Section 7.2:  for Sponsored Residential contains substantial changes and will make it extremely difficult for anyone in a Sponsored Service to receive the Customized Rate.   The criteria within this section forces the committee to count 2 or more people providing services and living in the home as one person within the Customized Rate Model. This proposed guidance could discount hundreds hours of work being provided by other Direct Support Professionals living in the setting.

If a Direct Support Professional is hired, trained and paid by the identified Sponsor then the hours worked by the DSP should be counted toward the customized rate regardless of where they live or any other status they may hold such as spouse, significant other, adult child or live-in DSP. You must recognize all staff necessary to provide the service who are hired, trained and paid by the identified sponsor/host.

Here is what section 7.2 says to provide you with a frame of reference:

7.2: SPONSORED RESIDENTIAL

• Customized rate funding approved for Sponsored Residential Supports cannot be used to increase the sponsor payment directly.  
  
  
• Funding approved shall only be used to pay for and provide additional staff, not including the sponsor(s),who are necessary to provide the 1:1 or 2:1 supports required to ensure the health and safety of a qualifying individual. 

• Families, caregivers or other individuals who maintain full time residential status in the home where the
  qualifying individual is receiving services, shall not be included in the customized rate request for additional 1:1 or 2:1 staffing.  
  
  
• Families or caregivers acting as the sponsor are required to provide a minimum of 40 hours weekly of support to the individual before customized rate funding can be approved to cover the cost of paying for or hiring additional staff.
  
  
• Eligible providers must indicate that they have met financial thresholds as outlined in the sponsored residential rate model for paid staff, not including the sponsor.