Section 700. Definitions

Part VIII. Individual and Family Developmental Disabilities Support Waiver

Article 1. General Requirements

"Activities of daily living" or "ADL" means personal care tasks, e.g., bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, and eating/feeding. An individual's degree of independence in performing these activities is a part of determining appropriate level of care and services.

"Appeal" means the process used to challenge adverse actions regarding services, benefits, and reimbursement provided by Medicaid pursuant to 12VAC30-110, Eligibility and Appeals, and 12VAC30-20-500 through 12VAC30-20-560.

"Assistive technology" means specialized medical equipment and supplies including those devices, controls, or appliances specified in the plan of care but not available under the State Plan for Medical Assistance that enable individuals to increase their abilities to perform activities of daily living, or to perceive, control, or communicate with the environment in which they live, or that are necessary to the proper functioning of the specialized equipment.

"Behavioral health authority" or "BHA" means the local agency, established by a city or county or a combination of counties or cities or cities and counties under Chapter 6 (§ 37.2-600 et seq.) of Title 37.2 of the Code of Virginia, that plans, provides, and evaluates mental health, intellectual disability, and substance abuse services in the jurisdiction or jurisdictions it serves.

"Case management" means services as defined in 12VAC30-50-490.

"Case manager" means the provider of case management services as defined in 12VAC30-50-490.

"Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services" or "CMS" means the unit of the federal Department of Health and Human Services that administers the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

"Community-based waiver services" or "waiver services" means a variety of home and community-based services paid for by DMAS as authorized under a § 1915(c) waiver designed to offer individuals an alternative to institutionalization. Individuals may be preauthorized to receive one or more of these services either solely or in combination, based on the documented need for the service or services to avoid ICF/IID placement.

"Community services board" or "CSB" means the local agency, established by a city or county or combination of counties or cities, or cities and counties, under Chapter 5 (§ 37.2-500 et seq.) of Title 37.2 of the Code of Virginia, that plans, provides, and evaluates mental health, intellectual disability, and substance abuse services in the jurisdiction or jurisdictions it serves.

"Companion" means, for the purpose of these regulations, a person who provides companion services.

"Companion services" means nonmedical care, supervision, and socialization provided to an adult (age 18 years or older). The provision of companion services does not entail hands-on care. It is provided in accordance with a therapeutic goal in the plan of care and is not purely diversional in nature.

"Consumer-directed employee" means, for purposes of these regulations, a person who provides consumer-directed services, personal care, companion services, or respite care, who is also exempt from workers' compensation.

"Consumer-directed services" means personal care, companion services, or respite care services where the individual or his family/caregiver, as appropriate, is responsible for hiring, training, supervising, and firing of the employee or employees.

"Consumer-directed (CD) services facilitator" means the provider enrolled with DMAS who is responsible for management training and review activities as required by DMAS for consumer-directed services.

"Crisis stabilization" means direct intervention for persons with related conditions who are experiencing serious psychiatric or behavioral challenges, or both, that jeopardize their current community living situation. This service must provide temporary intensive services and supports that avert emergency psychiatric hospitalization or institutional placement or prevent other out-of-home placement. This service shall be designed to stabilize individuals and strengthen the current living situations so that individuals may be maintained in the community during and beyond the crisis period.

"Current functional status" means an individual's degree of dependency in performing activities of daily living.

"DARS" means the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services.

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

"DBHDS staff" means employees of DBHDS who provide technical assistance and review individual level of care criteria.

"DMAS" means the Department of Medical Assistance Services.

"DMAS staff" means DMAS employees who perform utilization review, preauthorize service type and intensity, and provide technical assistance.

"DSS" means the Department of Social Services.

"Day support" means training in intellectual, sensory, motor, and affective social development including awareness skills, sensory stimulation, use of appropriate behaviors and social skills, learning and problem solving, communication and self-care, physical development, services and support activities. These services take place outside of the individual's home/residence.

"Direct marketing" means either (i) conducting directly or indirectly door-to-door, telephonic, or other "cold call" marketing of services at residences and provider sites; (ii) mailing directly; (iii) paying "finders' fees"; (iv) offering financial incentives, rewards, gifts, or special opportunities to eligible individuals or family/caregivers as inducements to use the providers' services; (v) continuous, periodic marketing activities to the same prospective individual or his family/caregiver, as appropriate, for example, monthly, quarterly, or annual giveaways as inducements to use the providers' services; or (vi) engaging in marketing activities that offer potential customers rebates or discounts in conjunction with the use of the providers' services or other benefits as a means of influencing the individual's or his family/caregiver's, as appropriate, use of the providers' services.

"Enroll" means that the individual has been determined by the IFDDS screening team to meet the eligibility requirements for the waiver, DBHDS has approved the individual's plan of care and has assigned an available slot to the individual, and DSS has determined the individual's Medicaid eligibility for home and community-based services.

"Entrepreneurial model" means a small business employing eight or fewer individuals with disabilities on a shift and may involve interactions with the public and coworkers with disabilities.

"Environmental modifications" means physical adaptations to a house, place of residence, primary vehicle or work site, when the work site modification exceeds reasonable accommodation requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, necessary to ensure individuals' health and safety or enable functioning with greater independence when the adaptation is not being used to bring a substandard dwelling up to minimum habitation standards and is of direct medical or remedial benefit to individuals.

"EPSDT" means the Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment program administered by DMAS for children under the age of 21 years according to federal guidelines that prescribe specific preventive and treatment services for Medicaid-eligible children as defined in 12VAC30-50-130.

"Face-to-face visit" means the case manager or service provider must meet with the individual in person and that the individual should be engaged in the visit to the maximum extent possible.

"Family/caregiver training" means training and counseling services provided to families or caregivers of individuals receiving services in the IFDDS Waiver.

"Fiscal agent" means an entity handling employment, payroll, and tax responsibilities on behalf of individuals who are receiving consumer-directed services.

"Home" means, for purposes of the IFDDS Waiver, an apartment or single family dwelling in which no more than four individuals who require services live, with the exception of siblings living in the same dwelling with family. This does not include an assisted living facility or group home.

"Home and community-based waiver services" means a variety of home and community-based services reimbursed by DMAS as authorized under a § 1915(c) waiver designed to offer individuals an alternative to institutionalization. Individuals may be preauthorized to receive one or more of these services either solely or in combination, based on the documented need for the service or services to avoid ICF/IID placement.

"ICF/IID" means a facility or distinct part of a facility certified as meeting the federal certification regulations for an Intermediate Care Facility for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and persons with related conditions. These facilities must address the residents' total needs including physical, intellectual, social, emotional, and habilitation. An ICF/IID must provide active treatment, as that term is defined in 42 CFR 483.440(a).

"IDEA" means the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004, 20 USC § 1400 et seq.

"ID Waiver" means the Intellectual Disability waiver.

"IFDDS screening team" means the persons employed by the entity under contract with DMAS who are responsible for performing level of care screenings for the IFDDS Waiver.

"IFDDS Waiver," "IFDDS," or "DD" means the Individual and Family Developmental Disabilities Support Waiver.

"In-home residential support services" means support provided primarily in the individual's home, which includes training, assistance, and specialized supervision to enable the individual to maintain or improve his health; assisting in performing individual care tasks; training in activities of daily living; training and use of community resources; providing life skills training; and adapting behavior to community and home-like environments.

"Instrumental activities of daily living" or "IADL" means meal preparation, shopping, housekeeping, laundry, and money management.

"Intellectual disability" or "ID" means a disability as defined by the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) in the Intellectual Disability: Definition, Classification, and Systems of Supports (11th edition, 2010).

"Participating provider" means an entity that meets the standards and requirements set forth by DMAS and has a current, signed provider participation agreement with DMAS.

"Pend" means delaying the consideration of an individual's request for authorization of services until all required information is received by DMAS or by its authorized agent.

"Person-centered planning" means a process, directed by the individual or his family/caregiver, as appropriate, intended to identify the strengths, capacities, preferences, needs and desired outcomes of the individual.

"Personal care provider" means a participating provider that renders services to prevent or reduce inappropriate institutional care by providing eligible individuals with personal care aides to provide personal care services.

"Personal care services" means long-term maintenance or support services necessary to enable individuals to remain in or return to the community rather than enter an Intermediate Care Facility for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities. Personal care services include assistance with activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, access to the community, medication or other medical needs, and monitoring health status and physical condition. This 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.

"Personal emergency response system" or "PERS" means an electronic device that enables certain individuals to secure help in an emergency. PERS services are limited to those individuals who live alone or are alone for significant parts of the day and who have no regular caregiver for extended periods of time, and who would otherwise require extensive routine supervision.

"Plan of care" means a document developed by the individual or his family/caregiver, as appropriate, and the individual's case manager addressing all needs of individuals of home and community-based waiver services, in all life areas. Supporting documentation developed by waiver service providers is to be incorporated in the plan of care by the case manager. Factors to be considered when these plans are developed must include, but are not limited to, individuals' ages, levels of functioning, and preferences.

"Preauthorized" means the service authorization agent has approved a service for initiation and reimbursement of the service by the service provider.

"Primary caregiver" means the primary person who consistently assumes the role of providing direct care and support of the individual to live successfully in the community without compensation for such care.

"Qualified developmental disabilities professional" or "QDDP" means a professional who (i) possesses at least one year of documented experience working directly with individuals who have related conditions; (ii) is one of the following: a doctor of medicine or osteopathy, a registered nurse, a provider holding at least a bachelor's degree in a human service field including, but not limited to, sociology, social work, special education, rehabilitation engineering, counseling or psychology, or a provider who has documented equivalent qualifications; and (iii) possesses the required Virginia or national license, registration, or certification in accordance with his profession, if applicable.

"Related conditions" means those persons who have autism or who have a severe chronic disability that meets all of the following conditions identified in 42 CFR 435.1009:

1. It is attributable to:

a. Cerebral palsy or epilepsy; or

b. Any other condition, other than mental illness, found to be closely related to intellectual disability because this condition results in impairment of general intellectual functioning or adaptive behavior similar to that of persons with intellectual disability, and requires treatment or services similar to those required for these persons.

2. It is manifested before the person reaches age 22 years.

3. It is likely to continue indefinitely.

4. It results in substantial functional limitations in three or more of the following areas of major life activity:

a. Self-care.

b. Understanding and use of language.

c. Learning.

d. Mobility.

e. Self-direction.

f. Capacity for independent living.

"Respite care" means services provided for unpaid caregivers of eligible individuals who are unable to care for themselves and 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.

"Respite care provider" means a participating provider that renders services designed to prevent or reduce inappropriate institutional care by providing respite care services for unpaid caregivers of eligible individuals.

"Screening" means the process conducted by the IFDDS screening team to evaluate the medical, nursing, and social needs of individuals referred for screening and to determine eligibility for an ICF/IID level of care.

"Skilled nursing services" means nursing services (i) listed in the plan of care that do not meet home health criteria, (ii) required to prevent institutionalization, (iii) not otherwise available under the State Plan for Medical Assistance, (iv) provided within the scope of the state's Nursing Act (§ 54.1-3000 et seq. of the Code of Virginia) and Drug Control Act (§ 54.1-3400 et seq. of the Code of Virginia), and (v) provided by a registered professional nurse or by a licensed practical nurse under the supervision of a registered nurse who is licensed to practice in the state. Skilled nursing services are to be used to provide training, consultation, nurse delegation as appropriate, and oversight of direct care staff as appropriate.

"Slot" means an opening or vacancy of waiver services for an individual.

"Specialized supervision" means staff presence necessary for ongoing or intermittent intervention to ensure an individual's health and safety.

"State Plan for Medical Assistance" or "the State Plan" means the document containing the covered groups, covered services and their limitations, and provider reimbursement methodologies as provided for under Title XIX of the Social Security Act.

"Supporting documentation" means the specific plan of care developed by the individual and waiver service provider related solely to the specific tasks required of that service provider. Supporting documentation helps to comprise the overall plan of care for the individual, developed by the case manager and the individual.

"Supported employment" means work in settings in which persons without disabilities are typically employed. It includes training in specific skills related to paid employment and provision of ongoing or intermittent assistance and specialized supervision to enable an individual to maintain paid employment.

"Therapeutic consultation" means consultation provided by members of psychology, social work, rehabilitation engineering, behavioral analysis, speech therapy, occupational therapy, psychiatry, psychiatric clinical nursing, therapeutic recreation, or physical therapy or behavior consultation to assist individuals, parents, family members, in-home residential support, day support, and any other providers of support services in implementing a plan of care.

"Transition services" means set-up expenses for individuals who are transitioning from an institution or licensed or certified provider-operated living arrangement to a living arrangement in a private residence where the person is directly responsible for his or her own living expenses. 12VAC30-120-2010 provides the service description, criteria, service units and limitations, and provider requirements for this service.

"VDH" means the Virginia Department of Health.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 17, Issue 18, eff. July 1, 2001; amended, Virginia Register Volume 19, Issue 25, eff. October 1, 2003; Volume 23, Issue 20, eff. July 11, 2007; Volume 25, Issue 20, eff. July 9, 2009; Volume 30, Issue 14, April 10, 2014.

Statutory Authority

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