Writing on the Wall: Summer 2021

Director’s Corner
John Weatherspoon
We find ourselves in the middle of
what seems to be an unrelenting wave
of audits and reviews from DBHDS
which appear to only be increasing as
COVID restrictions are being lifted.
On top of those audits, the waiver
rebase process has started, which sets
the framework for what rates will
look like for five years.
Those of us who dealt with this when
waiver redesign began know the potential
this has to impact all services
in Virginia. Sponsored Residential
Services, in particular, was under
significant duress during the last rate
setting due to a lack of understanding
at the state level of what this service
provides to the Commonwealth. Sponsored
Families and Provider Agencies
persevered and worked to educate
DBHDS and members of the General
Assembly on how we are different here
in Virginia than in states that provide
a less regulated model. In other states
the model mostly serves individuals
who in Virginia would likely fall into
Tier 1 or 2 of Sponsored Residential
Services. In Virginia, Sponsored Residential
services were found to provide
more services to individuals who fall
into Tier 4 than other residential services
by percentage.
We need to maintain strong advocacy
for Sponsored Residential services
as we enter the rebase process. The
rebase survey was recently released to
provider agencies and we were given
17 business days to complete it for
all services. This may not be an issue
for a small agency serving under 30
individuals, but it is a massive undertaking
for larger organizations which
took months to complete last time. I
am already hearing from some agencies
that they will not be completing
it. Wall Residences will complete the
survey so we have a voice at the table
when results are back. In the meantime,
we need to prepare for meetings
with members of the General Assembly
this fall if we find ourselves in the
same situation we did after the last
rate setting. We will work to avoid
that scenario through advocacy with
DBHDS and DMAS, but should be
ready to get in front of our Delegates
across the Commonwealth if needed.
Remember, Virginia does it better!
Sponsored Services here grew up
under congregate residential regulations
and was one of the few services
that not only had to comply with those
regulations, but also a separate set
of regulations specific to the model.
Sponsored Residential Services in
Virginia serves individuals with significant
medical and behavioral needs.
The service is more individualized and
people are naturally integrated into the
community. I recently learned DOJ
was concerned about Sponsored Residential
when they first came to Virginia
due to issues in other states. DOJ
soon learned after visiting our services
that Sponsored Residential is the best
residential service option Virginia has
at getting people into the community
in the most natural environment, while
serving individuals identified as having
higher levels of need.
Sponsored families achieve this by
not only being amazing professionals
but also by having back up (or relief)
staff. Sponsored Residential Providers
hire Direct Service Professionals, who
they have to train and pay to provide
supports. Those staff are paid out of
the line item for the Sponsored Home
in the rate model which we must
protect. During the waiver refresh
DBHDS, DMAS, and Burns &
Associates recognized this and
applied the increase given to DSPs in
the Group Home Rate Model to this
line item in the Sponsored Residential
Rate Model. In a recent meeting with
the state, we learned this increase is
not guaranteed - it is up to decision
makers at DBHDS. The state will also
need to ensure when rates are developed
to match increases in minimum
wage that those measures are also
applied to the Sponsored Residential
Rate Model. Increases for Sponsored
Residential Services have to occur to
match these changes.
Regional
Summer Socials
Coming Soon!
Please watch your email for more information.
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