DSD eList announcement

Date: July 7, 2021
To: Waiver case managers, 245D employment services providers and other interested parties
From: DHS Disability Services Division
Purpose: To provide new home and community-based services (HCBS) waiver employment services guidance
Effective: Transition begins July 7, 2021
Contact: dsd.responsecenter@state.mn.us

HCBS waiver employment services guidance changes

Over the last few years, DHS has worked with our federal and state partners to understand the role of waivers in helping people engage, plan, find and keep competitive, integrated employment. We made updates to our employment services guidance to capture agreements with the Department of Employment and Economic Development and to align our services with federal policy. With these updates, we make it clear that Vocational Rehabilitation Services/State Services for the Blind (VRS/SSB) pays to help people on waivers find jobs.

The following guidance and resources are just one step to help us fulfill our E1MN strategy to improve people’s experience working across waiver, VRS/SSB and school programs.

CBSM updates

We updated CBSM – Employment development services. We also replaced the “VRS, SSB, IDEA and home and community-based employment services – interim guidance” with CBSM – Guidance for employment services authorization.

These updates:

· Define the plan phase and find phase for employment development services

· Help lead agency case managers determine when services are available through VRS/SSB or the school and when to authorize waiver employment services

· Clarify that VRS/SSB is the primary funder for job search supports

· Limit the conditions when the lead agency case manager can authorize employment development services for the find phase.

Note: People who currently receive waiver employment development services will be able to continue their job search without interruption.

New HCPCS codes

DHS created two new HCPCS modifiers that will allow lead agency case managers to authorize the plan and find phases of waiver employment development services separately. These codes are:

· T2019 – U1: Employment development services – plan phase

· T2019 – U8: Employment development services – find phase

The new HCPCS modifiers are available to use in service authorizations beginning July 7, 2021. After Sept. 1, 2021, the existing employment development services HCPCS code T2019 U3 will no longer be available for new service authorizations. The two-month transition time will help people avoid disruption in previously planned services.

The employment development services HCPCS code T2019 U3 is now indicated as “retired” in the MnCHOICES Support Plan. This means the code will be not be available for authorizations with an effective date of Sept. 1, 2021, or later. Lead agency case managers still may authorize the code before that date.

We will update RMS Worksheet – Day and Employment Services, 6790M to reflect the new HCPCS modifiers.

Helpful resources

E1MN continues to build training, resources and tools in the Disability Hub MN work toolkit to support you in this work. Over the next few months, we will publish more resources and training. Visit the toolkit often to access the most up-to-date resources.

What’s next?

· July 7, 2021: Lead agencies should start use the new employment services guidance in service planning.

· Sept. 1, 2021: Lead agencies must use the new HCPCS codes to authorize the plan phase and find phase of employment development services separately.

· If a lead agency has not yet developed a strong partnership with the area’s VRS/SSB office, now is the time to develop that partnership.

· If a waiver employment services provider has not yet enrolled to provide employment supports through VRS/SSB, now is the time to enroll with VRS/SSB.

Previous eList announcements

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