Virginia Regulatory Town Hall

Proposed Text

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Action:
Electronic Visit Verification
Stage: Proposed
 

12VAC30-50-130. Nursing facility services, EPSDT, including school health services and family planning.

A. Nursing facility services (other than services in an institution for mental diseases) for individuals 21 years of age or older. Service must be ordered or prescribed and directed or performed within the scope of a license of the practitioner of the healing arts.

B. Early and periodic screening and diagnosis of individuals younger than 21 years of age, and treatment of conditions found.

1. Payment of medical assistance services shall be made on behalf of individuals younger than 21 years of age, who are Medicaid eligible, for medically necessary stays in acute care facilities, and the accompanying attendant physician care, in excess of 21 days per admission when such services are rendered for the purpose of diagnosis and treatment of health conditions identified through a physical examination.

2. Routine physicals and immunizations (except as provided through EPSDT) are not covered except that well-child examinations in a private physician's office are covered for foster children of the local social services departments on specific referral from those departments.

3. Orthoptics services shall only be reimbursed if medically necessary to correct a visual defect identified by an EPSDT examination or evaluation. The department shall place appropriate utilization controls upon this service.

4. Consistent with the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989 § 6403, early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment services means the following services: screening services, vision services, dental services, hearing services, and such other necessary health care, diagnostic services, treatment, and other measures described in Social Security Act § 1905(a) to correct or ameliorate defects and physical and mental illnesses and conditions discovered by the screening services and that are medically necessary, whether or not such services are covered under the State Plan and notwithstanding the limitations, applicable to recipients ages 21 years and older, provided for by § 1905(a) of the Social Security Act.

5. Community mental health services. These services in order to be covered (i) shall meet medical necessity criteria based upon diagnoses made by LMHPs who are practicing within the scope of their licenses and (ii) are reflected in provider records and on providers' claims for services by recognized diagnosis codes that support and are consistent with the requested professional services.

a. Definitions. The following words and terms when used in this section shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Activities of daily living" means personal care activities and includes bathing, dressing, transferring, toileting, feeding, and eating.

"Adolescent or child" means the individual receiving the services described in this section. For the purpose of the use of these terms, adolescent means an individual 12 through 20 years of age; a child means an individual from birth up to 12 years of age.

"Behavioral health service" means the same as defined in 12VAC30-130-5160.

"Behavioral health services administrator" or "BHSA" means an entity that manages or directs a behavioral health benefits program under contract with DMAS.

"Care coordination" means collaboration and sharing of information among health care providers, who are involved with an individual's health care, to improve the care.

"Caregiver" means the same as defined in 12VAC30-130-5160.

"Certified prescreener" means an employee of the local community services board or behavioral health authority, or its designee, who is skilled in the assessment and treatment of mental illness and has completed a certification program approved by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.

"Clinical experience" means providing direct behavioral health services on a full-time basis or equivalent hours of part-time work to children and adolescents who have diagnoses of mental illness and includes supervised internships, supervised practicums, and supervised field experience for the purpose of Medicaid reimbursement of (i) intensive in-home services, (ii) day treatment for children and adolescents, (iii) community-based residential services for children and adolescents who are younger than 21 years of age (Level A), or (iv) therapeutic behavioral services (Level B). Experience shall not include unsupervised internships, unsupervised practicums, and unsupervised field experience. The equivalency of part-time hours to full-time hours for the purpose of this requirement shall be as established by DBHDS in the document entitled Human Services and Related Fields Approved Degrees/Experience, issued March 12, 2013, revised May 3, 2013.

"DBHDS" means the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.

"Direct supervisor" means the person who provides direct supervision to the peer recovery specialist. The direct supervisor (i) shall have two consecutive years of documented practical experience rendering peer support services or family support services, have certification training as a PRS under a certifying body approved by DBHDS, and have documented completion of the DBHDS PRS supervisor training; (ii) shall be a qualified mental health professional (QMHP-A, QMHP-C, or QMHP-E) as defined in 12VAC35-105-20 with at least two consecutive years of documented experience as a QMHP, and who has documented completion of the DBHDS PRS supervisor training; or (iii) shall be an LMHP who has documented completion of the DBHDS PRS supervisor training who is acting within his scope of practice under state law. An LMHP providing services before April 1, 2018, shall have until April 1, 2018, to complete the DBHDS PRS supervisor training.

"DMAS" means the Department of Medical Assistance Services and its contractors.

"EPSDT" means early and periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment.

"Family support partners" means the same as defined in 12VAC30-130-5170.

"Human services field" means the same as the term is defined by DBHDS in the document entitled Human Services and Related Fields Approved Degrees/Experience, issued March 12, 2013, revised May 3, 2013.

"Individual service plan" or "ISP" means the same as the term is defined in 12VAC30-50-226.

"Licensed mental health professional" or "LMHP" means the same as defined in 12VAC35-105-20.

"LMHP-resident" or "LMHP-R" means the same as "resident" as defined in (i) 18VAC115-20-10 for licensed professional counselors; (ii) 18VAC115-50-10 for licensed marriage and family therapists; or (iii) 18VAC115-60-10 for licensed substance abuse treatment practitioners. An LMHP-resident shall be in continuous compliance with the regulatory requirements of the applicable counseling profession for supervised practice and shall not perform the functions of the LMHP-R or be considered a "resident" until the supervision for specific clinical duties at a specific site has been preapproved in writing by the Virginia Board of Counseling. For purposes of Medicaid reimbursement to their supervisors for services provided by such residents, they shall use the title "Resident" in connection with the applicable profession after their signatures to indicate such status.

"LMHP-resident in psychology" or "LMHP-RP" means the same as an individual in a residency, as that term is defined in 18VAC125-20-10, program for clinical psychologists. An LMHP-resident in psychology shall be in continuous compliance with the regulatory requirements for supervised experience as found in 18VAC125-20-65 and shall not perform the functions of the LMHP-RP or be considered a "resident" until the supervision for specific clinical duties at a specific site has been preapproved in writing by the Virginia Board of Psychology. For purposes of Medicaid reimbursement by supervisors for services provided by such residents, they shall use the title "Resident in Psychology" after their signatures to indicate such status.

"LMHP-supervisee in social work," "LMHP-supervisee," or "LMHP-S" means the same as "supervisee" as defined in 18VAC140-20-10 for licensed clinical social workers. An LMHP-supervisee in social work shall be in continuous compliance with the regulatory requirements for supervised practice as found in 18VAC140-20-50 and shall not perform the functions of the LMHP-S or be considered a "supervisee" until the supervision for specific clinical duties at a specific site is preapproved in writing by the Virginia Board of Social Work. For purposes of Medicaid reimbursement to their supervisors for services provided by supervisees, these persons shall use the title "Supervisee in Social Work" after their signatures to indicate such status.

"Peer recovery specialist" or "PRS" means the same as defined in 12VAC30-130-5160.

"Person centered" means the same as defined in 12VAC30-130-5160.

"Progress notes" means individual-specific documentation that contains the unique differences particular to the individual's circumstances, treatment, and progress that is also signed and contemporaneously dated by the provider's professional staff who have prepared the notes. Individualized and member-specific progress notes are part of the minimum documentation requirements and shall convey the individual's status, staff interventions, and, as appropriate, the individual's progress, or lack of progress, toward goals and objectives in the ISP. The progress notes shall also include, at a minimum, the name of the service rendered, the date of the service rendered, the signature and credentials of the person who rendered the service, the setting in which the service was rendered, and the amount of time or units/hours required to deliver the service. The content of each progress note shall corroborate the time/units billed. Progress notes shall be documented for each service that is billed.

"Psychoeducation" means (i) a specific form of education aimed at helping individuals who have mental illness and their family members or caregivers to access clear and concise information about mental illness and (ii) a way of accessing and learning strategies to deal with mental illness and its effects in order to design effective treatment plans and strategies.

"Psychoeducational activities" means systematic interventions based on supportive and cognitive behavior therapy that emphasizes an individual's and his family's needs and focuses on increasing the individual's and family's knowledge about mental disorders, adjusting to mental illness, communicating and facilitating problem solving and increasing coping skills.

"Qualified mental health professional-child" or "QMHP-C" means the same as the term is defined in 12VAC35-105-20.

"Qualified mental health professional-eligible" or "QMHP-E" means the same as the term is defined in 12VAC35-105-20 and consistent with the requirements of 12VAC35-105-590.

"Qualified paraprofessional in mental health" or "QPPMH" means the same as the term is defined in 12VAC35-105-20 and consistent with the requirements of 12VAC35-105-1370.

"Recovery-oriented services" means the same as defined in 12VAC30-130-5160.

"Recovery, resiliency, and wellness plan" means the same as defined in 12VAC30-130-5160.

"Resiliency" means the same as defined in 12VAC30-130-5160.

"Self-advocacy" means the same as defined in 12VAC30-130-5160.

"Service-specific provider intake" means the face-to-face interaction in which the provider obtains information from the child or adolescent, and parent or other family member, as appropriate, about the child's or adolescent's mental health status. It includes documented history of the severity, intensity, and duration of mental health care problems and issues and shall contain all of the following elements: (i) the presenting issue/reason for referral, (ii) mental health history/hospitalizations, (iii) previous interventions by providers and timeframes and response to treatment, (iv) medical profile, (v) developmental history including history of abuse, if appropriate, (vi) educational/vocational status, (vii) current living situation and family history and relationships, (viii) legal status, (ix) drug and alcohol profile, (x) resources and strengths, (xi) mental status exam and profile, (xii) diagnosis, (xiii) professional summary and clinical formulation, (xiv) recommended care and treatment goals, and (xv) the dated signature of the LMHP, LMHP-supervisee, LMHP-resident, or LMHP-RP.

"Services provided under arrangement" means the same as defined in 12VAC30-130-850.

"Strength-based" means the same as defined in 12VAC30-130-5160.

"Supervision" means the same as defined in 12VAC30-130-5160.

b. Intensive in-home services (IIH) to children and adolescents younger than 21 years of age shall be time-limited interventions provided in the individual's residence and when clinically necessary in community settings. All interventions and the settings of the intervention shall be defined in the Individual Service Plan. All IIH services shall be designed to specifically improve family dynamics, provide modeling, and the clinically necessary interventions that increase functional and therapeutic interpersonal relations between family members in the home. IIH services are designed to promote psychoeducational benefits in the home setting of an individual who is at risk of being moved into an out-of-home placement or who is being transitioned to home from an out-of-home placement due to a documented medical need of the individual. These services provide crisis treatment; individual and family counseling; communication skills (e.g., counseling to assist the individual and his parents or guardians, as appropriate, to understand and practice appropriate problem solving, anger management, and interpersonal interaction, etc.); care coordination with other required services; and 24-hour emergency response.

(1) Service authorization shall be required for Medicaid reimbursement prior to the onset of services. Services rendered before the date of authorization shall not be reimbursed.

(2) Service-specific provider intakes shall be required at the onset of services and ISPs shall be required during the entire duration of services. Services based upon incomplete, missing, or outdated service-specific provider intakes or ISPs shall be denied reimbursement. Requirements for service-specific provider intakes and ISPs are set out in this section.

(3) These services may only be rendered by an LMHP, LMHP-supervisee, LMHP-resident, LMHP-RP, a QMHP-C, or a QMHP-E.

c. Therapeutic day treatment (TDT) shall be provided two or more hours per day in order to provide therapeutic interventions. Day treatment programs provide evaluation; medication education and management; opportunities to learn and use daily living skills and to enhance social and interpersonal skills (e.g., problem solving, anger management, community responsibility, increased impulse control, and appropriate peer relations, etc.); and individual, group and family counseling.

(1) Service authorization shall be required for Medicaid reimbursement.

(2) Service-specific provider intakes shall be required at the onset of services and ISPs shall be required during the entire duration of services. Services based upon incomplete, missing, or outdated service-specific provider intakes or ISPs shall be denied reimbursement. Requirements for service-specific provider intakes and ISPs are set out in this section.

(3) These services may be rendered only by an LMHP, LMHP-supervisee, LMHP-resident, LMHP-RP, a QMHP-C, or a QMHP-E.

d. Community-based services for children and adolescents younger than 21 years of age (Level A) pursuant to 42 CFR 440.031(d).

(1) Such services shall be a combination of therapeutic services rendered in a residential setting. The residential services will provide structure for daily activities, psychoeducation, therapeutic supervision, care coordination, and psychiatric treatment to ensure the attainment of therapeutic mental health goals as identified in the individual service plan (plan of care). Individuals qualifying for this service must demonstrate medical necessity for the service arising from a condition due to mental, behavioral or emotional illness that results in significant functional impairments in major life activities in the home, school, at work, or in the community. The service must reasonably be expected to improve the child's condition or prevent regression so that the services will no longer be needed. The application of a national standardized set of medical necessity criteria in use in the industry, such as McKesson InterQual® Criteria or an equivalent standard authorized in advance by DMAS, shall be required for this service.

(2) In addition to the residential services, the child must receive, at least weekly, individual psychotherapy that is provided by an LMHP, LMHP-supervisee, LMHP-resident, or LMHP-RP.

(3) Individuals shall be discharged from this service when other less intensive services may achieve stabilization.

(4) Authorization shall be required for Medicaid reimbursement. Services that were rendered before the date of service authorization shall not be reimbursed.

(5) Room and board costs shall not be reimbursed. DMAS shall reimburse only for services provided in facilities or programs with no more than 16 beds.

(6) These residential providers must be licensed by the Department of Social Services, Department of Juvenile Justice, or Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services under the Standards for Licensed Children's Residential Facilities (22VAC40-151), Regulation Governing Juvenile Group Homes and Halfway Houses (6VAC35-41), or Regulations for Children's Residential Facilities (12VAC35-46).

(7) Daily progress notes shall document a minimum of seven psychoeducational activities per week. Psychoeducational programming must include development or maintenance of daily living skills, anger management, social skills, family living skills, communication skills, stress management, and any care coordination activities.

(8) The facility/group home must coordinate services with other providers. Such care coordination shall be documented in the individual's medical record. The documentation shall include who was contacted, when the contact occurred, and what information was transmitted.

(9) Service-specific provider intakes shall be required at the onset of services and ISPs shall be required during the entire duration of services. Services based upon incomplete, missing, or outdated service-specific provider intakes or ISPs shall be denied reimbursement. Requirements for intakes and ISPs are set out in 12VAC30-60-61.

(10) These services may only be rendered by an LMHP, LMHP-supervisee, LMHP-resident, LMHP-RP, a QMHP-C, a QMHP-E, or a QPPMH.

e. Therapeutic behavioral services (Level B) pursuant to 42 CFR 440.130(d).

(1) Such services must be therapeutic services rendered in a residential setting. The residential services will provide structure for daily activities, psychoeducation, therapeutic supervision, care coordination, and psychiatric treatment to ensure the attainment of therapeutic mental health goals as identified in the individual service plan (plan of care). Individuals qualifying for this service must demonstrate medical necessity for the service arising from a condition due to mental, behavioral or emotional illness that results in significant functional impairments in major life activities in the home, school, at work, or in the community. The service must reasonably be expected to improve the child's condition or prevent regression so that the services will no longer be needed. The application of a national standardized set of medical necessity criteria in use in the industry, such as McKesson InterQual® Criteria, or an equivalent standard authorized in advance by DMAS shall be required for this service.

(2) Authorization is required for Medicaid reimbursement. Services that are rendered before the date of service authorization shall not be reimbursed.

(3) Room and board costs shall not be reimbursed. Facilities that only provide independent living services are not reimbursed. DMAS shall reimburse only for services provided in facilities or programs with no more than 16 beds.

(4) These residential providers must be licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) under the Regulations for Children's Residential Facilities (12VAC35-46).

(5) Daily progress notes shall document that a minimum of seven psychoeducational activities per week occurs. Psychoeducational programming must include development or maintenance of daily living skills, anger management, social skills, family living skills, communication skills, and stress management. This service may be provided in a program setting or a community-based group home.

(6) The individual must receive, at least weekly, individual psychotherapy and, at least weekly, group psychotherapy that is provided as part of the program.

(7) Individuals shall be discharged from this service when other less intensive services may achieve stabilization.

(8) Service-specific provider intakes shall be required at the onset of services and ISPs shall be required during the entire duration of services. Services that are based upon incomplete, missing, or outdated service-specific provider intakes or ISPs shall be denied reimbursement. Requirements for intakes and ISPs are set out in 12VAC30-60-61.

(9) These services may only be rendered by an LMHP, LMHP-supervisee, LMHP-resident, LMHP-RP, a QMHP-C, a QMHP-E, or a QPPMH.

(10) The facility/group home shall coordinate necessary services with other providers. Documentation of this care coordination shall be maintained by the facility/group home in the individual's record. The documentation shall include who was contacted, when the contact occurred, and what information was transmitted.

f. Mental health family support partners.

(1) Mental health family support partners are peer recovery support services and are nonclinical, peer-to-peer activities that engage, educate, and support the caregiver and an individual's self-help efforts to improve health recovery resiliency and wellness. Mental health family support partners is a peer support service and is a strength-based, individualized service provided to the caregiver of a Medicaid-eligible individual younger than 21 years of age with a mental health disorder that is the focus of support. The services provided to the caregiver and individual must be directed exclusively toward the benefit of the Medicaid-eligible individual. Services are expected to improve outcomes for individuals younger than 21 years of age with complex needs who are involved with multiple systems and increase the individual's and family's confidence and capacity to manage their own services and supports while promoting recovery and healthy relationships. These services are rendered by a PRS who is (i) a parent of a minor or adult child with a similar mental health disorder or (ii) an adult with personal experience with a family member with a similar mental health disorder with experience navigating behavioral health care services. The PRS shall perform the service within the scope of his knowledge, lived experience, and education.

(2) Under the clinical oversight of the LMHP making the recommendation for mental health family support partners, the peer recovery specialist in consultation with his direct supervisor shall develop a recovery, resiliency, and wellness plan based on the LMHP's recommendation for service, the individual's and the caregiver's perceived recovery needs, and any clinical assessments or service specific provider intakes as defined in this section within 30 calendar days of the initiation of service. Development of the recovery, resiliency, and wellness plan shall include collaboration with the individual and the individual's caregiver. Individualized goals and strategies shall be focused on the individual's identified needs for self-advocacy and recovery. The recovery, resiliency, and wellness plan shall also include documentation of how many days per week and how many hours per week are required to carry out the services in order to meet the goals of the plan. The recovery, resiliency, and wellness plan shall be completed, signed, and dated by the LMHP, the PRS, the direct supervisor, the individual, and the individual's caregiver within 30 calendar days of the initiation of service. The PRS shall act as an advocate for the individual, encouraging the individual and the caregiver to take a proactive role in developing and updating goals and objectives in the individualized recovery planning.

(3) Documentation of required activities shall be required as set forth in 12VAC30-130-5200 A and C through J.

(4) Limitations and exclusions to service delivery shall be the same as set forth in 12VAC30-130-5210.

(5) Caregivers of individuals younger than 21 years of age who qualify to receive mental health family support partners (i) care for an individual with a mental health disorder who requires recovery assistance and (ii) meet two or more of the following:

(a) Individual and his caregiver need peer-based recovery-oriented services for the maintenance of wellness and the acquisition of skills needed to support the individual.

(b) Individual and his caregiver need assistance to develop self-advocacy skills to assist the individual in achieving self-management of the individual's health status.

(c) Individual and his caregiver need assistance and support to prepare the individual for a successful work or school experience.

(d) Individual and his caregiver need assistance to help the individual and caregiver assume responsibility for recovery.

(6) Individuals 18 through 20 years of age who meet the medical necessity criteria in 12VAC30-50-226 B 7 e, who would benefit from receiving peer supports directly and who choose to receive mental health peer support services directly instead of through their caregiver, shall be permitted to receive mental health peer support services by an appropriate PRS.

(7) To qualify for continued mental health family support partners, the requirements for continued services set forth in 12VAC30-130-5180 D shall be met.

(8) Discharge criteria from mental health family support partners shall be the same as set forth in 12VAC30-130-5180 E.

(9) Mental health family support partners services shall be rendered on an individual basis or in a group.

(10) Prior to service initiation, a documented recommendation for mental health family support partners services shall be made by a licensed mental health professional (LMHP) who is acting within his scope of practice under state law. The recommendation shall verify that the individual meets the medical necessity criteria set forth in subdivision 5 of this subsection. The recommendation shall be valid for no longer than 30 calendar days.

(11) Effective July 1, 2017, a peer recovery specialist shall have the qualifications, education, experience, and certification required by DBHDS in order to be eligible to register with the Virginia Board of Counseling on or after July 1, 2018. Upon the promulgation of regulations by the Board of Counseling, registration of peer recovery specialists by the Board of Counseling shall be required. The PRS shall perform mental health family support partners services under the oversight of the LMHP making the recommendation for services and providing the clinical oversight of the recovery, resiliency, and wellness plan.

(12) The PRS shall be employed by or have a contractual relationship with the enrolled provider licensed for one of the following:

(a) Acute care general and emergency department hospital services licensed by the Department of Health.

(b) Freestanding psychiatric hospital and inpatient psychiatric unit licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.

(c) Psychiatric residential treatment facility licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.

(d) Therapeutic group home licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.

(e) Outpatient mental health clinic services licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.

(f) Outpatient psychiatric services provider.

(g) A community mental health and rehabilitative services provider licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services as a provider of one of the following community mental health and rehabilitative services as defined in this section, 12VAC30-50-226, 12VAC30-50-420, or 12VAC30-50-430 for which the individual younger than 21 years meets medical necessity criteria (i) intensive in home; (ii) therapeutic day treatment; (iii) day treatment or partial hospitalization; (iv) crisis intervention; (v) crisis stabilization; (vi) mental health skill building; or (vii) mental health case management.

(13) Only the licensed and enrolled provider as referenced in subdivision 5 f (12) of this subsection shall be eligible to bill and receive reimbursement from DMAS or its contractor for mental health family support partner services. Payments shall not be permitted to providers that fail to enter into an enrollment agreement with DMAS or its contractor. Reimbursement shall be subject to retraction for any billed service that is determined not to be in compliance with DMAS requirements.

(14) Supervision of the PRS shall be required as set forth in 12VAC30-130-5190 E and 12VAC30-130-5200 G.

6. Inpatient psychiatric services shall be covered for individuals younger than age 21 for medically necessary stays in inpatient psychiatric facilities described in 42 CFR 440.160(b)(1) and (b)(2) for the purpose of diagnosis and treatment of mental health and behavioral disorders identified under EPSDT when such services are rendered by (i) a psychiatric hospital or an inpatient psychiatric program in a hospital accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; or (ii) a psychiatric facility that is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations or the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities. Inpatient psychiatric hospital admissions at general acute care hospitals and freestanding psychiatric hospitals shall also be subject to the requirements of 12VAC30-50-100, 12VAC30-50-105, and 12VAC30-60-25. Inpatient psychiatric admissions to residential treatment facilities shall also be subject to the requirements of Part XIV (12VAC30-130-850 et seq.) of Amount, Duration and Scope of Selected Services.

a. The inpatient psychiatric services benefit for individuals younger than 21 years of age shall include services defined at 42 CFR 440.160 that are provided under the direction of a physician pursuant to a certification of medical necessity and plan of care developed by an interdisciplinary team of professionals and shall involve active treatment designed to achieve the child's discharge from inpatient status at the earliest possible time. The inpatient psychiatric services benefit shall include services provided under arrangement furnished by Medicaid enrolled providers other than the inpatient psychiatric facility, as long as the inpatient psychiatric facility (i) arranges for and oversees the provision of all services, (ii) maintains all medical records of care furnished to the individual, and (iii) ensures that the services are furnished under the direction of a physician. Services provided under arrangement shall be documented by a written referral from the inpatient psychiatric facility. For purposes of pharmacy services, a prescription ordered by an employee or contractor of the facility who is licensed to prescribe drugs shall be considered the referral.

b. Eligible services provided under arrangement with the inpatient psychiatric facility shall vary by provider type as described in this subsection. For purposes of this section, emergency services means the same as is set out in 12VAC30-50-310 B.

(1) State freestanding psychiatric hospitals shall arrange for, maintain records of, and ensure that physicians order these services: (i) pharmacy services and (ii) emergency services.

(2) Private freestanding psychiatric hospitals shall arrange for, maintain records of, and ensure that physicians order these services: (i) medical and psychological services including those furnished by physicians, licensed mental health professionals, and other licensed or certified health professionals (i.e., nutritionists, podiatrists, respiratory therapists, and substance abuse treatment practitioners); (ii) outpatient hospital services; (iii) physical therapy, occupational therapy, and therapy for individuals with speech, hearing, or language disorders; (iv) laboratory and radiology services; (v) vision services; (vi) dental, oral surgery, and orthodontic services; (vii) transportation services; and (viii) emergency services.

(3) Residential treatment facilities, as defined at 42 CFR 483.352, shall arrange for, maintain records of, and ensure that physicians order these services: (i) medical and psychological services, including those furnished by physicians, licensed mental health professionals, and other licensed or certified health professionals (i.e., nutritionists, podiatrists, respiratory therapists, and substance abuse treatment practitioners); (ii) pharmacy services; (iii) outpatient hospital services; (iv) physical therapy, occupational therapy, and therapy for individuals with speech, hearing, or language disorders; (v) laboratory and radiology services; (vi) durable medical equipment; (vii) vision services; (viii) dental, oral surgery, and orthodontic services; (ix) transportation services; and (x) emergency services.

c. Inpatient psychiatric services are reimbursable only when the treatment program is fully in compliance with (i) 42 CFR Part 441 Subpart D, specifically 42 CFR 441.151(a) and (b) and 42 CFR 441.152 through 42 CFR 441.156, and (ii) the conditions of participation in 42 CFR Part 483 Subpart G. Each admission must be preauthorized and the treatment must meet DMAS requirements for clinical necessity.

d. Service limits may be exceeded based on medical necessity for individuals eligible for EPSDT.

7. Hearing aids shall be reimbursed for individuals younger than 21 years of age according to medical necessity when provided by practitioners licensed to engage in the practice of fitting or dealing in hearing aids under the Code of Virginia.

8. Addiction and recovery treatment services shall be covered under EPSDT consistent with 12VAC30-130-5000 et seq.

9. Services facilitators shall be required for all consumer-directed personal care services consistent with the requirements set out in 12VAC30-120-935.

10. Behavioral therapy services shall be covered for individuals younger than 21 years of age.

a. Definitions. The following words and terms when used in this subsection shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Behavioral therapy" means systematic interventions provided by licensed practitioners acting within the scope of practice defined under a Virginia Department of Health Professions regulatory board and covered as remedial care under 42 CFR 440.130(d) to individuals younger than 21 years of age. Behavioral therapy includes applied behavioral analysis. Family training related to the implementation of the behavioral therapy shall be included as part of the behavioral therapy service. Behavioral therapy services shall be subject to clinical reviews and determined as medically necessary. Behavioral therapy may be provided in the individual's home and community settings as deemed by DMAS or its contractor as medically necessary treatment.

"Counseling" means a professional mental health service that can only be provided by a person holding a license issued by a health regulatory board at the Department of Health Professions, which includes conducting assessments, making diagnoses of mental disorders and conditions, establishing treatment plans, and determining treatment interventions.

"Individual" means the child or adolescent younger than 21 years of age who is receiving behavioral therapy services.

"Primary care provider" means a licensed medical practitioner who provides preventive and primary health care and is responsible for providing routine EPSDT screening and referral and coordination of other medical services needed by the individual.

b. Behavioral therapy services shall be designed to enhance communication skills and decrease maladaptive patterns of behavior, which if left untreated, could lead to more complex problems and the need for a greater or a more intensive level of care. The service goal shall be to ensure the individual's family or caregiver is trained to effectively manage the individual's behavior in the home using modification strategies. All services shall be provided in accordance with the ISP and clinical assessment summary.

c. Behavioral therapy services shall be covered when recommended by the individual's primary care provider or other licensed physician, licensed physician assistant, or licensed nurse practitioner and determined by DMAS or its contractor to be medically necessary to correct or ameliorate significant impairments in major life activities that have resulted from either developmental, behavioral, or mental disabilities. Criteria for medical necessity are set out in 12VAC30-60-61 H. Service-specific provider intakes shall be required at the onset of these services in order to receive authorization for reimbursement. Individual service plans (ISPs) shall be required throughout the entire duration of services. The services shall be provided in accordance with the individual service plan and clinical assessment summary. These services shall be provided in settings that are natural or normal for a child or adolescent without a disability, such as the individual's home, unless there is justification in the ISP, which has been authorized for reimbursement, to include service settings that promote a generalization of behaviors across different settings to maintain the targeted functioning outside of the treatment setting in the individual's home and the larger community within which the individual resides. Covered behavioral therapy services shall include:

(1) Initial and periodic service-specific provider intake as defined in 12VAC30-60-61 H;

(2) Development of initial and updated ISPs as established in 12VAC30-60-61 H;

(3) Clinical supervision activities. Requirements for clinical supervision are set out in 12VAC30-60-61 H;

(4) Behavioral training to increase the individual's adaptive functioning and communication skills;

(5) Training a family member in behavioral modification methods as established in 12VAC30-60-61 H;

(6) Documentation and analysis of quantifiable behavioral data related to the treatment objectives; and

(7) Care coordination.

11. All personal care services rendered to children under the authority of 42 CFR 440.40(b) shall comply with the requirements of 12 VAC 30-60-65 with regard to electronic visit verification.

C. School health services.

1. School health assistant services are repealed effective July 1, 2006.

2. School divisions may provide routine well-child screening services under the State Plan. Diagnostic and treatment services that are otherwise covered under early and periodic screening, diagnosis and treatment services shall not be covered for school divisions. School divisions to receive reimbursement for the screenings shall be enrolled with DMAS as clinic providers.

a. Children enrolled in managed care organizations shall receive screenings from those organizations. School divisions shall not receive reimbursement for screenings from DMAS for these children.

b. School-based services are listed in a recipient's individualized education program (IEP) and covered under one or more of the service categories described in § 1905(a) of the Social Security Act. These services are necessary to correct or ameliorate defects of physical or mental illnesses or conditions.

3. Providers shall be licensed under the applicable state practice act or comparable licensing criteria by the Virginia Department of Education and shall meet applicable qualifications under 42 CFR Part 440. Identification of defects, illnesses or conditions and services necessary to correct or ameliorate them shall be performed by practitioners qualified to make those determinations within their licensed scope of practice, either as a member of the IEP team or by a qualified practitioner outside the IEP team.

a. Providers shall be employed by the school division or under contract to the school division.

b. Supervision of services by providers recognized in subdivision 4 of this subsection shall occur as allowed under federal regulations and consistent with Virginia law, regulations, and DMAS provider manuals.

c. The services described in subdivision 4 of this subsection shall be delivered by school providers, but may also be available in the community from other providers.

d. Services in this subsection are subject to utilization control as provided under 42 CFR Parts 455 and 456.

e. The IEP shall determine whether or not the services described in subdivision 4 of this subsection are medically necessary and that the treatment prescribed is in accordance with standards of medical practice. Medical necessity is defined as services ordered by IEP providers. The IEP providers are qualified Medicaid providers to make the medical necessity determination in accordance with their scope of practice. The services must be described as to the amount, duration and scope.

4. Covered services include:

a. Physical therapy, occupational therapy and services for individuals with speech, hearing, and language disorders, performed by, or under the direction of, providers who meet the qualifications set forth at 42 CFR 440.110. This coverage includes audiology services.

b. Skilled nursing services are covered under 42 CFR 440.60. These services are to be rendered in accordance to the licensing standards and criteria of the Virginia Board of Nursing. Nursing services are to be provided by licensed registered nurses or licensed practical nurses but may be delegated by licensed registered nurses in accordance with the regulations of the Virginia Board of Nursing, especially the section on delegation of nursing tasks and procedures. The licensed practical nurse is under the supervision of a registered nurse.

(1) The coverage of skilled nursing services shall be of a level of complexity and sophistication (based on assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation) that is consistent with skilled nursing services when performed by a licensed registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse. These skilled nursing services shall include dressing changes, maintaining patent airways, medication administration/monitoring and urinary catheterizations.

(2) Skilled nursing services shall be directly and specifically related to an active, written plan of care developed by a registered nurse that is based on a written order from a physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner for skilled nursing services. This order shall be recertified on an annual basis.

c. Psychiatric and psychological services performed by licensed practitioners within the scope of practice are defined under state law or regulations and covered as physicians' services under 42 CFR 440.50 or medical or other remedial care under 42 CFR 440.60. These outpatient services include individual medical psychotherapy, group medical psychotherapy coverage, and family medical psychotherapy. Psychological and neuropsychological testing are allowed when done for purposes other than educational diagnosis, school admission, evaluation of an individual with intellectual disability prior to admission to a nursing facility, or any placement issue. These services are covered in the nonschool settings also. School providers who may render these services when licensed by the state include psychiatrists, licensed clinical psychologists, school psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, professional counselors, psychiatric clinical nurse specialists, marriage and family therapists, and school social workers.

d. Personal care services are covered under 42 CFR 440.167 and performed by persons qualified under this subsection. The personal care assistant is supervised by a DMAS recognized school-based health professional who is acting within the scope of licensure. This practitioner develops a written plan for meeting the needs of the child, which is implemented by the assistant. The assistant must have qualifications comparable to those for other personal care aides recognized by the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services. The assistant performs services such as assisting with toileting, ambulation, and eating. The assistant may serve as an aide on a specially adapted school vehicle that enables transportation to or from the school or school contracted provider on days when the student is receiving a Medicaid-covered service under the IEP. Children requiring an aide during transportation on a specially adapted vehicle shall have this stated in the IEP.

e. Medical evaluation services are covered as physicians' services under 42 CFR 440.50 or as medical or other remedial care under 42 CFR 440.60. Persons performing these services shall be licensed physicians, physician assistants, or nurse practitioners. These practitioners shall identify the nature or extent of a child's medical or other health related condition.

f. Transportation is covered as allowed under 42 CFR 431.53 and described at State Plan Attachment 3.1-D (12VAC30-50-530). Transportation shall be rendered only by school division personnel or contractors. Transportation is covered for a child who requires transportation on a specially adapted school vehicle that enables transportation to or from the school or school contracted provider on days when the student is receiving a Medicaid-covered service under the IEP. Transportation shall be listed in the child's IEP. Children requiring an aide during transportation on a specially adapted vehicle shall have this stated in the IEP.

g. Assessments are covered as necessary to assess or reassess the need for medical services in a child's IEP and shall be performed by any of the above licensed practitioners within the scope of practice. Assessments and reassessments not tied to medical needs of the child shall not be covered.

5. DMAS will ensure through quality management review that duplication of services will be monitored. School divisions have a responsibility to ensure that if a child is receiving additional therapy outside of the school, that there will be coordination of services to avoid duplication of service.

D. Family planning services and supplies for individuals of child-bearing age.

1. Service must be ordered or prescribed and directed or performed within the scope of the license of a practitioner of the healing arts.

2. Family planning services shall be defined as those services that delay or prevent pregnancy. Coverage of such services shall not include services to treat infertility or services to promote fertility. Family planning services shall not cover payment for abortion services and no funds shall be used to perform, assist, encourage, or make direct referrals for abortions.

3. Family planning services as established by § 1905(a)(4)(C) of the Social Security Act include annual family planning exams; cervical cancer screening for women; sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing; lab services for family planning and STI testing; family planning education, counseling, and preconception health; sterilization procedures; nonemergency transportation to a family planning service; and U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved prescription and over-the-counter contraceptives, subject to limits in 12VAC30-50-210.

12VAC30-60-65. Electronic Visit Verification (EVV).

A. Definitions.

"Aide" or "aides" means the person that is employed by an agency to provide hands-on care.

"Agency-directed services" means a model of service delivery where an agency is responsible for providing direct support staff, for maintaining individuals' records, and for scheduling the dates and times of the direct support staff's presence in the individuals' homes for personal care services, respite care and companion services.

"Attendant" or "attendants" means the person that is hired by the individual consumer to provide hands-on care.

"Companion services" means nonmedical care, supervision, and socialization provided to an adult individual (ages 18 years and over). The provision of companion services shall not entail hands on care but shall be provided in accordance with a therapeutic goal in the Individual Support Plan and is not purely diversional in nature.

"Consumer-directed attendant" means a person who provides consumer-directed personal care services, respite care, companion services, or any combination of these three services, who is also exempt from workers' compensation.

"Consumer-directed (CD) services" means the model of service delivery for which the individual enrolled in the waiver or the individual's employer of record, as appropriate, is responsible for hiring, training, supervising, and firing of the attendant or attendants who render the services that are reimbursed by DMAS.

"DMAS" means the Department of Medical Assistance Services.

"Electronic visit verification" or "EVV" means a system by which personal care services, companion services or respite care home visits are electronically verified with respect to (i) the type of service preformed; (ii) the individual receiving the service; (iii) the date of the service; (iv) the location of service delivery; (v) the individual providing the service, and; (vi) the time the service begins and ends.

"Individual" means the person who has applied for and been approved to receive services for which EVV is required.

"Personal care services" means a range of support services that includes assistance with Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, access to the community, and self-administration of medication or other medical needs, and the monitoring of health status and physical condition provided through the agency-directed or consumer-directed model of service. Personal care services shall be provided by personal care attendants or aides within the scope of their licenses or certifications, as appropriate.

"Respite care" means services provided to waiver individuals who are unable to care for themselves that are furnished on a short-term basis because of the absence of or need for the relief of the unpaid primary caregiver who normally provides the care.

B.  Applicable services. All of the requirements for an electronic visit verification system shall apply to all providers, both agency-directed and consumer-directed of personal care services, respite care, and companion services.

1.  Agency providers shall choose the EVV system that best suits the provider business model, meets regulatory requirements established in this section, and provides reliable functionality for the geographic area in which it is to be used.

2. For consumer-directed services, the DMAS designee (the Fiscal Employer Agent) shall select and operate an EVV system to support individuals, or the employer of record, in managing these individuals' care, meeting regulatory requirements established in this section, and providing reliable functionality for the geographic area in which it is to be used. 

3. Providers of consumer-directed personal care, respite care and companion services shall comply with all EVV requirements.

4. Providers of agency-directed personal care, respite care and companion services shall comply with all EVV requirements.

5.  {RESERVED for home health agencies}.

6. Individuals shall not be restricted from receiving a combination of agency-directed and consumer-directed services. Nothing in these requirements shall be construed to limit personal care, respite or companion services, individuals' selection of provider attendants/aides, or impede the manner or location in which services are delivered subject to subsection C below.

C. The following entities shall be exempt from EVV requirements:

1. DBHDS-licensed provider in a DBHDS licensed program site such as a group home, sponsored residential home (12 VAC 35-105-20), supervised living, supported living or similar facility/location licensed (12 VAC 35-46 et seq.) to provide respite services;

2. The Regional Educational Assessment Crisis Response and Habilitation (REACH) Program; and

3. Schools where personal care is rendered under the authority of an Individual Education Program (IEP). 

D. System requirements.

1. The EVV system shall be capable of capturing required data in real-time and producing such data as requested by DMAS in electronic format. The following information shall be retained:

a. The type of the service performed;

b. The individual who received the service;

c. The date of the service, including month, day and year;

d. The time the service begins and ends;

e. The location of the service delivery at the beginning and the end of the service. EVV systems shall not restrict locations where individuals may receive services; and

f. The attendant or aide who provided the service.

2. In the event the time of service delivery needs to be adjusted, the start or end time may be modified by someone who has the provider's authority to adjust the aide's/attendant's hours.

a. For agency-directed providers, this may be a supervisor or the agency owner or designee who has authority to make independent verifications.  In no case, shall peer workers be allowed to adjust each other's reported time.

b. For consumer-directed attendants, the Fiscal Employer Agent shall have this authority.

3. All EVV systems shall be compliant with the requirements of the ADA (as amended, 42 USC § 12101 et seq.) and HIPAA (P.L. 104-191).

4. All EVV systems shall employ electronic devices that are capable of recording the required data described in subdivision D1, producing it upon demand, and safeguarding the data both physically and electronically.

5. All EVV systems shall be accessible for input or service delivery 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

6. All EVV systems shall provide for data backups in the event of emergencies, disasters, natural or otherwise, and system malfunctions both in the location services are being delivered and the backup server location.

7. All EVV systems shall be capable of handling:

a. Multiple work shifts per day per individual or aide/attendant combination;

b. Aides/attendants who work for multiple individuals;

c. Individuals who use multiple aides/attendants;

d. Multiple individuals and multiple aides/attendants, or both, in the same location at the same time and date. In such situations, the EVV shall be capable of separately documenting the services, as well as the other elements set out in D. 1 above, that are provided to each individual; and

e. At minimum, daily backups of the most recent data that has been entered.

8. All EVV systems shall be capable of electronically transmitting information to DMAS in the required format or electronically transferring it to the provider's billing system.

E. EVV data shall be submitted to DMAS with the provider's billing claim.

F. Agency-directed provider records, audits, and reports.

1. Providers shall select and obtain an EVV system that meets the functional requirements of DMAS or its designee.

2. All providers shall retain EVV data for at least six years from the last date of service or as provided by applicable federal and state laws, whichever period is longer. However, if an audit is initiated within the required retention period, the records shall be retained until the audit is completed and every exception is resolved. Policies regarding retention of records shall apply even if the provider discontinues operation.

a. In the event of a provider discontinues services, DMAS shall be notified in writing of the storage location and procedures for obtaining records for review should the need arise.

b. The location, agent, or trustee shall be within the Commonwealth.

3. All providers shall retain records of minor individuals for at least six years after such minor individuals have reached 18 years of age.

4. All providers shall produce their archived EVV data in a timely manner and in an electronic format when requested by DMAS or its designee.

5. In the event that a telephone or other verification option that the provider uses is not available or accessible in the individual's home or location, and delayed data input is utilized, the provider shall have information on file documenting the reason that the aide/attendant did not use EVV for the service delivered.

 

 

12VAC30-120-766. Personal care and respite care services.

A. Service description. Services may be provided either through an agency-directed or consumer-directed model.

1. Personal care services means services offered to individuals in their homes and communities to enable an individual to maintain the health status and functional skills necessary to live in the community or participate in community activities. Personal care services substitute for the absence, loss, diminution, or impairment of a physical, behavioral, or cognitive function. This service shall provide care to individuals with activities of daily living (eating, drinking, personal hygiene, toileting, transferring and bowel/bladder control), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), access to the community, monitoring of self-medication or other medical needs, and the monitoring of health status or physical condition. In order to receive personal care services, the individual must require assistance with their ADLs. When specified in the plan of care, personal care services may include assistance with IADL. Assistance with IADL must be essential to the health and welfare of the individual, rather than the individual's family/caregiver. An additional component to personal care is work or school-related personal care. This allows the personal care provider to provide assistance and supports for individuals in the workplace and for those individuals attending postsecondary educational institutions. Workplace or school supports through the IFDDS Waiver are not provided if they are services that should be provided by DARS, under IDEA, or if they are an employer's responsibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Virginians with Disabilities Act, or § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Work-related personal care services cannot duplicate services provided under supported employment.

2. Respite care means services provided for unpaid caregivers of eligible individuals who are unable to care for themselves that are provided on an episodic or routine basis because of the absence of or need for relief of those unpaid persons who routinely provide the care.

3. Both agency-directed and consumer-directed personal care and respite shall be subject to the requirements of electronic visit verification set out in 12 VAC 30-60-65.

B. Criteria.

1. In order to qualify for personal care services, the individual must demonstrate a need in activities of daily living, reminders to take medication, or other medical needs, or monitoring health status or physical condition.

2. In order to qualify for respite care, individuals must have an unpaid primary caregiver who requires temporary relief to avoid institutionalization of the individual.

3. Individuals choosing the consumer-directed option must receive support from a CD services facilitator and meet requirements for consumer direction as described in 12VAC30-120-770.

C. Service units and service limitations.

1. The unit of service is one hour.

2. Effective July 1, 2011, respite care services are limited to a maximum of 480 hours per year. Individuals who are receiving services through both the agency-directed and consumer-directed models cannot exceed 480 hours per year combined.

3. Individuals may have personal care, respite care, and in-home residential support services in their plan of care but cannot receive in-home residential supports and personal care or respite care services at the same time.

4. Each individual receiving personal care services must have a back-up plan in case the personal care aide or consumer-directed (CD) employee does not show up for work as expected or terminates employment without prior notice.

5. Individuals must need assistance with ADLs in order to receive IADL care through personal care services.

6. Individuals shall be permitted to share personal care service hours with one other individual (receiving waiver services) who lives in the same home.

7. This service does not include skilled nursing services with the exception of skilled nursing tasks that may be delegated in accordance with 18VAC90-20-420 through 18VAC90-20-460.

D. Provider requirements. In addition to meeting the general conditions and requirements for home and community-based care participating providers as specified in 12VAC30-120-730 and 12VAC30-120-740, personal and respite care providers must meet the following provider requirements:

1. Services shall be provided by:

a. For the agency-directed model, a DMAS enrolled personal care/respite care provider or by a DBHDS-licensed residential supportive in-home provider. All personal care aides must pass an objective standardized test of knowledge, skills, and abilities approved by DBHDS and administered according to DBHDS' defined procedures.

Providers must demonstrate a prior successful health care delivery business and operate from a business office.

b. For the consumer-directed model, a service facilitation provider meeting the requirements found in 12VAC30-120-770.

2. For DBHDS-licensed providers, a residential supervisor shall provide ongoing supervision for all personal care aides. For DMAS-enrolled personal care/respite care providers, the provider must employ or subcontract with and directly supervise an RN who will provide ongoing supervision of all aides. The supervising RN must be currently licensed to practice in the Commonwealth and have at least two years of related clinical nursing experience that may include work in an acute care hospital, public health clinic, home health agency, ICF/IID, or nursing facility.

3. The RN supervisor or case manager/services facilitator must make a home visit to conduct an initial assessment prior to the start of care for all individuals requesting services. The RN supervisor or case manager/service facilitator must also perform any subsequent reassessments or changes to the supporting documentation. Under the consumer-directed model, the initial comprehensive visit is done only once upon the individual's entry into the service. If an individual served under the waiver changes CD services facilitation agencies, the new CD services facilitation provider must bill for a reassessment in lieu of a comprehensive visit.

4. The RN supervisor or case manager/services facilitator must make supervisory visits as often as needed to ensure both quality and appropriateness of services.

a. For personal care the minimum frequency of these visits is every 30 to 90 calendar days depending on individual needs. For respite care offered on a routine basis, the minimum frequency of these visits is every 30 to 90 calendar days under the agency-directed model and every six months or upon the use of 240 respite care hours (whichever comes first) under the consumer-directed model.

b. Under the agency-directed model, when respite care services are not received on a routine basis, but are episodic in nature, the RN is not required to conduct a supervisory visit every 30 to 90 calendar days. Instead, the RN supervisor must conduct the initial home visit with the respite care aide immediately preceding the start of care and make a second home visit within the respite care period.

c. When respite care services are routine in nature and offered in conjunction with personal care, the 30-day to 90-day supervisory visit conducted for personal care may serve as the RN supervisor or case manager/service facilitator visit for respite care. However, the RN supervisor or case manager/services facilitator must document supervision of respite care separately. For this purpose, the same record can be used with a separate section for respite care documentation.

5. Under the agency-directed model, the supervisor shall identify any gaps in the aide's ability to provide services as identified in the individual's plan of care and provide training as indicated based on continuing evaluations of the aide's performance and the individual's needs.

6. The supervising RN or case manager/services facilitator must maintain current documentation. This may be done as a summary and must note:

a. Whether personal and respite care services continue to be appropriate;

b. Whether the supporting documentation is adequate to meet the individual's needs or if changes are indicated in the supporting documentation;

c. Any special tasks performed by the aide/CD employee and the aide's/CD employee's qualifications to perform these tasks;

d. Individual's satisfaction with the service;

e. Any hospitalization or change in the individual's medical condition or functioning status;

f. Other services received and their amount; and

g. The presence or absence of the aide in the home during the RN's visit.

7. Qualification of aides/CD employees. Each aide/CD employee must:

a. Be 18 years of age or older and possess a valid social security number;

b. For the agency-directed model, be able to read and write English to the degree necessary to perform the tasks required. For the consumer-directed model, possess basic math, reading and writing skills;

c. Have the required skills to perform services as specified in the individual's plan of care;

d. Not be the parents of individuals who are minors, or the individual's spouse. Payment will not be made for services furnished by other family members living under the same roof as the individual receiving services unless there is objective written documentation as to why there are no other providers available to provide the care. Family members who are approved to be reimbursed for providing this service must meet the qualifications. In addition, under the consumer-directed model, family/caregivers acting as the employer on behalf of the individual may not also be the CD employee;

e. Additional aide requirements under the agency-directed model:

(1) Complete an appropriate aide training curriculum consistent with DMAS standards. Prior to assigning an aide to an individual, the provider must ensure that the aide has satisfactorily completed a training program consistent with DMAS standards. DMAS requirements may be met in any of the following ways:

(a) Registration as a certified nurse aide (DMAS-enrolled personal care/respite care providers);

(b) Graduation from an approved educational curriculum that offers certificates qualifying the student as a nursing assistant, geriatric assistant or home health aide (DMAS-enrolled personal care/respite care providers);

(c) Completion of provider-offered training that is consistent with the basic course outline approved by DMAS (DMAS-enrolled personal care/respite care providers);

(d) Completion and passing of the DBHDS standardized test (DBHDS-licensed providers);

(2) Have a satisfactory work record as evidenced by two references from prior job experiences, including no evidence of possible abuse, neglect, or exploitation of aged or incapacitated adults or children; and

(3) Be evaluated in his job performance by the supervisor.

f. Additional CD employee requirements under the consumer-directed model:

(1) Submit to a criminal records check and, if the individual is a minor, the child protective services registry. The employee will not be compensated for services provided to the individual if the records check verifies the employee has been convicted of crimes described in § 37.2-314 of the Code of Virginia or if the employee has a complaint confirmed by the DSS child protective services registry;

(2) Be willing to attend training at the request of the individual or his family/caregiver, as appropriate;

(3) Understand and agree to comply with the DMAS consumer-directed services requirements; and

(4) Receive an annual TB screening.

8. Provider inability to render services and substitution of aides (agency-directed model). When an aide is absent, the provider may either obtain another aide, obtain a substitute aide from another provider if the lapse in coverage is to be less than two weeks in duration, or transfer the individual's services to another provider.

9. Retention, hiring, and substitution of employees (consumer-directed model). Upon the individual's request, the CD services facilitator shall provide the individual or his family/caregiver, as appropriate, with a list of consumer-directed employees on the consumer-directed employee registry that may provide temporary assistance until the employee returns or the individual or his family/caregiver, as appropriate, is able to select and hire a new employee. If an individual or his family/caregiver, as appropriate, is consistently unable to hire and retain an employee to provide consumer-directed services, the services facilitator must contact the case manager and DBHDS to transfer the individual, at the choice of the individual or his family/caregiver, as appropriate, to a provider that provides Medicaid-funded agency-directed personal care or respite care services. The CD services facilitator will make arrangements with the case manager to have the individual transferred.

10. Required documentation in individuals' records. The provider must maintain all records of each individual receiving services. Under the agency-directed model, these records must be separated from those of other nonwaiver services, such as home health services. At a minimum these records must contain:

a. The most recently updated plan of care and supporting documentation, all provider documentation, and all DMAS-225 forms;

b. Initial assessment by the RN supervisory nurse or case manager/services facilitator completed prior to or on the date services are initiated, subsequent reassessments, and changes to the supporting documentation by the RN supervisory nurse or case manager/services facilitator;

c. Nurses' or case manager/services facilitator summarizing notes recorded and dated during any contacts with the aide or CD employee and during supervisory visits to the individual's home;

d. All correspondence to the individual, to DBHDS, and to DMAS;

e. Contacts made with family, physicians, DBHDS, DMAS, formal and informal service providers, and all professionals concerning the individual;

f. Under the agency-directed model, all aide records. The aide record must contain:

(1) The specific services delivered to the individual by the aide and the individual's responses;

(2) The aide's arrival and departure times;

(3) The aide's weekly comments or observations about the individual to include observations of the individual's physical and emotional condition, daily activities, and responses to services rendered;

(4) The aide's and individual's weekly signatures to verify that services during that week have been rendered;

(5) Signatures, times, and dates; these signatures, times, and dates shall not be placed on the aide record prior to the last date of the week that the services are delivered; and

(6) Copies of all aide records; these records shall be subject to review by state and federal Medicaid representatives.

g. Additional documentation requirements under the consumer-directed model:

(1) All management training provided to the individuals or their family caregivers, as appropriate, including responsibility for the accuracy of the timesheets.

(2) All documents signed by the individual or his family/caregivers, as appropriate, that acknowledge the responsibilities of the services.

12VAC30-120-924. Covered services; limits on covered services.

A. Covered services in the EDCD Waiver shall include: adult day health care, personal care (both consumer-directed and agency-directed), respite services (both consumer-directed and agency-directed), PERS, PERS medication monitoring, limited assistive technology, limited environmental modifications, transition coordination, and transition services.

1. The services covered in this waiver shall be appropriate and medically necessary to maintain the individual in the community in order to prevent institutionalization and shall be cost effective in the aggregate as compared to the alternative NF placement.

2. EDCD services shall not be authorized if another entity is required to provide the services (e.g., schools, insurance). Waiver services shall not duplicate services available through other programs or funding streams.

3. Assistive technology and environmental modification services shall be available only to those EDCD Waiver individuals who are also participants in the Money Follows the Person (MFP) demonstration program pursuant to Part XX (12VAC30-120-2000 et seq.).

4. An individual receiving EDCD Waiver services who is also getting hospice care may receive Medicaid-covered personal care (agency-directed and consumer-directed), respite care (agency-directed and consumer-directed), adult day health care, transition services, transition coordination, and PERS services, regardless of whether the hospice provider receives reimbursement from Medicare or Medicaid for the services covered under the hospice benefit. Such dual waiver/hospice individuals shall only be able to receive assistive technology and environmental modifications if they are also participants in the MFP demonstration program.

5. Agency-directed and consumer-directed personal care and respite services shall be subject to the electronic visit verification requirements set out in 12 VAC 30-60-65.

B. Voluntary/involuntary disenrollment from consumer-directed services. In either voluntary or involuntary disenrollment situations, the waiver individual shall be permitted to select an agency from which to receive his agency-directed personal care and respite services.

1. A waiver individual may be found to be ineligible for CD services by either the Preadmission Screening Team, DMAS-enrolled hospital provider, DMAS, its designated agent, or the CD services facilitator. An individual may not begin or continue to receive CD services if there are circumstances where the waiver individual's health, safety, or welfare cannot be assured, including but not limited to:

a. It is determined that the waiver individual cannot be the EOR and no one else is able to assume this role;

b. The waiver individual cannot ensure his own health, safety, or welfare or develop an emergency backup plan that will ensure his health, safety, or welfare; or

c. The waiver individual has medication or skilled nursing needs or medical or behavioral conditions that cannot be met through CD services or other services.

2. The waiver individual may be involuntarily disenrolled from consumer direction if he or the EOR, as appropriate, is consistently unable to retain or manage the attendant as may be demonstrated by, but not necessarily limited to, a pattern of serious discrepancies with the attendant's timesheets.

3. In situations where either (i) the waiver individual's health, safety, or welfare cannot be assured or (ii) attendant timesheet discrepancies are known, the services facilitator shall assist as requested with the waiver individual's transfer to agency-directed services as follows:

a. Verify that essential training has been provided to the waiver individual or EOR;

b. Document, in the waiver individual's case record, the conditions creating the necessity for the involuntary disenrollment and actions taken by the services facilitator;

c. Discuss with the waiver individual or the EOR, as appropriate, the agency-directed option that is available and the actions needed to arrange for such services and offer choice of potential providers, and

d. Provide written notice to the waiver individual of the right to appeal such involuntary termination of consumer direction. Such notice shall be given at least 10 calendar days prior to the effective date of this change. In cases when the individual's or the provider personnel's safety may be jeopardy, the 10 calendar days notice shall not apply.

C. Adult day health care (ADHC) services. ADHC services shall only be offered to waiver individuals who meet preadmission screening criteria as established in 12VAC30-60-303 and 12VAC30-60-307 and for whom ADHC services shall be an appropriate and medically necessary alternative to institutional care. ADHC services may be offered to individuals in a VDSS-licensed adult day care center (ADCC) congregate setting. ADHC may be offered either as the sole home and community-based care service or in conjunction with personal care (either agency-directed or consumer-directed), respite care (either agency-directed or consumer-directed), or PERS. A multi-disciplinary approach to developing, implementing, and evaluating each waiver individual's POC shall be essential to quality ADHC services.

1. ADHC services shall be designed to prevent institutionalization by providing waiver individuals with health care services, maintenance of their physical and mental conditions, and coordination of rehabilitation services in a congregate daytime setting and shall be tailored to their unique needs. The minimum range of services that shall be made available to every waiver individual shall be: assistance with ADLs, nursing services, coordination of rehabilitation services, nutrition, social services, recreation, and socialization services.

a. Assistance with ADLs shall include supervision of the waiver individual and assistance with management of the individual's POC.

b. Nursing services shall include the periodic evaluation, at least every 90 days, of the waiver individual's nursing needs; provision of indicated nursing care and treatment; responsibility for monitoring, recording, and administering prescribed medications; supervision of the waiver individual in self-administered medication; support of families in their home care efforts for the waiver individuals through education and counseling; and helping families identify and appropriately utilize health care resources. Periodic evaluations may occur more frequently than every 90 days if indicated by the individual's changing condition. Nursing services shall also include the general supervision of provider staff, who are certified through the Board of Nursing, in medication management and administering medications.

c. Coordination and implementation of rehabilitation services to ensure the waiver individual receives all rehabilitative services deemed necessary to improve or maintain independent functioning, to include physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy.

d. Nutrition services shall be provided to include, but not necessarily be limited to, one meal per day that meets the daily nutritional requirements pursuant to 22VAC40-60-800. Special diets and nutrition counseling shall be provided as required by the waiver individuals.

e. Recreation and social activities shall be provided that are suited to the needs of the waiver individuals and shall be designed to encourage physical exercise, prevent physical and mental deterioration, and stimulate social interaction.

f. ADHC coordination shall involve implementing the waiver individuals' POCs, updating such plans, recording 30-day progress notes, and reviewing the waiver individuals' daily logs each week.

2. Limits on covered ADHC services.

a. A day of ADHC services shall be defined as a minimum of six hours.

b. ADCCs that do not employ professional nursing staff on site shall not be permitted to admit waiver individuals who require skilled nursing care to their centers. Examples of skilled nursing care may include: (i) tube feedings; (ii) Foley catheter irrigations; (iii) sterile dressing changing; or (iv) any other procedures that require sterile technique. The ADCC shall not permit its aide employees to perform skilled nursing procedures.

c. At any time that the center is no longer able to provide reliable, continuous care to any of the center's waiver individuals for the number of hours per day or days per week as contained in the individuals' POCs, then the center shall contact the waiver individuals or family/caregivers, as appropriate, to initiate other care arrangements for these individuals. The center may either subcontract with another ADCC or may transfer the waiver individual to another ADCC. The center may discharge waiver individuals from the center's services but not from the waiver. Written notice of discharge shall be provided, with the specific reason or reasons for discharge, at least 10 calendar days prior to the effective date of the discharge. In cases when the individual's or the center personnel's safety may be jeopardy, the 10 calendar days notice shall not apply.

d. ADHC services shall not be provided, for the purpose of Medicaid reimbursement, to individuals who reside in NFs, ICFs/IID, hospitals, assisted living facilities that are licensed by VDSS, or group homes that are licensed by DBHDS.

D. Agency-directed personal care services. Agency-directed personal care services shall only be offered to persons who meet the preadmission screening criteria at 12VAC30-60-303 and 12VAC30-60-307 and for whom it shall be an appropriate alternative to institutional care. Agency-directed personal care services shall be comprised of hands-on care of either a supportive or health-related nature and shall include, but shall not necessarily be limited to, assistance with ADLs, access to the community, assistance with medications in accordance with VDH licensing requirements or other medical needs, supervision, and the monitoring of health status and physical condition. Where the individual requires assistance with ADLs, and when specified in the POC, such supportive services may include assistance with IADLs. This service shall not include skilled nursing services with the exception of skilled nursing tasks (e.g., catheterization) that may be delegated pursuant to Part VIII (18VAC90-20-420 through 18VAC90-20-460) of 18VAC90-20. Agency-directed personal care services may be provided in a home or community setting to enable an individual to maintain the health status and functional skills necessary to live in the community or participate in community activities. Personal care may be offered either as the sole home and community-based care service or in conjunction with adult day health care, respite care (agency-directed or consumer-directed), or PERS. The provider shall document, in the individual's medical record, the waiver individual's choice of the agency-directed model.

1. Criteria. In order to qualify for this service, the waiver individual shall have met the NF LOC criteria as set out in 12VAC30-60-303 and 12VAC30-60-307 as documented on the UAI assessment form, and for whom it shall be an appropriate alternative to institutional care.

a. A waiver individual may receive both CD and agency-directed personal care services if the individual meets the criteria. Hours received by the individual who is receiving both CD and agency-directed services shall not exceed the total number of hours that would be needed if the waiver individual were receiving personal care services through a single delivery model.

b. CD and agency-directed services shall not be simultaneously provided but may be provided sequentially or alternately from each other.

c. The individual or family/caregiver shall have a backup plan for the provision of services in the event the agency is unable to provide an aide.

2. Limits on covered agency-directed personal care services.

a. DMAS shall not duplicate services that are required as a reasonable accommodation as a part of the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 USC §§ 12131 through 12165) or the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 USC § 794).

b. DMAS shall reimburse for services delivered, consistent with the approved POC, for personal care that the personal care aide provides to the waiver individual to assist him while he is at work or postsecondary school.

(1) DMAS or the designated Srv Auth contractor shall review the waiver individual's needs and the complexity of the disability, as applicable, when determining the services that are provided to him in the workplace or postsecondary school or both.

(2) DMAS shall not pay for the personal care aide to assist the enrolled waiver individual with any functions or tasks related to the individual completing his job or postsecondary school functions or for supervision time during either work or postsecondary school or both.

c. Supervision services shall only be authorized to ensure the health, safety, or welfare of the waiver individual who cannot be left alone at any time or is unable to call for help in case of an emergency, and when there is no one else in the home competent and able to call for help in case of an emergency.

d. There shall be a maximum limit of eight hours per 24-hour day for supervision services. Supervision services shall be documented in the POC as needed by the individual.

e. Agency-directed personal care services shall be limited to 56 hours of services per week for 52 weeks per year. Individual exceptions may be granted based on criteria established by DMAS.

f. Electronic visit verification requirements set out in 12 VAC 30-60-65 shall apply to these agency-directed respite services.

E. Agency-directed respite services. Agency-directed respite care services shall only be offered to waiver individuals who meet the preadmission screening criteria at 12VAC30-60-303 and 12VAC30-60-307 and for whom it shall be an appropriate alternative to institutional care. Agency-directed respite care services may be either skilled nursing or unskilled care and shall be comprised of hands-on care of either a supportive or health-related nature and may include, but shall not be limited to, assistance with ADLs, access to the community, assistance with medications in accordance with VDH licensing requirements or other medical needs, supervision, and monitoring health status and physical condition.

1. Respite care shall only be offered to individuals who have an unpaid primary caregiver who requires temporary relief to avoid institutionalization of the waiver individual. Respite care services may be provided in the individual's home or other community settings.

2. When the individual requires assistance with ADLs, and where such assistance is specified in the waiver individual's POC, such supportive services may also include assistance with IADLs.

3. The unskilled care portion of this service shall not include skilled nursing services with the exception of skilled nursing tasks (e.g., catheterization) that may be delegated pursuant to Part VIII (18VAC90-20-420 through 18VAC90-20-460) of 18VAC90-20.

4. Limits on service.

a. The unit of service shall be one hour. Respite services shall be limited to 480 hours per individual per state fiscal year, to be service authorized. If an individual changes waiver programs, this same maximum number of respite hours shall apply. No additional respite hours beyond the 480 maximum limit shall be approved for payment for individuals who change waiver programs. Additionally, individuals who are receiving respite services in this waiver through both the agency-directed and CD models shall not exceed 480 hours per state fiscal year combined.

b. If agency-directed respite service is the only service received by the waiver individual, it must be received at least as often as every 30 days. If this service is not required at this minimal level of frequency, then the provider agency shall notify the local department of social services for its redetermination of eligibility for the waiver individual.

c. The individual or family/caregiver shall have a backup plan for the provision of services in the event the agency is unable to provide an aide.

d. Electronic visit verification requirements set out in 12 VAC 30-60-65 shall apply to these agency-directed respite services.

F. Services facilitation for consumer-directed services. Consumer-directed personal care and respite care services shall only be offered to persons who meet the preadmission screening criteria at 12VAC30-60-303 and 12VAC30-60-307 and for whom there shall be appropriate alternatives to institutional care.

1. Individuals who choose CD services shall receive support from a DMAS-enrolled CD services facilitator as required in conjunction with CD services. The services facilitator shall document the waiver individual's choice of the CD model and whether there is a need for another person to serve as the EOR on behalf of the individual. The CD services facilitator shall be responsible for assessing the waiver individual's particular needs for a requested CD service, assisting in the development of the POC, providing training to the EOR on his responsibilities as an employer, and for providing ongoing support of the CD services.

2. Individuals who are eligible for CD services shall have, or have an EOR who has, the capability to hire and train the personal care attendant or attendants and supervise the attendant's performance, including approving the attendant's timesheets.

a. If a waiver individual is unwilling or unable to direct his own care or is younger than 18 years of age, a family/caregiver/designated person shall serve as the EOR on behalf of the waiver individual in order to perform these supervisory and approval functions.

b. Specific employer duties shall include checking references of personal care attendants and determining that personal care attendants meet qualifications.

3. The individual or family/caregiver shall have a backup plan for the provision of services in case the attendant does not show up for work as scheduled or terminates employment without prior notice.

4. The CD services facilitator shall not be the waiver individual, a CD attendant, a provider of other Medicaid-covered services, spouse of the individual, parent of the individual who is a minor child, or the EOR who is employing the CD attendant.

5. DMAS shall either provide for fiscal employer/agent services or contract for the services of a fiscal employer/agent for CD services. The fiscal employer/agent shall be reimbursed by DMAS or DMAS contractor (if the fiscal/employer agent service is contracted) to perform certain tasks as an agent for the EOR. The fiscal employer/agent shall handle responsibilities for the waiver individual including, but not limited to, employment taxes and background checks for attendants. The fiscal employer/agent shall seek and obtain all necessary authorizations and approvals of the Internal Revenue Service in order to fulfill all of these duties.

G. Consumer-directed personal care services. CD personal care services shall be comprised of hands-on care of either a supportive or health-related nature and shall include assistance with ADLs and may include, but shall not be limited to, access to the community, monitoring of self-administered medications or other medical needs, supervision, and monitoring health status and physical condition. Where the waiver individual requires assistance with ADLs and when specified in the POC, such supportive services may include assistance with IADLs. This service shall not include skilled nursing services with the exception of skilled nursing tasks (e.g. catheterization) that may be delegated pursuant to Part VIII (18VAC90-20-420 through 18VAC90-20-460) of 18VAC 90-20 and as permitted by Chapter 30 (§ 54.1-3000 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia. CD personal care services may be provided in a home or community setting to enable an individual to maintain the health status and functional skills necessary to live in the community or participate in community activities. Personal care may be offered either as the sole home and community-based service or in conjunction with adult day health care, respite care (agency-directed or consumer-directed), or PERS.

1. In order to qualify for this service, the waiver individual shall have met the NF LOC criteria as set out in 12VAC30-60-303 and 12VAC30-60-307 as documented on the UAI assessment instrument, and for whom it shall be an appropriate alternative to institutional care.

a. A waiver individual may receive both CD and agency-directed personal care services if the individual meets the criteria. Hours received by the waiver individual who is receiving both CD and agency-directed services shall not exceed the total number of hours that would be otherwise authorized had the individual chosen to receive personal care services through a single delivery model.

b. CD and agency-directed services shall not be simultaneously provided but may be provided sequentially or alternately from each other.

2. Limits on covered CD personal care services.

a. DMAS shall not duplicate services that are required as a reasonable accommodation as a part of the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 USC §§ 12131 through 12165) or the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 USC § 794).

b. There shall be a limit of eight hours per 24-hour day for supervision services included in the POC. Supervision services shall be authorized to ensure the health, safety, or welfare of the waiver individual who cannot be left alone at any time or is unable to call for help in case of an emergency, and when there is no one else in the home who is competent and able to call for help in case of an emergency.

c. Consumer-directed personal care services shall be limited to 56 hours of services per week for 52 weeks per year. Individual exceptions may be granted based on criteria established by DMAS.

d. Electronic visit verification requirements as set out in 12 VAC 30-60-65 shall apply to these CD respite services.

3. CD personal care services at work or school shall be limited as follows:

a. DMAS shall reimburse for services delivered, consistent with the approved POC, for CD personal care that the attendant provides to the waiver individual to assist him while he is at work or postsecondary school or both.

b. DMAS or the designated Srv Auth contractor shall review the waiver individual's needs and the complexity of the disability, as applicable, when determining the services that will be provided to him in the workplace or postsecondary school or both.

c. DMAS shall not pay for the personal care attendant to assist the waiver individual with any functions or tasks related to the individual completing his job or postsecondary school functions or for supervision time during work or postsecondary school or both.

H. Consumer-directed respite services. CD respite care services are unskilled care and shall be comprised of hands-on care of either a supportive or health-related nature and may include, but shall not be limited to, assistance with ADLs, access to the community, monitoring of self-administration of medications or other medical needs, supervision, monitoring health status and physical condition, and personal care services in a work environment.

1. In order to qualify for this service, the waiver individual shall have met the NF LOC criteria as set out in 12VAC30-60-303 and 12VAC30-60-307 as documented on the UAI assessment instrument, and for whom it shall be an appropriate alternative to institutional care.

2. CD respite services shall only be offered to individuals who have an unpaid primary caregiver who requires temporary relief to avoid institutionalization of the waiver individual. This service shall be provided in the waiver individual's home or other community settings.

3. When the waiver individual requires assistance with ADLs, and where such assistance is specified in the individual's POC, such supportive services may also include assistance with IADLs.

4. Electronic visit verification requirements as set out in 12 VAC 30-60-65 shall apply to these CD respite services.

4.5. Limits on covered CD respite care services.

a. The unit of service shall be one hour. Respite services shall be limited to 480 hours per waiver individual per state fiscal year. If a waiver individual changes waiver programs, this same maximum number of respite hours shall apply. No additional respite hours beyond the 480 maximum limit shall be approved for payment. Individuals who are receiving respite services in this waiver through both the agency-directed and CD models shall not exceed 480 hours per state fiscal year combined.

b. CD respite care services shall not include skilled nursing services with the exception of skilled nursing tasks (e.g., catheterization) that may be delegated pursuant to Part VIII (18VAC90-20-420 through 18VAC90-20-460) of 18VAC90-20 and as permitted by Chapter 30 (§ 54.1-3000 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia).

c. If consumer-directed respite service is the only service received by the waiver individual, it shall be received at least as often as every 30 days. If this service is not required at this minimal level of frequency, then the services facilitator shall refer the waiver individual to the local department of social services for its redetermination of eligibility for the waiver individual.

I. Personal emergency response system (PERS).

1. Service description. PERS is a service that monitors waiver individual safety in the home and provides access to emergency assistance for medical or environmental emergencies through the provision of a two-way voice communication system that dials a 24-hour response or monitoring center upon activation and via the individual's home telephone line or system. PERS may also include medication monitoring devices.

a. PERS may be authorized only when there is no one else in the home with the waiver individual who is competent or continuously available to call for help in an emergency or when the individual is in imminent danger.

b. The use of PERS equipment shall not relieve the backup caregiver of his responsibilities.

c. Service units and service limitations.

(1) PERS shall be limited to waiver individuals who are ages 14 years and older who also either live alone or are alone for significant parts of the day and who have no regular caregiver for extended periods of time. PERS shall only be provided in conjunction with receipt of personal care services (either agency-directed or consumer-directed), respite services (either agency-directed or consumer-directed), or adult day health care. A waiver individual shall not receive PERS if he has a cognitive impairment as defined in 12VAC30-120-900.

(2) A unit of service shall include administrative costs, time, labor, and supplies associated with the installation, maintenance, monitoring, and adjustments of the PERS. A unit of service shall be the one-month rental price set by DMAS in its fee schedule. The one-time installation of the unit shall include installation, account activation, individual and family/caregiver instruction, and subsequent removal of PERS equipment when it is no longer needed.

(3) PERS services shall be capable of being activated by a remote wireless device and shall be connected to the waiver individual's telephone line or system. The PERS console unit must provide hands-free voice-to-voice communication with the response center. The activating device must be (i) waterproof, (ii) able to automatically transmit to the response center an activator low battery alert signal prior to the battery losing power, (iii) able to be worn by the waiver individual, and (iv) automatically reset by the response center after each activation, thereby ensuring that subsequent signals can be transmitted without requiring manual resetting by the waiver individual.

(4) All PERS equipment shall be approved by the Federal Communications Commission and meet the Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc. (UL) safety standard.

(5) Medication monitoring units shall be physician ordered. In order to be approved to receive the medication monitoring service, a waiver individual shall also receive PERS services. Physician orders shall be maintained in the waiver individual's record. In cases where the medical monitoring unit must be filled by the provider, the person who is filling the unit shall be either an RN or an LPN. The units may be filled as frequently as a minimum of every 14 days. There must be documentation of this action in the waiver individual's record.

J. Transition coordination and transition services. Transition coordination and transition services, as defined at 12VAC30-120-2000 and 12VAC30-120-2010, provide for applicants to move from institutional placements or licensed or certified provider-operated living arrangements to private homes or other qualified settings. The applicant's transition from an institution to the community shall be coordinated by the facility's discharge planning team. The discharge planner shall coordinate with the transition coordinator to ensure that EDCD Waiver eligibility criteria shall be met.

1. Transition coordination and transition services shall be authorized by DMAS or its designated agent in order for reimbursement to occur.

2. For the purposes of transition services, an institution must meet the requirements as specified by CMS in the Money Follows the Person demonstration program at http://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/comp2/F109-171.html#ft262.

3. Transition coordination shall be authorized for a maximum of 12 consecutive months upon discharge from an institutional placement and shall be initiated within 30 days of discharge from the institution.

4. Transition coordination and transition services shall be provided in conjunction with personal care (agency-directed or consumer-directed), respite (agency-directed or consumer-directed), or adult day health care services.

K. Assistive technology (AT).

1. Service description. Assistive technology (AT), as defined in 12VAC30-120-900, shall only be available to waiver individuals who are participating in the MFP program pursuant to Part XX (12VAC30-120-2000 et seq.).

2. In order to qualify for these services, the individual shall have a demonstrated need for equipment for remedial or direct medical benefit primarily in an individual's primary home, primary vehicle used by the individual, community activity setting, or day program to specifically serve to improve the individual's personal functioning. This shall encompass those items not otherwise covered under the State Plan for Medical Assistance. AT shall be covered in the least expensive, most cost-effective manner.

3. Service units and service limitations.

a. All requests for AT shall be made by the transition coordinator to DMAS or the Srv Auth contractor.

b. The maximum funded expenditure per individual for all AT covered procedure codes (combined total of AT items and labor related to these items) shall be $5,000 per year for individuals regardless of waiver, or regardless of whether the individual changes waiver programs, for which AT is approved. The service unit shall always be one, for the total cost of all AT being requested for a specific timeframe.

c. AT may be provided in the individual's home or community setting.

d. AT shall not be approved for purposes of convenience of the caregiver/provider or restraint of the individual.

e. An independent, professional consultation shall be obtained from a qualified professional who is knowledgeable of that item for each AT request prior to approval by the Srv Auth contractor and may include training on such AT by the qualified professional. The consultation shall not be performed by the provider of AT to the individual.

f. All AT shall be prior authorized by the Srv Auth contractor prior to billing.

g. Excluded shall be items that are reasonable accommodation requirements, for example, of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Virginians with Disabilities Act (§ 51.5-1 et seq. of the Code of Virginia), or the Rehabilitation Act (20 USC § 794) or that are required to be provided through other funding sources.

h. AT services or equipment shall not be rented but shall be purchased.

L. Environmental modifications (EM).

1. Service description. Environmental modifications (EM), as defined herein, shall only be available to waiver individuals who are participating in the MFP program pursuant to Part XX (12VAC30-120-2000 et seq.). Adaptations shall be documented in the waiver individual's POC and may include, but shall not necessarily be limited to, the installation of ramps and grab-bars, widening of doorways, modification of bathroom facilities, or installation of specialized electrical and plumbing systems that are necessary to accommodate the medical equipment and supplies that are necessary for the welfare of the waiver individual. Excluded are those adaptations or improvements to the home that are of general utility and are not of direct medical or remedial benefit to the individual, such as carpeting, flooring, roof repairs, central air conditioning, or decks. Adaptations that add to the total square footage of the home shall be excluded from this benefit, except when necessary to complete an authorized adaptation, as determined by DMAS or its designated agent. All services shall be provided in the individual's primary home in accordance with applicable state or local building codes. All modifications must be prior authorized by the Srv Auth contractor. Modifications may only be made to a vehicle if it is the primary vehicle being used by the waiver individual. This service does not include the purchase or lease of vehicles.

2. In order to qualify for these services, the waiver individual shall have a demonstrated need for modifications of a remedial or medical benefit offered in his primary home or primary vehicle used by the waiver individual to ensure his health, welfare, or safety or specifically to improve the individual's personal functioning. This service shall encompass those items not otherwise covered in the State Plan for Medical Assistance or through another program. EM shall be covered in the least expensive, most cost-effective manner.

3. Service units and service limitations.

a. All requests for EM shall be made by the MFP transition coordinator to DMAS or the Srv Auth contractor.

b. The maximum funded expenditure per individual for all EM covered procedure codes (combined total of EM items and labor related to these items) shall be $5,000 per year for individuals regardless of waiver, or regardless of whether the individual changes waiver programs, for which EM is approved. The service unit shall always be one, for the total cost of all EM being requested for a specific timeframe.

c. All EM shall be authorized by the Srv Auth contractor prior to billing.

d. Modifications shall not be used to bring a substandard dwelling up to minimum habitation standards. Also excluded shall be modifications that are reasonable accommodation requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Virginians with Disabilities Act (§ 51.5-1 et seq. of the Code of Virginia), and the Rehabilitation Act (20 USC§ § 794).

e. Transition coordinators shall, upon completion of each modification, meet face-to-face with the waiver individual and his family/caregiver, as appropriate, to ensure that the modification is completed satisfactorily and is able to be used by the individual.

f. EM shall not be approved for purposes of convenience of the caregiver/provider or restraint of the waiver individual.

12VAC30-120-930. General requirements for home and community-based participating providers.

A. Requests for participation shall be screened by DMAS or the designated DMAS contractor to determine whether the provider applicant meets the requirements for participation, as set out in the provider agreement, and demonstrates the abilities to perform, at a minimum, the following activities:

1. Screen all new and existing employees and contractors to determine whether any are excluded from eligibility for payment from federal health care programs, including Medicaid (i.e., via the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General List of Excluded Individuals or Entities (LEIE) website). Immediately report in writing to DMAS any exclusion information discovered to: DMAS, ATTN: Program Integrity/Exclusions, 600 East Broad Street, Suite 1300, Richmond, VA 23219, or email to providerexclusions@dmas.virginia.gov;

2. Immediately notify DMAS in writing of any change in the information that the provider previously submitted to DMAS;

3. Except for waiver individuals who are subject to the DMAS Client Medical Management program Part VIII (12VAC30-130-800 et seq.) of 12VAC30-130 or are enrolled in a Medicaid managed care program, ensure freedom of choice to individuals in seeking services from any institution, pharmacy, practitioner, or other provider qualified to perform the service or services required and participating in the Medicaid Program at the time the service or services are performed;

4. Ensure the individual's freedom to refuse medical care, treatment, and services;

5. Accept referrals for services only when staff is available to initiate and perform such services on an ongoing basis;

6. Provide services and supplies to individuals in full compliance with Title VI (42 USC § 2000d et seq.) of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits discrimination on the grounds of race, color, religion, or national origin; the Virginians with Disabilities Act (§ 51.5-1 et seq. of the Code of Virginia); § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 USC § 794), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of a disability; and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 USC § 12101 et seq.), which provides comprehensive civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities in the areas of employment, public accommodations, state and local government services, and telecommunications;

7. Provide services and supplies to individuals of the same quality and in the same mode of delivery as are provided to the general public;

8. Submit charges to DMAS for the provision of services and supplies to individuals in amounts not to exceed the provider's usual and customary charges to the general public and accept as payment in full the amount established by DMAS payment methodology beginning with the individual's authorization date for the waiver services;

9. Use only DMAS-designated forms for service documentation. The provider shall not alter the DMAS forms in any manner without prior written approval from DMAS;

10. Use DMAS-designated billing forms for submission of charges;

11. Perform no type of direct marketing activities to Medicaid individuals;

12. Maintain and retain business and professional records sufficient to document fully and accurately the nature, scope, and details of the services provided.

a. In general, such records shall be retained for a period of at least six years from the last date of service or as provided by applicable federal and state laws, whichever period is longer. However, if an audit is initiated within the required retention period, the records shall be retained until the audit is completed and every exception resolved. Records of minors shall be kept for a period of at least six years after such minor has reached 18 years of age.

b. Policies regarding retention of records shall apply even if the provider discontinues operation. DMAS shall be notified in writing of the storage location and procedures for obtaining records for review should the need arise. The location, agent, or trustee shall be within the Commonwealth;

13. Furnish information on the request of and in the form requested to DMAS, the Attorney General of Virginia or their authorized representatives, federal personnel, and the state Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The Commonwealth's right of access to provider agencies and records shall survive any termination of the provider agreement;

14. Disclose, as requested by DMAS, all financial, beneficial, ownership, equity, surety, or other interests in any and all firms, corporations, partnerships, associations, business enterprises, joint ventures, agencies, institutions, or other legal entities providing any form of health care services to recipients of Medicaid;

15. Pursuant to 42 CFR 431.300 et seq., § 32.1-325.3 of the Code of Virginia, and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), safeguard and hold confidential all information associated with an applicant or enrollee or individual that could disclose the applicant's/enrollee's/individual's identity. Access to information concerning the applicant/enrollee/individual shall be restricted to persons or agency representatives who are subject to the standards of confidentiality that are consistent with that of the agency and any such access must be in accordance with the provisions found in 12VAC30-20-90;

16. When ownership of the provider changes, notify DMAS in writing at least 15 calendar days before the date of change;

17. Pursuant to §§ 63.2-100, 63.2-1509, and 63.2-1606 of the Code of Virginia, if a participating provider or the provider's staff knows or suspects that a home and community-based waiver services individual is being abused, neglected, or exploited, the party having knowledge or suspicion of the abuse, neglect, or exploitation shall report this immediately from first knowledge or suspicion of such knowledge to the local department of social services adult or child protective services worker as applicable or to the toll-free, 24-hour hotline as described on the local department of social services' website. Employers shall ensure and document that their staff is aware of this requirement;

18. In addition to compliance with the general conditions and requirements, adhere to the conditions of participation outlined in the individual provider's participation agreements, in the applicable DMAS provider manual, and in other DMAS laws, regulations, and policies. DMAS shall conduct ongoing monitoring of compliance with provider participation standards and DMAS policies. A provider's noncompliance with DMAS policies and procedures may result in a retraction of Medicaid payment or termination of the provider agreement, or both;

19. Meet minimum qualifications of staff.

a. For reasons of Medicaid individuals' safety and welfare, all employees shall have a satisfactory work record, as evidenced by at least two references from prior job experience, including no evidence of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of incapacitated or older adults or children. In instances of employees who have worked for only one employer, such employees shall be permitted to provide one appropriate employment reference and one appropriate personal reference including no evidence of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of incapacitated or older adults or children.

b. Criminal record checks for both employees and volunteers conducted by the Virginia State Police. Proof that these checks were performed with satisfactory results shall be available for review by DMAS staff or its designated agent who are authorized by the agency to review these files. DMAS shall not reimburse the provider for any services provided by an employee or volunteer who has been convicted of committing a barrier crime as defined in § 32.1-162.9:1 of the Code of Virginia. Providers shall be responsible for complying with § 32.1-162.9:1 of the Code of Virginia regarding criminal record checks. Provider staff shall not be reimbursed for services provided to the waiver individual effective on the date and thereafter that the criminal record check confirms the provider's staff person or volunteer was convicted of a barrier crime.

c. Provider staff and volunteers who serve waiver individuals who are minor children shall also be screened through the VDSS Child Protective Services (CPS) Central Registry. Provider staff and volunteers shall not be reimbursed for services provided to the waiver individual effective on the date and thereafter that the VDSS CPS Central Registry check confirms the provider's staff person or volunteer has a finding.

20. (RESERVED. TH 4766/8168)

21. Comply with the electronic visit verification requirements set out in 12 VAC 30-60-65.

B. DMAS shall terminate the provider's Medicaid provider agreement pursuant to § 32.1-325 of the Code of Virginia and as may be required for federal financial participation. A provider who has been convicted of a felony, or who has otherwise pled guilty to a felony, in Virginia or in any other of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or the U.S. territories shall within 30 days of such conviction notify DMAS of this conviction and relinquish its provider agreement. Such provider agreement terminations, subject to applicable appeal rights, shall conform to § 32.1-325 D and E of the Code of Virginia and Part XII (12VAC30-20-500 et seq.) of 12VAC30-20.

C. For DMAS to approve provider agreements with home and community-based waiver providers, the following standards shall be met:

1. Staffing, financial solvency, disclosure of ownership, and ensuring comparability of services requirements as specified in the applicable provider manual;

2. The ability to document and maintain waiver individuals' case records in accordance with state and federal requirements;

3. Compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies pertaining to EDCD Waiver services.

D. The waiver individual shall have the option of selecting the provider of his choice from among those providers who are approved and who can appropriately meet his needs.

E. A participating provider may voluntarily terminate his participation in Medicaid by providing 30 days' written notification to DMAS.

F. DMAS may terminate at will a provider's participation agreement on 30 days' written notice as specified in the DMAS participation agreement. DMAS may immediately terminate a provider's participation agreement if the provider is no longer eligible to participate in the Medicaid program. Such action precludes further payment by DMAS for services provided to individuals on or after the date specified in the termination notice.

G. The provider shall be responsible for completing the DMAS-225 form. The provider shall notify the designated Srv Auth contractor, as appropriate, and the local department of social services, in writing, when any of the following events occur. Furthermore, it shall be the responsibility of the designated Srv Auth contractor to also update DMAS, as requested, when any of the following events occur:

1. Home and community-based waiver services are implemented;

2. A waiver individual dies;

3. A waiver individual is discharged from the provider's EDCD Waiver services;

4. Any other events (including hospitalization) that cause home and community-based waiver services to cease or be interrupted for more than 30 consecutive calendar days; or

5. The initial selection by the waiver individual or family/caregiver of a provider to provide services, or a change by the waiver individual or family/caregiver of a provider, if it affects the individual's patient pay amount.

H. Changes or termination of services.

1. The provider may decrease the amount of authorized care if the revised POC is appropriate and based on the medical needs of the waiver individual. The participating provider shall collaborate with the waiver individual or the family/caregiver/EOR, or both as appropriate, to develop the new POC and calculate the new hours of service delivery. The provider shall discuss the decrease in care with the waiver individual or family/caregiver/EOR, document the conversation in the waiver individual's record, and notify the designated Srv Auth contractor. The Srv Auth contractor shall process the decrease request and the waiver individual shall be notified of the change by letter. This letter shall clearly state the waiver individual's right to appeal this change.

2. If a change in the waiver individual's condition necessitates an increase in care, the participating provider shall assess the need for the increase and, collaborate with the waiver individual and family/caregiver/EOR, as appropriate, to develop a POC for services to meet the changed needs. The provider may implement the increase in personal/respite care hours without approval from DMAS, or the designated Srv Auth contractor, if the amount of services does not exceed the total amount established by DMAS as the maximum for the level of care designated for that individual on the plan of care.

3. Any increase to a waiver individual's POC that exceeds the number of hours allowed for that individual's level of care or any change in the waiver individual's level of care shall be authorized by DMAS or the designated Srv Auth contractor prior to the increase and be accompanied by adequate documentation justifying the increase.

4. In an emergency situation when either the health, safety, or welfare of the waiver individual or provider personnel is endangered, or both, DMAS, or the designated Srv Auth contractor, shall be notified prior to discontinuing services. The written notification period set out below shall not be required. If appropriate, local department of social services adult or child protective services, as may be appropriate, shall be notified immediately. Appeal rights shall be afforded to the waiver individual.

5. In a nonemergency situation, when neither the health, safety, nor welfare of the waiver individual or provider personnel is endangered, the participating provider shall give the waiver individual at least 10 calendar days' written notification (plus three days for mail transit for a total of 13 calendar days from the letter's date) of the intent to discontinue services. The notification letter shall provide the reasons for and the effective date the provider will be discontinuing services. Appeal rights shall be afforded to the waiver individual.

I. Staff education and training requirements.

1. RNs shall (i) be currently licensed to practice in the Commonwealth as an RN, or shall hold multi-state licensure privilege pursuant to Chapter 30 (§ 54.1-3000 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia; (ii) have at least one year of related clinical nursing experience, which may include work in an acute care hospital, public health clinic, home health agency, rehabilitation hospital, or NF, or as an LPN who worked for at least one year in one of these settings; and (iii) submit to a criminal records check and consent to a search of the VDSS Child Protective Services Central Registry if the waiver individual is a minor child. The RN shall not be compensated for services provided to the waiver individual if this record check verifies that the RN has been convicted of a barrier crime described in § 32.1-162.9:1 of the Code of Virginia or if the RN has a founded complaint confirmed by the VDSS Child Protective Services Central Registry.

2. LPNs shall work under supervision as set out in 18VAC90-20-37. LPNs shall (i) be currently licensed to practice in the Commonwealth as an LPN, or shall hold multi-state licensure privilege pursuant to Chapter 30 (§ 54.1-3000 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia; (ii) shall have at least one year of related clinical nursing experience, which may include work in an acute care hospital, public health clinic, home health agency, rehabilitation hospital, or NF. The LPN shall meet the qualifications and skills, prior to being assigned to care for the waiver individual, that are required by the individual's POC; and (iii) submit to a criminal records check and consent to a search of the VDSS Child Protective Services Central Registry if the waiver individual is a minor child. The LPN shall not be compensated for services provided to the waiver individual if this record check verifies that the LPN has been convicted of a barrier crime described in § 32.1-162.9:1 of the Code of Virginia or if the LPN has a founded complaint confirmed by the VDSS Child Protective Services Central Registry.

3. Personal care aides who are employed by personal care agencies that are licensed by VDH shall meet the requirements of 12VAC5-381. In addition, personal care aides shall also receive annually a minimum of 12 documented hours of agency-provided training in the performance of these services.

4. Personal care aides who are employed by personal care agencies that are not licensed by the VDH shall have completed an educational curriculum of at least 40 hours of study related to the needs of individuals who are either elderly or who have disabilities, as ensured by the provider prior to being assigned to the care of an individual, and shall have the required skills and training to perform the services as specified in the waiver individual's POC and related supporting documentation.

a. Personal care aides' required initial (that is, at the onset of employment) training, as further detailed in the applicable provider manual, shall be met in one of the following ways: (i) registration with the Board of Nursing as a certified nurse aide; (ii) graduation from an approved educational curriculum as listed by the Board of Nursing; or (iii) completion of the provider's educational curriculum, which must be a minimum of 40 hours in duration, as taught by an RN who meets the same requirements as the RN listed in subdivision 1 of this subsection.

b. In addition, personal care aides shall also be required to receive annually a minimum of 12 documented hours of agency-provided training in the performance of these services.

5. Personal care aides shall:

a. Be at least 18 years of age or older;

b. Be able to read and write English to the degree necessary to perform the expected tasks and create and maintain the required documentation;

c. Be physically able to perform the required tasks and have the required skills to perform services as specified in the waiver individual's supporting documentation;

d. Have a valid social security number that has been issued to the personal care aide by the Social Security Administration;

e. Submit to a criminal records check and, if the waiver individual is a minor, consent to a search of the VDSS Child Protective Services Central Registry. The aide shall not be compensated for services provided to the waiver individual effective the date in which the record check verifies that the aide has been convicted of barrier crimes described in § 32.1-162.9:1 of the Code of Virginia or if the aide has a founded complaint confirmed by the VDSS Child Protective Services Central Registry;

f. Understand and agree to comply with the DMAS EDCD Waiver requirements; and

g. Receive tuberculosis (TB) screening as specified in the criteria used by the VDH.

6. Consumer-directed personal care attendants shall:

a. Be 18 years of age or older;

b. Be able to read and write in English to the degree necessary to perform the tasks expected and create and maintain the required documentation;

c. Be physically able to perform the required tasks and have the required skills to perform consumer-directed services as specified in the waiver individual's supporting documentation;

d. Have a valid social security number that has been issued to the personal care attendant by the Social Security Administration;

e. Submit to a criminal records check and, if the waiver individual is a minor, consent to a search of the VDSS Child Protective Services Central Registry. The attendant shall not be compensated for services provided to the waiver individual effective the date in which the record check verifies that the attendant has been convicted of barrier crimes described in § 32.1-162.9:1 of the Code of Virginia or if the attendant has a founded complaint confirmed by the VDSS Child Protective Services Central Registry;

f. Understand and agree to comply with the DMAS EDCD Waiver requirements;

g. Receive tuberculosis (TB) screening as specified in the criteria used by the VDH; and

h. Be willing to attend training at the individual's or family/caregiver's request.

CHAPTER 122

COMMUNITY WAIVER SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITLIES

12VAC30-122-125. Electronic visit verification.

A. Except as specified herein in B, the requirements of 12 VAC 30-60-65 shall apply for personal care services, respite and companion services.

B. EVV requirements shall not apply to respite services provided by a DBHDS-licensed provider in a DBHDS-licensed program site such as a group home, sponsored residential home, supervised living, supported living or similar facility/location licensed to provide respite as permitted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.