How to Apply for Waiver Services: The Nuts & Bolts

Vitals for TransitionJanuary 12, 2021

Guest Presenter

Beth Will

Dickinson County Community Services

Sioux Rivers Region

Disability Service Coordinator

Phone: 712-336-0775

bwill@dickinsoncountyiowa.gov

4 Waivers discussed at Dec. Vitals

◉ Brain Injury◉ Children’s Mental Health ◉ Health and Disability◉ Intellectual Disability

HBCS Comparison Chart (handy reference sheet)

Habilitation Services

◉ Habilitation Services is a program to provide Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) for Iowans with the functional impairments typically associated with chronic mental illnesses.

◉ The federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 permitted states to offer home- and community-based services (HCBS) as a state plan option effective January 1, 2007.

◉ Using this option, the Department worked with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services to design a program to meet the service needs of lowans with the functional limitations typically associated with chronic mental illness.

◉ Habilitation Services are designed to assist participants in acquiring, retaining and improving the self-help, socialization and adaptive skills necessary to reside successfully in home and community-based settings.

Reminders from December Vitals Session

◉ Reminder - Not all IEP students will be candidates for waiver services (based on Individual need)

◉ Our role as educators is to help parents know where to go to get started in the process

◉ Encourage families to apply for more than 1 waiver

◉ IQ test (before age 18) is needed for ID waiver

◉ Reminder - wait list for waivers (may be up to 3 years)

Other Important Reminders

Remember: You can apply for waiver services as early as one month old, depending on the waiver & the need.

Waivers are beneficial to EVERYONE: families, school, and service providers to provide more unified support

Once on a waiver, services must be used quarterly in order to maintain eligibility. This could be as simple as having a relative become an approved respite provider.

How to help families with IQ testing

Fact: Parents cannot apply for a waiver if they don’t know about them.

Fact: If a family does not apply for the ID waiver until the student is 16, and it takes three years to get off the waitlist, and the student has NOT had an IQ test prior to their 18th birthday, they WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE for the ID waiver.

** IQ TESTS MUST BE DONE BEFORE A STUDENT TURNS 18**

How to help families with IQ testing

Fact: If the student is already on Medicaid the parent(s) can request to have an IQ test done

Fact: AEA does not do IQ tests. Ask family if this has ever been done, and if not, there is a list of possible providers that follows. (NOTE: If this is recommended at an IEP meeting, the district could be responsible for paying for it.)

** IQ TESTS MUST BE DONE BEFORE A STUDENT TURNS 18**

List of providers IQ testing

Berryhill - Mental Health Center◉ 720 Kenyon Road◉ Ft. Dodge, IA 50501◉ (712) 955-7171

Prairie Ridge Integrated Behavioral Health◉ 320 N Eisenhower Ave, ◉ Mason City, IA 50401◉ (641) 424-2391

Season’s Center for Behavioral Health ◉ 201 E 11th St◉ Spencer, IA 51301◉ (712) 262-2922◉ (800) 241-5101

Plains Area Mental Health Center◉ 180 10th St SE, ◉ Suite 201 PO Box 70◉ Le Mars, IA 51031◉ (712) 546-4624

Psychological Evaluation Providers for IQ Tests

How to apply for Waivers if Medicaid eligible

IF a student is already Medicaid eligible, parents only need to complete this one page check sheet to apply for waivers.

Remember: it is best to check multiple waiver options due to the waiting list.

How to apply for waivers if NOT Medicaid eligible

If a student is NOT medicaid eligible:◉ Either complete the application form on the DHS Services Portal

◉ Download the paper application (strongly recommended!)

○ Be sure to make/keep a copy before you turn this in

○ Write on the top of each page what waiver(s)

you are applying for

○ Be sure to sign & date the application

■ Both on page 15 & page 17

Application for Health Coverage and Help Paying Costs

It is important to hand-write that you are applying for a waiver at the top of EACH

page (in case they get seperated)

Note if you are applying for (such as BI, ID, CMH, Medicaid, etc.)

Step 1: Adult family member filling out form (contact person)

Step 2: Start with person filling out application● Each person in the household will

need to be included in the application.

(Example: Child 1 & 2 may not need Medicaid but Child 3 does, so then you would mark that Child 3 needs health coverage.

Application Form

Note: If additional pages for family members are not needed, put an X through the entire pages but still include them in the application

Important Reminders:

● Be sure to make a copy of the completed application for your file

● Be sure to notify the local DHS office if you move - - since the wait list can be between 18-36 months○ If the notification letter cannot

be delivered, the entire application and wait list process must be started all over again!

Who can help family with process/filling out app

Mental Health Service Coordinators by Counties

COUNTY COORDINATOR PHONE

Buena Vista Lisa Bringle 712-225-6700

Calhoun Leisa Mayer 712-297-5292

Clay Marlee Christoffel 712-264-3945

Cherokee Lisa Bringle 712-255-6700

Dickinson Beth Will 712-336-0775

Mental Health Service Coordinators by Counties

COUNTY COORDINATOR PHONE

EmmetBobbie Jensen

After 7/1/21 - Beth Will641-590-1799712-336-0775

Green Ellen Ritter 515-386-5686

Hamilton Carrie Hisler 515-832-9550

Humboldt Brittany Baker 515-689-6012

Palo Alto Sandy Pelzer 712-264-3945

Mental Health Service Coordinators by Counties

COUNTY COORDINATOR PHONE

Pocahontas Bobbie Jensen 641-590-1799

Sac Leisa Mayer 712-297-5292

Webster Mackenzie Conrad 515-689-6011

Wright Jen Sheedan 515-689-7078

List of DHS Offices - by appointment only

* DHS Offices may not be open to the public due to COVID-19, however most are taking phone calls

Dickinson County DHS:● 1802 Hill Ave St; Suite 2401● Spirit Lake, IA 51360● (712) 336-2555

Emmet County DHS:● 220 S 1st Street● Estherville, IA 51334● (712) 362-7237

Kossuth County DHS:● Served by Emmet Co. DHS

Clay County DHS:● 1900 North Grand Ave Suite E-8● Spencer, IA 51301● (712) 262-3586

Palo Alto County DHS:● Served by Dickenson or Emmet

Co. DHS

Cherokee County DHS:● Served by Clay County DHS

List of DHS Offices - by appointment only

Buena Vista County DHS:● 311 East 5th Street● Storm Lake, IA 50588● (712) 749-2536

Hamilton County DHS:● 1900 Superior Street● Webster City, IA 50595● (515) 832-9555● 1900 Superior Street

Webster County DHS:● 330 1st Avenue North● Ft. Dodge, IA 50501● (515) 955-6353

Pocahontas County DHS:● Served by Webster Co. DHS

Humboldt County DHS:● Served by Webster Co. DHS

Calhoun County DHS:● Served by Webster Co. DHS

List of DHS Offices - by appointment only

Sac County DHS:● Served by Carroll Co. DHS

Greene County DHS:● Served by Carroll Co. DHS

Wright County DHS:● Served by Cerro Gordo DHS

** DHS Offices may not be open to the public due to COVID-19, however most are taking phone calls

Case Management

Once a student is connected with a waiver, they will initially be assigned to a Managed Care Organization (MCO) with a case manager.

Families should contact their current service providers (ex: Hope Haven, Imagine the Possibilities, Work Activities, etc) to make sure their current services are covered through their new MCO

MCOs◉ Iowa Total Care◉ Amerigroup

February 9th: Embedding Employability SkillsNoon

Our Next Vitals

Thank you to Beth Will for her expertise today!