Home and Community Based Services Waiver
Guidance Document
Division of Children and Families

Policy

When an ICC Agency’s HCBS Waiver Program has reached capacity (i.e., all slots are occupied), the child waiver applicant is placed in an alternate level of care by the SPOA and is put on a wait list. When a child is put on a wait list, s/he must be provided with an estimated date of the start of the enrollment process. The SPOA assures that alternate, interim services are offered.

Length of List: The Wait List may not exceed more than half the ICC Agency’s approved HCBS Waiver capacity, e.g., the Wait List for an ICC Agency which is approved to serve 16 children may have 8 children.

Priority/Assignment on Wait List:
Prioritization is needs-based and is re-evaluated periodically as new children enter the queue or the mental health status of children on the list changes. In addition to meeting all Waiver criteria, the following is weighed in the prioritization process:

Priority 1:

• SPOA and RTF transition coordinator recommends that HCBS Waiver services are needed for a successful transition to a community setting;
• The child is without any services in the community and is in imminent risk of hospitalization if waiver services are not made available
• The child is currently in the hospital and wishes to be diverted to Waiver.

Priority 2: (Three of the following must apply)

• A request from the family/caregiver and PAC Committee for alternative placement in the community rather than RTF or inpatient psychiatric hospital has been made;
• The child is on the RTF wait list;
• The child has utilized multiple intensive alternative community mental health services and requires Waiver services to remain in the community;
• The child requires non-voluntary home tutoring;
• The child is identified as highest need child based on an assessment instrument  that  identifies the level of need (e.g., Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS), Child and Adolescent Level of Care Utilization System (CALOCUS), etc.);
• Multiple hospitalizations or extended hospital stay has occurred within the past six months;
• Multiple emergency presentations with stabilization alternatives within the past six months has occurred.

Priority 3: (Three of the following must apply)

• The child is on the RTF wait list;
• The child has utilized multiple intensive alternative community mental health services and requires Waiver services to remain in the community;
• Multiple services from other system supports are needed (education, family court, juvenile justice, etc.)
• The child is identified as a high need child based on an assessment instrument that identifies the level of need (e.g., CANS, CALOCUS, etc.)
• Multiple hospitalizations or extended hospital stay within the past year;
• Multiple emergency presentations with stabilization alternatives within the past year.

Priority 4:

• Priority 1,2, and 3 candidates are exhausted.

Comments or questions about the information on this page can be directed to the Home and Community Based Waiver Program.