Technical assistance

Applications are closing next week for free technical assistance through the end of September 2024. The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) works with human service agencies to create action plans and connections with subject matter experts. NCAPPS offers free technical assistance to states that are experiencing challenges implementing person-centered planning in compliance with the Home and Community-Based Services Final Rule requirements. Applications are due by July 9th, 2024.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provided guidance during their recent All-State Call, hosted by the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS). CMCS announced that the 41 states and territories receiving Money Follows the Person (MFP) funding will be required to begin reporting on a subset of the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Quality Measures Set, which was released in July 2022 (SMDL 22-003). Importantly, these states must report on all their section 1915(c), (i), (j), and (k) programs and section 1115 demonstrations that include HCBS services for major population groups, not just those programs that would enroll MFP participants. Reporting will be required in September 2026 for measures collected in 2025...

On February 9, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that eight states and the District of Columbia (DC) have been selected to participate in a new federal initiative, known as the “Housing and Services Partnership Accelerator” (Accelerator), to help strengthen partnerships across housing, disability, aging, and health sectors; access available federal programs and resources, and maximize federal flexibilities to help keep people healthy. The Accelerator will help these states and DC unlock critical resources to reduce homelessness by addressing health-related social needs, such as housing-related services...

CMS, in collaboration with New Editions Consulting Inc. is offering free HCBS technical assistance to states who are: planning on expanding Medicaid home and community-based services, and/or changing approaches and strategies to be more responsive to CMS guidance, stakeholder input, and state priorities, and/or modifying current HCBS programs based on state and stakeholder experiences in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.