of this process, ODP is seeking your valuable feedback and comments on the proposed waiver amendments. There is a 30-day public comment period that began on June 8, 2019 and ends on July 8, 2019.

Whenever substantive changes are made to an approved waiver, ODP must submit an amendment to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for approval. ODP proposes to amend the Consolidated, P/FDS, and Community Living Waivers as follows:

• Increase the number of individuals served in the Consolidated and Community Living waivers as provided for in the Governor’s proposed budget to support more people in the community.
• Add planning requirements for Administrative Entities to address access to needed waiver services upon graduation to individuals who will graduate from special education and who are not eligible to continue their education through the next year.
• Provide for support of children with medical needs who transition from a facility that does not meet waiver home and community-based settings requirements to live with their families or, if living with their family is not possible, in the home of another nurturing caregiver.
• Increase community participation of waiver participants through changes in service definitions, such as the addition of an on-call and remote support component to the Community Participation Support service and clarification as to where newly enrolled licensed facilities can be located.
• Increase competitive integrated employment of waiver participants by allowing Supported Employment services to be provided when a waiver participant has received an offer of competitive integrated employment and the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) has not made an eligibility determination at that time and by clarifying where Advanced Supported Employment services can be provided.
• Develop and support qualified staff by extending the timeframe by which requirements for employment credentials or certificates must be obtained to July 1, 2019 for Supported Employment, Small Group Employment, and the prevocational component of the Community Participation Support service.
• Promote health, wellness, and safety by clarifying that Supports Coordinators should review information in health risk screening tools when applicable and determine whether there have been any changes in orders, plans, or medical interventions prescribed or recommended by medical or behavioral professionals when Supports Coordinators monitor a waiver participant’s health and safety, and develop Individual Support Plans (ISPs).
• Clarify the role direct service professionals perform through Communication Specialist services.

The proposed amendments to the Consolidated, P/FDS, and Community Living Waivers effective October 1, 2019 are available here.

Information regarding the proposed waiver amendment changes, including how to provide comments, can be found in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, Volume 49, Number 23, published on Saturday, June 8, 2019.

Comments received by 11:59 pm on July 8, 2019 will be reviewed and considered for revisions to the waiver amendments submitted to CMS.

Comments should be addressed to Julie Mochon, Department of Human Services, Office of Developmental Programs, 625 Forster Street, Room 510, Harrisburg, PA 17120. Comments may also be submitted to ODP at this email.

ODP will also hold two webinars to receive comments on the proposed waiver amendments. Dates, times, and links for registration to attend these webinars are as follows:

• Thursday, June 20, 2019, 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
• Monday, June 24, 2019, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Register for webinars using this link. Questions about this communication should be submitted via email.