• Read more about Quarterly Update: Supporting Adults with Developmental Disabilities and Brain Injury in their Homes and Communities

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) provides home and community-based services to adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD, ORC), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and brain injury primarily through MaineCare-funded programs. These are often called waiver programs because they operate with special exceptions from the federal government and are referred to by their Section number, which is where they can be found in the MaineCare rules.

• Read more about Home and Community-Based Waiver Services Providers

April's monthly HCBS Provider meeting will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, April 29, 2020 at 11am.

Agenda items include:

• Read more about Attention Home- and Community-Based (HCBS) Providers, Including Case Managers Care Coordinators

Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Department has determined it is best to place our HCBS validation strategies on a sixty-day pause from April 13, 2020 to June 12, 2020. This decision has been made to ensure the health and safety of the members we serve, the provider base, validators, and to ensure the integrity of the HCBS validation process.

• Read more about Monthly HCBS provider meeting cancelled

The March 25, 2020 monthly HCBS provider meeting is cancelled. A list serve notice is forthcoming with updated HCBS information.

• Read more about Notice of Statewide Transition Plan (STP) for Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Settings

AGENCY:

Department of Health and Human Services, Office of MaineCare Services

RULE TITLE OR SUBJECT:

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has published regulations that define the settings in which it is permissible for states to pay for Medicaid HCBS services. The Statewide Transition Plan is required as part of ensuring Maine comes into full compliance with the federal regulations.

• Read more about Monthly HCBS Provider Meeting

HCBS providers please join us Wednesday, February 26, 2020 at 11 a.m. for February's monthly HCBS Provider virtual meeting. OADS will provide an update on continued work towards compliance with the federal HCBS Settings Rule requirements.

Topics will include, but may not be limited to:

• Read more about Great Opportunity from Public Allies & AARP - New Livable Communities Corps

OADS is working with AARP to obtain two (2) AmeriCorps staff for the rest of 2020.

AARP's recruitment materials for the AmeriCorps are positions below:

• A blog post on the Public Allies website
• A web article and call for applicants on the Livable Communities page

• Read more about Maine Caregiver Survey - Closed

The survey is now closed. Thank you to those who participated.

• Read more about Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Providers:

Office Hours are now available in Machias on 11/21/19 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.. Please call Jan to schedule an appointment at (207) 664-1441 for assistance with your HCBS Provider Self-Assessment which is required to be completed by November 30, 2019.

HCBS providers in the Ellsworth area in need of assistance, please feel free to contact Jan for assistance.

• Read more about Maine Caregiver Survey

Maine wants to improve services that support older adults to live in our homes and our communities as long as possible. As part of this, Maine wants to hear from people who provide care and support to older adults or adults with disabilities as well as older adults who have primary responsibility for the care of a grandchild or other relative under the age of 18.