DDRS Quarterly Provider Meeting

The second Division of Developmental & Rehabilitative Services (DDRS) Quarterly Provider Meeting took place on April 24th, with DDRS leaders addressing a number of key topics, including group home conversion, quality rate reimbursement, and health homes. 

DDRS staff began with an update on Group Home Conversion, reporting that efforts have been made to contact all 54 group home providers and that 20 conversion proposals have been received to date. DDRS has awarded 7 mitigation grants and reached verbal commitments toward 7 additional grants. A total of 45 persons and 7 group homes have successfully converted, with another 100 persons in 7 group homes committing to conversion. INARF will continue working proactively with DDRS and industry partners through the group home conversion task force. For additional information on group home conversion please visit the supervised group living webpage. 

The Provider Meeting previewed the Division's continued work creating a quality rate reimbursement model. As currently designed, the model includes performance metrics for employee stability, employment earnings, competitive employment for people with disabilities, and consumer turnover. Targets for established metrics will be set using Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services (BDDS) data and input from provider agencies. For additional information please visit the DDRS website. 

DDRS staff also discussed Health Homes indicating that the State Plan Amendment has not been submitted to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). As a result, the estimated implementation target has been moved from July 1, 2013 to October 1, 2013. Information on Health Homes, including the Health Homes provider handout, is available on the DDRS website. 

Bureau of Quality Improvement Services (BQIS) staff reviewed the provider re-approval process results to date, noting that 117 providers had initiated the re-approval process, 5 agencies had yet to initiate, and 3 providers had withdrawn. Of the 87 completed re-approvals, 57 received 36-month approvals, 19 received 12-month approvals, and 11 received 6-month approvals. 

In addition to Wednesday's presentation, BQIS recently published a wide variety of information in the most recent DDRS Quarterly Provider Update. Of note, BQIS announced the availability of a new Quality Communication that compares data from complaints and the provider compliance process to identify significant trends and issues. The report appears to include helpful information by service category including the indicators and probes most likely unmet in that area. BQIS also recently published updated Quarterly Mortality Review and Recommendations and Quarterly Incident Reporting Data and Recommendations. As you consider the implications of these recommendations for your agency, check out the Fact Sheetand Resource Materials pages for potential tools and solutions. 

INARF and our industry partners will continue working on key provider issues and reporting our progress to members. We encourage you to visit the DDRS website often to keep abreast of these important industry topics.