Page updated: 10/22/25

Note: The family residential services (FRS) rate framework sunsets on Dec. 31, 2025, or upon federal approval. FRS with a start date of Jan. 1, 2026, or later will use FRS tiered rates. For additional information about FRS tiered rates, refer to RMS User Manual – FRS and LS: DWRS tiered-rate services.

To recommend a service level and calculate a rate in the Rate Management System (RMS), you need to know the number of residential shared staffing hours. The following instructions can help providers calculate that information.

Service planning basics

The provider recommends the initial service level needed based on information from the person's support plan and other relevant documents.

The lead agency reviews the provider's recommendation. If the lead agency agrees with the information provided, they enter it into the RMS to calculate a rate. If the lead agency does not agree, they continue to work with the provider to reach an agreement on an appropriate individual service plan.

For more information on service planning, refer to RMS User Manual – Service planning and authorization.

Information you need to determine residential shared staffing hours

To calculate the person's recommended service level, the provider needs to determine residential shared staffing hours.

To do this for people currently receiving residential services, the provider will need the following:

· Direct care hours required to meet the person’s needs.

· A specific, recent time period as a base for calculating average daily staffing hours.

· The types of activities and associated direct-care staffing requirements for the person.

· All of the above data to determine the average daily staffing hours for the specific person receiving disability waiver services.

To do this for people new to receiving residential services, the provider should use projected staffing hours.

What to leave out

When calculating average staffing hours, do not include the following items because they are included in another part of the framework:

· Non-direct care staff (e.g., drivers, program directors, cooks).

· Paid vacation, sick leave, training time, on-call hours, holidays, etc.

How to calculate residential shared staffing hours

DHS created worksheets to help providers determine residential shared staffing hours for a person who receives disability waiver services.

Tips

· Consider the time period (i.e., how many weeks) you will use as a basis for determining average daily staffing hours.

· If people's schedules do not vary much from week to week, you may not need to use many weeks of data to calculate average daily staffing hours.

· If people's schedules vary significantly from week to week, you may want to use more weeks of data to calculate average daily staffing hours.

· For specific definitions, refer to RMS User Manual – Glossary.

Rules to follow

· Decide how many weeks you will use as a basis for averaging.

· Use the most recent, consecutive time period from one to 52 weeks.

· Use actual hours provided to the people who receive disability waiver services.

· Do not use staff work schedules or payroll records.

How to complete the worksheet

To complete the worksheet, the provider should:

1. Review the applicable quick reference guide on business rules for residential staffing based on the service the person will receive:

· For community residential services, refer to RMS User Manual – Community residential services: Quick reference guide on business rules for residential staffing.

· For family residential services, refer to RMS User Manual – Family residential services: Quick reference guide on business rules for residential staffing.

2. If applicable, calculate staffing hours for people who are home during the day with one or both of the Residential Daytime Staffing Hours Worksheets (.XLS).
(This information will be included on Residential Shared Staffing Hours Worksheet, DHS-6910 [PDF].)

3. Use Residential Shared Staffing Hours Worksheet, DHS-6910 (PDF) to record the staffing type required for each hour of a person's average day:

· On-site awake direct care staffing hours: Enter the number of shared on-site awake direct care staffing hours the person requires in their staffing pattern for each day of the week.

· Remote awake direct care staffing hours: Enter the number of shared remote awake direct care staffing hours the person requires in their typical staffing pattern for each day of the week.

· Asleep direct care staffing hours: Enter the number of shared asleep direct care staffing hours the person requires in their typical staffing pattern for each day of the week.

· Registered nurse (RN) assessment and treatment staffing hours: Enter the average number of hours each day the person requires RN nursing practices as a function of direct care that cannot be delegated according to the Nurse Practices Act and is not fee-for-service billable nursing.
(If the person does not receive any RN staffing, you may leave this field blank.)

· Licensed practical nurse (LPN) assessment and treatment staffing hours: Enter the average number of hours each day the person requires LPN nursing practices as a function of direct care that cannot be delegated according to the Nurse Practices Act and is not fee-for-service billable nursing.
(If the person does not receive any LPN staffing, you may leave this field blank.)

4. Use the information from the person's worksheet to determine the residential staffing hours.

5. Populate RMS Worksheet – Community Residential Services or Family Residential Services, DHS-6790C (PDF) with the calculated residential staffing hours.

6. Send the completed DHS-6790C worksheet to the lead agency.

Training

For more training, refer to RMS User Manual – Training modules. Specifically, watch the following videos in DWRS 203:

· How to determine shared and individual staffing hours for residential services.

· How to determine staff hours for residential services for individuals who are regularly home during the weekday.

· How to determine incidental weekday daytime staffing hours.