Attention NYS Council Children’s Providers

January 14, 2021

Subject: Children’s HCBS Service Combination Proposal – Jan. 20 Discussion
See attached and below.

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Dear NYS Council Children’s Providers,

The NYS Department of Health (NYSDOH) has put forth a proposal for a change in Children’s HCBS, to combine the existing services Caregiver Family Supports and Services and Community Advocacy Training and Supports into a new service called Caregiver Family Supports and Community Advocacy Services. 

According to the NYSDOH, this is in response to provider feedback that finding sufficient, qualified staff has been challenging, and the services seem to overlap, making it hard for providers and care managers to determine the best service choice for a child and family. If the State pursues this proposal, a 1915(c) Children’s Waiver Amendment would need to be requested and approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) prior to implementation.

In combining the two services, NYSDOH says that the qualifications for service delivery will also be combined, increasing the number of possible providers who can deliver the services. They also suggest that combining the services will make it easier to determine appropriateness for the service and allow for greater flexibility in the provision of individualized care.
NYSDOH has invited providers to attend the upcoming Children’s HCBS Provider/State Discussion on January 20th, from 1:00 – 2:30, where this will be a discussion topic. You can register here if you have not done so already.  If you have any questions or additional suggestions regarding Children’s HCBS, feel free to contact us at the NYS Council, or you can send them to BH.Transition@health.ny.gov.

The full proposal document is linked to this email.