Washington Administrative Code › Title 388 - Social and Health Services, Department of › DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES SERVICES › Chapter 388-845 - DDA home and community based services waivers › WAIVER SERVICES DEFINITIONS › Section 388-845-2019 - What modifications to waiver services apply during the COVID-19 outbreak?

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1)
				  Notwithstanding any contrary requirement under this title, changes under this
				  section to DDA's home and community-based waivers are effective immediately and
				  necessary to respond to managing the COVID-19 outbreak. All changes, except the
				  provision of remote waiver services, require prior approval by the DDA director
				  of the division of field services or designee and will be assessed on a
				  case-by-case basis. An allowance in this section is valid as long as it is
				  approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services through the medicaid
				  waiver process.
(2) The following
				  changes to waiver services are temporary, effective immediately, and necessary
				  to respond to managing the COVID-19 outbreak.
(a) All waiver services except goods may be
				  offered remotely by providers when travel to the waiver participant is not
				  possible due to COVID-19 infection or exposure.
(b) Limits to the number of respite hours a
				  client may receive that are generated in the CARE assessment are temporarily
				  suspended. The amount of respite hours a client may receive are determined by
				  DDA.
(c) The basic plus, CIIBS, and
				  individual and family services waiver aggregate budgets may be exceeded for
				  COVID-19-related health and safety needs.
(d) Respite provided out-of-state may be
				  provided in excess of 30 days.
(e)
				  Community guide and community engagement may be provided to more than one
				  client at a time.
(f) Staff and
				  family consultation may be provided to more than one client at a
				  time.
(g) Assistive technology is
				  available on all five waiver programs when a waiver participant requires a
				  technology in order to receive waiver-funded remote supports, to increase,
				  maintain, or improve independence with daily living, to increase safety, or to
				  facilitate social communication. Assistive technology is only available to the
				  participant when access to technologies through other resources is not
				  possible. Assistive technology includes:
(i)
				  The evaluation of the needs of the waiver participant, including a functional
				  evaluation of the participant in the participant's customary
				  environment;
(ii) Purchasing,
				  leasing, or otherwise providing for the acquisition of assistive technology
				  devices;
(iii) Selecting,
				  designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying, retaining, repairing, or
				  replacing assistive technology devices;
(iv) Coordinating and using other therapies,
				  interventions, or services with assistive technology devices, such as those
				  associated with existing education and rehabilitation plans and
				  programs;
(v) Training or technical
				  assistance for the participant and if appropriate, the participant's
				  family;
(vi) Training or technical
				  assistance for professionals, including individuals providing education and
				  rehabilitation services, employers, or other individuals who provide services
				  to, employ, or are otherwise involved in the assistive technology related life
				  functions of individuals with disabilities; and
(vii) Distance-based observation and
				  reporting provided by an as-sistive technology distance-based observation and
				  reporting specialist.
(h) Assistive technology on the basic plus
				  waiver is included as part of the list of aggregate services.
(i) If transportation is necessary to prevent
				  illness or meet a client's immediate health and safety needs, waiver
				  transportation services may be used to travel to a place where the client will
				  not be receiving waiver services (e.g., transportation to a family member's
				  home).