Virginia Law

A. Service description. Workplace assistance service means supports provided to an individual who has completed job development and completed or nearly completed job placement training (i.e., individual supported employment) but requires more than the typical job coach services, as in 12VAC30-122-400, to maintain stabilization in his employment. This service is supplementary to individual supported employment service. Workplace assistance service shall be covered in the FIS and CL waivers.

B. Criteria and allowable activities.

1. The activity shall not be work skills training that would normally be provided by a job coach.

2. This service shall be delivered in their natural employment setting, where and when the service is needed.

3. The service shall facilitate the maintenance of and inclusion of the individual in an employment situation.

4. Allowable activities include:

a. Habilitative supports related to nonwork skills needed for the individual to maintain employment such as appropriate behavior, health maintenance, time management, or other skills without which the individual's continued employment would be endangered;

b. Habilitative supports needed to make and strengthen community connections;

c. Routine supports with personal care needs; however, this cannot be the sole use of workplace assistance service; and

d. Safety supports needed to ensure the individual's health and safety.

C. Service units and limits.

1. A unit shall be one hour. Workplace assistance service may be provided during the time that the individual being served is working, up to and including 40 hours a week. There shall be no annual limit on how long this service may remain authorized.

2. Workplace assistance service shall not be provided simultaneously (i.e., the same dates and times) with work-related personal assistance service. This service shall not be provided solely for the purpose of providing assistance with ADLs to the individual when the individual is working.

3. The service delivery ratio shall be one staff person to one waiver individual.

4. The combination of workplace assistance service, community engagement service, community coaching service, supported employment service, and group day service shall not exceed 66 hours per week.

5. Workplace assistance service can be provided simultaneously with individual supported employment (ISE) service to ensure that the workplace assistant is trained and supervised appropriately in supporting the individual through ISE best practices.

D. Provider requirements. Providers shall meet the following requirements:

1. Providers shall be either:

a. Providers of supported employment services with DARS. DARS shall verify that these providers meet criteria to be providers through a DARS-recognized accrediting body. DARS shall provide the documentation of this accreditation verification to DMAS and DBHDS upon request.

(1) DARS-contracted providers shall maintain their accreditation in order to continue to receive Medicaid reimbursement.

(2) DARS-contracted providers that lose their accreditation, regardless of the reason, shall not be eligible to receive Medicaid reimbursement and shall have their provider agreement terminated by DMAS. Reimbursements made to such providers after the date of the loss of the accreditation shall be subject to recovery by DMAS; or

b. Licensed by DBHDS as a provider of non-center-based day support service.

2. These providers shall hold current provider participation agreements with DMAS. The provider designated on the signed agreement shall submit claims to DMAS for reimbursement and shall maintain the required documentation that supports the claims submitted for reimbursement.

3. Providers shall ensure that staff providing workplace assistance service meet provider training and competency requirements as specified in 12VAC30-122-180. In addition, prior to seeking reimbursement for this service from DMAS, these providers shall ensure that staff providing workplace assistance service have completed training regarding the principles of supported employment. The documentation of the completion of this training shall be maintained by the provider and shall be provided to DMAS and DBHDS upon request.

4. The direct support professional providing workplace assistance service shall coordinate his service provision with the job coach if there is one working with the individual providing individual supported employment service to the individual being supported.

5. Supervision of direct support staff shall be provided consistent with the requirements in 12VAC30-122-120 by a supervisor meeting the requirements of 12VAC35-105-590. Providers shall make available for inspection documentation of supervision, and this documentation shall be completed and signed by the staff person designated to perform the supervision and oversight. This documentation shall include, at a minimum, the following: (i) date of contact or observation, (ii) person contacted or observed, (iii) a summary about the direct support professional's performance and service delivery, and (iv) any action planned or taken to correct problems identified during supervision and oversight.

E. Service documentation and requirements.

1. Providers shall include signed and dated documentation of the following in each individual's record:

a. A copy of the completed age-appropriate assessment as detailed in 12VAC30-122-200.

b. The provider's plan for supports per requirements detailed in 12VAC30-122-120.

c. Documentation as detailed in 12VAC30-122-120. Data shall be collected as described in the plan for supports, reviewed, summarized, and included in the regular progress note supporting documentation.

d. A written review supported by documentation in the individuals' record that is submitted to the support coordinator at least quarterly with the plan for supports, if modified. For the annual review and every time supporting documentation is updated, the supporting documentation shall be reviewed with the individual or family/caregiver, as appropriate, and such review shall be documented.

e. All correspondence to the individual and the individual's family/caregiver, as appropriate, the support coordinator, DMAS, and DBHDS.

f. Written progress note documentation of contacts made with the individual's family/caregiver, physicians, providers, and all professionals concerning the individual.

2. Provider documentation shall support all claims submitted for DMAS reimbursement. Claims for payment that are not supported by supporting documentation shall be subject to recovery by DMAS or its designee as a result of utilization reviews or audits.