DDRS Quarterly report
Family Voices Indiana encourages its members to learn more about programs and services for individuals with special health care needs and/or disabilities in Indiana. So, we are sharing the recent DDRS quarterly report. The entire document is embedded below. Highlights include:
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SECTION 144 REPORT DDRS has posted the Section 144 Report to its website, along with a FAQ. The report outlines several proposed changes designed to improve services, contain costs, and reduce the wait list for services for people with developmental disabilities.
A BDDS Waitlist Web Portal has been added to the DDRS Website under Information for Consumers. The Portal will allow consumers on the Developmental Disability, Support Services and Autism waiver waitlists to review and update their contact information.
To access the information a consumer or guardian will need to provide the following information: Last four digits of Social Security Number or Dart –ID First and Last Name Date of Birth Requestor’s name if not the Consumer
Once the information is verified a second page will appear, which will include: Consumer’s address and phone number Guardian contact information of a guardian (if applicable) Consumer’s waiver application date(s) BDDS District Office contact information
If the consumer or guardian discovers that any of the information is incorrect, they will be able to click on the “Help Desk” link, and an e-mail will be sent to the appropriate people to update and track the information.
DDRS is working to make positive changes in its service delivery to consumers. One such change is reinvigorating the Powerful Parents Groups throughout the state. These groups were formerly affiliated with Indiana Professional Management Group (IPMG), but in recent years, have diminished.
The purpose of this program is to coordinate meetings with parents and families of adults and children with developmental disabilities across the state of Indiana to disseminate information, gather feedback and stimulate bonding among parents. Through these groups, DDRS hopes to: make DDRS plans and initiatives more transparent in how they affect consumers and families create a network of family contacts within BBDS districts, including more rural areas share information on available resources for families listen to how DDRS can make connections for consumer and family needs
The first DDRS Powerful Parents Group met in Ft. Wayne on March 14, 2012. The discussion centered on changes that DDRS is proposing to make to its three Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waivers: Autism, Developmental Disabilities, and Support Services.
If these changes are approved by the federal government, they will facilitate increasing employment for persons with disabilities, keep the family unit together longer, and serve high-cost/high-needs individuals as appropriately and cost-effectively as possible.
Meetings will be held across the state on a quarterly basis. The next Powerful Parents meeting will be held mid-April in Richmond. Meetings have started small, but as recognition of these groups spreads, they may be open on a “first come” basis.
More information can be found on the DDRS Commissions and Councils webpage and questions may be e-mailed to PowerfulParents@fssa.in.gov.
Support Services Waiver Second Amendment A second amendment to the Support Services Waiver will soon be submitted to CMS. Highlights of the amendment include:
Reflection of legislated changes replacing use of the term mental retardation with intellectual disability
Removal of references specific to contracted Case Managers/Management and the contracted Case Management entity with clarification of the continuing role and responsibilities of case managers under the waiver service of Case Management
Revision of the continuing role and responsibilities of the Case Management Liaison due to the return of Case Management as a waiver funded service
Addition of the Participant Assistance and Care (PAC) service
Increasing the waiver funding cap from $13,500 to $16,250
Bringing portions of the Support Services Waiver in line with recent changes directed by CMS under the recently approved Autism Waiver Amendment
The revision of the name from Support Services Waiver to Family Supports Waiver
Autism Waiver Amendment An amendment to the Autism Waiver, bringing it in line with the current DD Waiver, was approved by CMS on March 26, 2012 and is posted on the BDDS webpage. The most significant changes within the Amendment include:
reflection of the State’s previous move to utilization of a uniform rate methodology
unbundling of the former “Day Services”, replaced by Prevocational, Supported Employment Follow-Along, Community Based Habilitation (Group and Individual) and Facility Based Habilitation (Group and Individual)
addition of five new services (Electronic Monitoring, Facility Based Supports, Intensive Behavioral Intervention, Transportation and Workplace Assistance)
addition of eight more Medicaid Aid Categories within the Medicaid Eligibility Groups served
inclusion of Quality Improvement Strategies/Performance Measures (Appendices A, B, C, D, G and I)
modification of the Quality Improvement System
removal of all references to a specific assessment system known as Objective Assessment System for Individual Supports (OASIS) and the OASIS Review Process known as ORR
BDDS Helpline
BDDS Helpline is being discontinued and all new inquiries to the BDDS Helpline are being forwarded to the BQIS Helpline at BQIS.Help@fssa.in.gov
Equalized Assessments for SGL Residents Beginning in April 2012, DDRS began implementing an objective assessment for all recipients of services offered through the BDDS. The Inventory for Client & Agency Planning (ICAP) and Health and Behavioral Addendum (Addendum) will be used for both waiver and supervised group living (SGL). This assessment will be used to determine an individual’s service needs through the Algo method to ensure that individuals are assessed fairly across the spectrum of BDDS services.
BDDS field staff will be contacting SGL residents and providers to collect preliminary information. Providers will be asked to identify two individuals who work closely with the client to serve as respondents for the assessment. After the assessment has been completed, the BDDS staff will provide the assessment outcome to the individual and their team for review. The assessment of group homes is expected to take approximately ten months starting with District 1 and those providers who have requested to go ahead of schedule, and then working down the state. As homes are identified for assessment, a letter to the individual and provider will be mailed with additional information.
BQIS Complaint Hotline BQIS has taken several steps to improve its responsiveness to individuals and their guardians/families by implementing a hotline to receive complaints:
Toll-free complaint number: (866)296-8322
The hotline is available 24 hours, seven days a week to receive complaints. It is staffed by an answering service that will document callers’ concerns, and then relay these to BQIS. Also, effective February 1, Liberty surveyors started conducting complaint investigations. Liberty has 13 surveyors located across the state which will limit travel time to research an individual’s/guardian’s concerns.
As a reminder, DDRS’s expectation is for the complaint system to provide consumers, guardians/families, providers, case managers and the public an additional avenue for communicating issues for the state to address. The complaint system is not intended to substitute the state’s already established communication systems. Specifically, this means filing complaints does not replace the need to: Report incidents of abuse, neglect or exploitation, per DDRS Incident Reporting Policy; and Bring issues of concern to an individual’s case manager and team for discussion. Prior to initiating a complaint investigation, BQIS will inquire if complainants have already discussed the issue(s) they are reporting with their case manager. If they have not, they are asked to do so before BQIS will initiate a complaint investigation.
The DDRS policy for BQIS complaint investigations and instructions on how to file a complaint, key information to provide, and contact information are included on the BQIS webpage.
Part C Grant Application/First Steps The Part C grant application and grant notification may be located at www.firststeps.in.gov. Comments regarding the application may be submitted prior to end of business April 15, 2011. Written comments are to be directed to: First Steps Early Intervention System, Bureau of Child Development Services Attn: FS Application 402 W. Washington St., MS51 Indianapolis, IN 46204 E-mailed: firststepsweb@fssa.in.gov. Individuals wishing to provide oral testimony, may do so on April 13, 2012, at 10 a.m. at the Indiana Government Center South, 402 W Washington Ct. Conference Center Room 1 Indianapolis, IN 46204.
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