Mission and Purpose
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) issued a new regulation (42 CFR §441.301(c)(6)) that requires that services funded with HCBS dollars be provided in settings that exhibit home and community-based characteristics and do not isolate recipients. This includes opportunities to seek employment and work in competitive and integrated settings, engage in community life, control personal resources, have full access to benefits of community living, and opportunities to receive services in the community to the same degree as people who do not receive home and community based services.
The purpose of CMS’ new federal rule, sometimes called the “final rule,” is to make sure that states use home and community-based services waiver funding for programs that truly work to integrate people with disabilities and frail elders into the community at every opportunity. All states are required to develop transition plans outlining the process that the state and providers will undertake to comply with the settings requirements. The State of Alaska has been working with CMS and providers on a transition plan to bring Alaska into settings compliance since 2014 when the “final rule” was published.
Headlines
Documents older than 25 months can be found on the State of Alaska Library Archives website.
Alaska Settings Status
Settings Compliance Team: Left to right: Summer Wheeler, Karren Pack, Snezana Ivanoska, Kristen Bearden.
