New
Mexico Register / Volume XXXII, Issue 21 / November 9, 2021
NOTICE
OF RULEMAKING
The Human Services Department (the
Department), through the Medical Assistance Division (MAD), is proposing to amend
the New Mexico Administrative Code (NMAC) rule 8.314.5 NMAC, Developmental
Disabilities Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver.
Section 9-8-6 NMSA 1978, authorizes the
Department Secretary to promulgate rules and regulations that may be necessary
to carry out the duties of the Department and its divisions.
Notice Date: November 9, 2021
Hearing Date: December 13, 2021
Adoption Date: Proposed as April 1, 2022
Technical Citations: 42 CFR 438 subparts A
through J; 42 CFR 441 subpart G
The Department
is proposing to amend the rule as follows:
Throughout the rule
Language has been edited throughout the
document to align with the Developmental Disabilities (DD) waiver application
submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on April 1,
2021, as well as with other 1915(c) HCBS waivers in the state of New Mexico.
Section 7
Definitions are amended as follows:
Subsection A-
Activities of daily living (ADLs): to include “oral care.”
Subsection F- Clinical
justification: (2) to include “and to maintain current level of function or
minimize current level of function or minimize risk of further decline.”
Subsection H- New
definition added “Electronic Visit Verification (EVV): A telephone and
computer-based system that electronically verifies the occurrence of selected
services, as required by the 21st Century CURES Act. The EVV system verifies the occurrence of
authorized service visits electronically by documenting the precise time and
location where service delivery visit begins and ends. EVV is implemented according to federal
requirements and timelines. The 21st Century CURES Act requires EVV
for personal care services (PCS), defined as services that provide assistance
with activities of daily living (ADLs) or instrumental activities for daily
living (IADLs) effective January 1, 2020 and for home health services effective
January 1, 2023.”
Section 8 - New
section added “Safeguards Concerning Restraints, Restrictions and Seclusion”.
Section 9 - Subsection
F - Language is updated to include that all
providers have a responsibility to monitor settings to ensure that the setting
supports health and safety based upon the individual’s needs, decisions or
desires.
Section 10 - Subsection
D - Qualifications of case management provider
agency is updated to require case managers to hold a bachelor’s or master’s
degree in social work, psychology, sociology, counseling, nursing, special
education, or a closely related field or to have a minimum of 6 years of direct
experience related to the delivery of social services to people with
disabilities.
Subsection O - Revised
qualifications for a non-medical transportation provider agency to include the
requirement for a business license and drivers must have a valid driver’s license
and not have a disqualifying conviction after submitting to the Caregiver
Criminal History Screening (CCHS).
Subsection P - Revised
qualifications for assistive technology provider agencies to allow providers to
also be direct vendors of approved technology.
Subsection T - Revised qualification to allow additional certification types for socialization
and sexuality education providers.
Subsection U - Language
added requiring customized in-home supports provider agencies to comply
with Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) requirements and allowance for legal
guardians who are also natural or adoptive family members, relatives, or
natural family members to provide Customized In-Home Supports service if they
meet the DOH/DDSD requirements.
Section 14 - Subsections
A and B - The children’s annual resource allotment (ARA)
was removed as were references to services available with the ARA and those
available to children outside of the ARA.
A combined list of services was added.
Section 15 - Subsection
C
Language added to therapy services and
behavioral support consultation to allow for greater use of telehealth and
remote service delivery in specified circumstances and as appropriate.
Paragraph 5 of
Subsection C - Definition of living supports is revised to
clarify the scope of service and provider requirements to provide recipients
services from a registered dietician or licensed nutritionist as needed and to
have a licensed nurse on staff or under contract available on call as needed.
Paragraph 7 of Subsection C - Revised
community integrated employment services to clarify supports may not duplicate
services available through the New Mexico Public Education Department or the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Paragraph 16 of Subsection C - Personal
Support Technology renamed “Remote” Personal Support Technology.
Paragraph 17 of Subsection C - Revised
definition for Preliminary Risk Screening and Consultation to include that this
service is designed to assess continued risk of sexually inappropriate or
offending behavior in persons who exhibit or have a history of exhibiting risk
factors for these types of behaviors.
This service is part of a variety of support services that promotes
community safety and recues the impact of interfering behaviors that
compromises the individual’s quality of life.
Paragraph 18 of Subsection C - Revised
definition for Socialization and Sexuality Education to include the Friends
& Relationships Course that is a comprehensive lifelong adult education
program.
Paragraph 19 of Subsection C - Service
description of customized in-home supports is revised to clarify the service is
provided in the individual’s own home or family home, services may include an on-site
response plan with use of remote support technology, and the service is
intended to be intermittent support.
The
register and the proposed rule are available on the HSD website at: https://www.hsd.state.nm.us/lookingforinformation/registers/ and https://www.hsd.state.nm.us/public-information-and-communications/opportunity-for-public-comment/public-notices-proposed-waiver-changes-and-opportunities-to-comment/comment-period-open/. If you do not have internet access, a copy of
the proposed register and rule may be requested by contacting MAD at (505)
827-1337.
The Department proposes to implement this
rule effective April 1, 2022. A public hearing to receive testimony on these proposed
rule changes will be held via conference call on Monday, December 13,
2021 at 10:00 a.m., Mountain Time (MT).
Conference Number:
1-800-747-5150. Access Code: 2284263.
Interested
parties may submit written comments directly to: Human Services Department, Office of the
Secretary, ATT: Medical Assistance Division Public Comments, P.O. Box 2348,
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504-2348.
Recorded
comments may be left at (505) 827-1337. Interested persons may also address comments
via electronic mail to: madrules@state.nm.us. Written mail,
electronic mail and recorded comments must be received no later than 5 p.m. MT
on December 13, 2021. Written and
recorded comments will be given the same consideration as oral testimony made
at the public hearing. All written
comments received will be posted as they are received on the HSD website at https://www.hsd.state.nm.us/public-information-and-communications/opportunity-for-public-comment/public-notices-proposed-waiver-changes-and-opportunities-to-comment/comment-period-open/
along with the applicable register and rule.
The public posting will include the name and any contact information
provided by the commenter.
If
you are a person with a disability and you require this information in an
alternative format or require a special accommodation to participate in the
public hearing, please contact MAD in Santa Fe at 505-827-1337. The Department requests at least ten (10)
days advance notice to provide requested alternative formats and special
accommodations.
Copies
of all comments will be made available by the MAD upon request by providing
copies directly to a requestor or by making them available on the MAD website
or at a location within the county of the requestor.