The Office of Community Living Digest

In this issue:

✴️ This is part of a Priority Project for the Office of Community Living

Informational Updates

New:

• Operational Memo 25-016 - Decommission of Supports Intensity Scale Assessment and Implementation of Interim Support Level Assessment
• ARPA Direct Provider Payment Update
• Operational Memo 25-019 - Children’s Habilitation Residential Program (CHRP) Waiver Eligibility Expansion
• Operational Memo 25-020 - Closeout Plan for Utilization Review/Utilization Management (UR/UM) Activities for Home and Community Based Services

Upcoming Next Week:

• Quarterly Options Counseling Meeting

Opportunities for Input and Deadlines

New:

• LTSS Providers, We Want Your Free Training Feedback! 

Upcoming Next Week:

• Community First Choice (CFC) Council Meeting
• Rural Home and Community-Based Provider Listening Sessions 

All Upcoming Events

• See list below

Informational Updates

New

 ✴️ Operational Memo 25-016 Decommission of Supports Intensity Scale Assessment and Implementation of Interim Support Level Assessment

The purpose of this Operational Memo is to inform Case Management Agencies (CMAs) of processes related to the decommissioning of the Supports Intensity Scale Assessment (SIS-A) and implementation of the Interim Support Level Assessment (ISLA) for individuals newly enrolling into Home and Community-Based Services Developmental Disabilities (HCBS-DD) or HCBS-Supported Living Services (SLS).

Specific action to be taken by CMAs includes training, a pilot process, and a full implementation process.

See more information about this Memo

ARPA Direct Provider Payment Update

As originally announced in Informational Memo 25-011 - American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Direct Provider Payment, eligible providers should receive the ARPA direct provider payment this week or early next week. Providers do not need to take any action. HCPF expects that providers use these funds to support the direct care workforce. 

To address questions received, HCPF is providing an updated exhaustive list of all procedure codes for the services included in this 4.5% temporary rate increase. As a reminder, this one-time retroactive payment will not be ongoing. Rates have not increased for these services. If you have questions about current rates for services, please review the current Rates Schedules.  

HCPF intends to issue a new memo to formalize this newsletter update by early next week.

Review the updated exhaustive list of all procedure codes

Operational Memo 25-019 Children’s Habilitation Residential Program (CHRP) Waiver Eligibility Expansion

This Operational Memo is being updated to provide additional guidance to Case Management Agencies (CMAs) on where to retain the completed Serious Emotional Disturbance Attestation Forms for members (see bolded text under Actions To Be Taken section). This memo also provides information to CMAs, Children’s Habilitation Residential Program (CHRP) provider agencies, families and stakeholders regarding rule and eligibility changes to the CHRP waiver. These changes to the CHRP Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waiver allow the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) to include Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) within the CHRP targeting criteria for waiver eligibility. 

See more information about this memo

Operational Memo 25-020 Closeout Plan for Utilization Review/Utilization Management (UR/UM) Activities for Home and Community Based Services

The purpose of this Operational Memo is to provide Case Management Agencies (CMAs) guidance surrounding the closeout plan of the Telligen Utilization Review/Utilization Management (UR/UM) submission process for waiver eligibility reviews for Children’s Home and Community Based Services (CHCBS), Over Cost Containment (OCC) reviews, and Health Maintenance Activities (HMA) reviews for members participating in In-Home Support Services (IHSS) or Consumer Directed Attendant Support Services (CDASS).

See more information about this memo

Upcoming Next Week

Quarterly Options Counseling Meeting

Welcome to the Quarterly Options Counseling Meeting. Here is the place to openly talk about challenges and solutions related to Options Counseling and programs. You can ask questions and get to know fellow options counselors, providers, transition counselors and everything in-between that supports community transitions. All interested stakeholders are welcome.

The next meeting will be held:

Tuesday, April 1, 2024

1 to 2 p.m.

Register Here

Opportunities for Input and Deadlines

New

LTSS Providers, We Want Your Free Training Feedback! 

Attention Home and Community-Based (HCBS), Long-Term Home Health (LTHH), and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) providers: Are you aware of and/or using the free training available on the Direct Care Careers site? Either way, we want to hear from you. Share your feedback on the training resources available on Colorado's Direct Care Careers site. Please take this brief survey: Colorado Direct Care Training Feedback.

If you have not yet signed up to access DirectCareCareers, sign up today. Learn more about how to sign up with this demonstration video. 

Upcoming Next Week

Community First Choice (CFC) Council Meeting

The CFC Council is in place to collaborate with and advise HCPF on the design and implementation of a CFC option in Colorado. Primarily made up of individuals with disabilities, those 65 years or older, and their representatives, the council’s experience and expertise will help ensure that CFC is implemented in a way that best meets the needs of Coloradoans with disabilities.

Agendas, presentations, and other related materials for council meetings can be found on the CFC Stakeholder Opportunities webpage. For more information, contact the CFC team at HCPF_CFC@state.co.us.

The first CFC Council meeting in April will be held:

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Meeting Topic:

Enrollment Process and Updates

Join via Google Meet

Join via Phone:

1-260-230-1249, PIN: 719 313 221#

Rural Home and Community-Based Provider Listening Sessions 

The Long-Term Direct Care Workforce Team is inviting rural Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS), Long-Term Home Health (LTHH) and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) providers and partners to join listening sessions. These sessions are an opportunity to share the unique challenges and barriers faced when delivering services to members in the community. Feedback will play a key role in shaping future efforts to improve support for providers and enhance services for those in need, specifically related to shared resources and systems as discussed in the Rural Provider Sustainability Report. 

If interested in participating, fill out the Rural Provider Listening Sessions Sign-Up Form with contact information and preferred meeting date and time. Participants will be added to an email list and will receive more details on how to schedule a spot for regional Listening Sessions in April or May. 

Email HCPF_RuralSustainability@state.co.us or visit the Rural Provider Sustainability web page for more information.

The sign-up form will close at the end of March.

All Upcoming Events

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