410-173-0080 Housing Support Services (1) HCBS Housing Support Services shall be provided to Individuals as determined medically necessary and appropriate for an Individual to obtain and reside in an independent community setting and are tailored to the goal of maintaining an Individual’s personal health and welfare in a HCB setting where an Individual is responsible for their living expenses. (2) Housing support services may include one or more of the following individual housing and tenancy sustaining services: (a) Coordination with the Individual to plan, participate in, review, and modify their individualized housing support plan on a regular basis, including redetermination and/or planning meetings, to reflect current needs and preferences, and address existing or recurring housing retention barriers; (b) Provide assistance with securing and maintaining entitlements and benefits (including rental assistance) necessary to maintain community integration and housing stability (e.g., assisting Individuals in obtaining documentation, assistance with completing documentation, navigating the process to secure and maintain benefits, and coordinating with the entitlement/benefit assistance agency; (c) Provide assistance with securing supports to preserve the most independent living; (d) Monitoring and follow-up to ensure that linkages are established, and services are addressing housing needs; (e) Providing supports to assist the Individual in the development of independent living skills to remain in the most integrated setting; (A) Skills coaching to maintain a healthy living environment; (B) Skills coaching to develop and manage a household budget; (C) Skills coaching to interact appropriately with neighbors or roommates; (D) Skills coaching to reduce social isolation; (E) Skills coaching to utilize local transportation. (f) Provide supports to assist the Individual in communicating with the landlord and/or other property manager; (g) Education and training on the roles, rights, and responsibilities of the tenant and landlord; (h) Provide training and resources to assist the Individual with complying with his/her lease; (i) Assisting the Individual to reduce the risk of eviction by providing services to prevent eviction (e.g.; to improve conflict resolution skills, coaching, role-playing and communication strategies targeted towards resolving disputes with landlords and neighbors; communicating with landlords and neighbors to reduce the risk of eviction; addressing biopsychosocial behaviors that put housing at risk; providing ongoing support with activities related to household management; and linking the tenant to community resources to prevent eviction); (j) Providing early identification and intervention for actions or behaviors that may jeopardize housing; (k) Assistance with connecting the Individual to expert community resources to address legal issues impacting housing and thereby adversely impacting health, such as assistance with breaking a lease due to unhealthy living conditions. (3) Housing support services may not include: (a) Payment of ongoing rent or other room and board cost; (b) Capital costs related to the development or modification of housing; (c) Expenses for utilities or other regular occurring bills; (d) Goods or services intended for leisure or recreation (e) Duplicative services from other state or federal programs ; (4) Housing support services shall be provided by the following provider types meeting all the rule requirements as an enrolled qualified Medicaid provider under OAR 407-120-0300 through 0400 and OAR 410-120-1260: (a) Housing supports providers shall meet the following qualifications and competencies: (A) A degree in a human/social services field or a relevant field or at least one year of relevant professional experience and/or training in the field of service; and (B) Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures of services included under housing support services, or comparable services meant to support activities to assess need, arrange for, and procure needed housing resources. (b) General business contractors, includes retail/online stores, property managers, utility companies, shall meet the following qualifications and competencies: (A) Any required license, certification or other state required standard to operate the type of business relevant to the item or service being requested. For example, payments for utilities must be made to a utility provider that is authorized to operate in the State of Oregon. The utility provider maintains all appropriate licenses, certifications, etc. to operate as a utility provider in the State. Providers completing necessary home accessibility adaptions must be licensed, bonded, insured; and (B) Hold a current Construction Contractors Board (CCB) license. (c) Self-employed registered nurses holding a current Oregon State Board of Nursing license practicing under the standards and scope of practice for licensed nurses. (5) Be committed to cultural responsiveness training and language accessibility to ensure equity in service delivery. Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 413.042, 426.495, 430.630 & 430.640 Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 413.042, 426.495, 430.630 & 430.640 History: DMAP 42-2024, adopt filed 02/14/2024, effective 02/29/2024