BISMARCK, N.D. – The COVID-19 Federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) is ending on May 11. When it ends, some flexibilities now available for Intermediate Care Facilities (ICF) and the Traditional Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities/Developmental Disabilities (IID/DD) home and community-based services (HCBS) Medicaid waiver program, will also end.
North Dakota Health and Human Services is inviting individuals with developmental disabilities, their families, guardians and service providers to a public meeting, April 27, 1-2:30 p.m. CT, to learn about the upcoming changes that include returning to some pre-pandemic policies and practices, as well as other changes.
For example, day programs and some other services that were temporarily allowed during the pandemic to be provided at home or in other locations not listed in the state’s Medicaid waiver, will no longer be able to be provided in those other settings. In addition, assessments, team meetings and program monitoring will need to occur in person. Other changes will also be discussed.
“During the peak of the pandemic, some services were temporarily changed to support individual health and well-being,” explained HHS Developmental Disabilities Section Director Tina Bay. “Now individuals with developmental disabilities can more fully participate in community activities and services. Community engagement is important for individual behavioral health and well-being, and upcoming changes support that.”
North Dakotan’s can join the meeting in person, online or by phone. The agenda and details about joining the “DD Section Unwinding from the federal Public Health Emergency” meeting are in the public notice section of the HHS website at hhs.nd.gov/news/publicnotice.
At the meeting, team members from the Developmental Disabilities Section will review the “unwinding” changes for Traditional IID/DD HCBS Waiver services and Intermediate Care Facility settings, along with proposed waiver amendment changes. Information will allow service providers and people receiving services to prepare for changes. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions.
HHS will be submitting to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid a proposed waiver amendment for the Traditional IID/DD HCBS Waiver. Waivers guide the provision of services. Some of the proposed changes include virtual services, relative caregivers, electronic signatures, and self-directed background checks.
Additional information is online at hhs.nd.gov/dd