The North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) Developmental Disabilities (DD) Section is seeking public comment on the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Traditional Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities/Developmental Disability (IID/DD) waiver renewal application.
The current waiver, which serves people with intellectual/developmental disabilities and includes an array of home and community-based services in the least restrictive environment, is approved for a five-year period and expires on March 31, 2024.
Some of the proposed changes include adding respite as a stand-alone service and allowing individuals who are not the primary caregiver, legal decision maker, or guardian who lives in the same home as the participant to provide in-home supports and respite services.
Other proposed changes include an increase in the environmental modifications limit from $20,000 to $40,000 per waiver period (five years), removing parenting supports that lack utilization or are part of other services and allowing a participant to continue to receive residential habilitation, independent habilitation, in-home supports, and respite services while in a hospital setting to meet participant needs that are not met through hospital services.
The 1915(c) waiver amendment application with the proposed changes is available for review at hhs.nd.gov/dd. Copies can also be provided upon request. The anticipated effective date of the proposed renewal is April 1, 2024.
Comments and public input on the proposed changes will be accepted from Sept. 18, 2023, until Oct. 19, 2023.
Comments can be submitted to the North Dakota Health and Human Services - Developmental Disabilities Section, Attn: Heidi Zander, at 1237 W. Divide Ave., Suite 1A, Bismarck, N.D., 58501, hzander@nd.gov, 701-328-8945, or 711 (TTY).
The waiver is a program authorized by federal law that funds in-home and community-based services for individuals with intellectual disabilities who meet Medicaid eligibility and level of care requirements.