Section 752. Day support services

A. Service description. Day support services shall include a variety of training, assistance, support, and specialized supervision offered in a setting (other than the home or individual residence), which allows peer interactions and community integration for the acquisition, retention, or improvement of self-help, socialization, and adaptive skills. When services are provided through alternative payment sources, the plan of care shall not authorize them as a waiver funded expenditure. Service providers are reimbursed only for the amount and type of day support services included in the individual's approved plan of care based on the setting, intensity, and duration of the service to be delivered. This does not include prevocational services.

B. Criteria. For day support services, the individual must demonstrate the need for functional training, assistance, and specialized supervision offered in settings other than the individual's own residence that allow an opportunity for being productive and contributing members of communities. In addition, day support services will be available for individuals who can benefit from supported employment services, but who need the services as an appropriate alternative or in addition to supported employment services.

1. A functional assessment must be conducted by the provider to evaluate each individual in his home environment and community settings.

2. Types and levels of day support. The amount and type of day support included in the individual's plan of care is determined according to the services required for that individual. There are two types of day support: center-based, which is provided primarily at one location/building, or noncenter-based, which is provided primarily in community settings. Both types of day support may be provided at either intensive or regular levels. To be authorized at the intensive level, the individual must meet at least one of the following criteria: (i) requires physical assistance to meet the basic personal care needs (toileting, feeding, etc.); (ii) has extensive disability-related difficulties and requires additional, ongoing support to fully participate in programming and to accomplish his service goals; or (iii) requires extensive constant supervision to reduce or eliminate behaviors that preclude full participation in the program. A formal, written behavioral program is required to address behaviors such as, but not limited to, withdrawal, self-injury, aggression, or self-stimulation.

C. Service units and service limitations. Day support cannot be regularly or temporarily provided in an individual's home or other residential setting (e.g., due to inclement weather or individual's illness) without prior written approval from DBHDS. Noncenter-based day support services must be separate and distinguishable from both in-home residential support services and personal care services. There must be separate supporting documentation for each service and each must be clearly differentiated in documentation and corresponding billing. The supporting documentation must provide an estimate of the amount of day support required by the individual. The maximum is 780 units per plan of care year. If this service is used in combination with prevocational or supported employment services, the combined total units for these services cannot exceed 780 units per plan of care year. Transportation shall not be billable as a day support service.

1. One unit shall be 1 to 3.99 hours of service a day.

2. Two units are 4 to 6.99 hours of service a day.

3. Three units are 7 or more hours of service a day.

Services shall normally be furnished four or more hours per day on a regularly scheduled basis for one or more days per week unless provided as an adjunct to other day activities included in an individual's plan of care.

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

1. For DBHDS programs licensed as day support programs, the plan of care, supporting documentation, and ongoing documentation must be consistent with licensing regulations. For programs accredited by Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission as day support programs, there must be supporting documentation that contains, at a minimum, the following elements:

a. The individual's strengths, desired outcomes, required or desired supports and training needs;

b. The individual's goals and, for a training goal, a sequence of measurable objectives to meet the above identified outcomes;

c. Services to be rendered and the frequency of services to accomplish the above goals and objectives;

d. All entities that will provide the services specified in the statement of services;

e. A timetable for the accomplishment of the individual's goals and objectives;

f. The estimated duration of the individual's needs for services; and

g. The entities responsible for the overall coordination and integration of the services specified in the plan of care.

2. Documentation must confirm the individual's attendance, the amount of the individual's time in services, and provide specific information regarding the individual's response to various settings and supports as agreed to in the supporting documentation objectives. Assessment results must be available in at least a daily note or a weekly summary.

a. The provider must review the supporting documentation with the individual or his family/caregiver, as appropriate, and this written review submitted to the case manager at least semi-annually with goals, objectives, and activities modified as appropriate. For the annual review and anytime the supporting documentation is modified, the revised supporting documentation must be reviewed with the individual or his family/caregiver, as appropriate.

b. An attendance log or similar document must be maintained that indicates the date, type of services rendered, and the number of hours and units provided (including specific time frame).

c. Documentation must indicate whether the services were center-based or noncenter-based and regular or intensive level.

d. If intensive day support services are requested, in order to verify which of these criteria the individual met, documentation must be present in the individual's record to indicate the specific supports and the reasons they are needed. For reauthorization of intensive day support services, there must be clear documentation of the ongoing needs and associated staff supports.

e. In instances where day support staff are required to ride with the individual to and from day support, the day support staff time may be billed as day support, provided that the billing for this time does not exceed 25% of the total time spent in the day support activity for that day. Documentation must be maintained to verify that billing for day support staff coverage during transportation does not exceed 25% of the total time spent in the day support for that day.

f. Copy of the most recently completed DMAS-225 form. The provider must clearly document efforts to obtain the completed DMAS-225 form from the case manager.

3. Supervision of direct service staff must be provided by a qualified developmental disabilities professional.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 17, Issue 18, eff. July 1, 2001; amended, Virginia Register Volume 23, Issue 20, eff. July 11, 2007; Volume 30, Issue 14, eff. April 10, 2014.

Statutory Authority

§ 32.1-325 of the Code of Virginia; 42 USC § 1396.