N.H. Admin. Code § He-M 503.08

Current through Register No. 50, December 12, 2024
Section He-M 503.08 - Service Coordination
(a) The service coordinator shall be a person chosen by the individual, guardian, or representative who meets the criteria in He-M 504, He-M 506, and He-M 503.08(b)-(c) below.
(b) The service coordinator shall:
(1) Advocate on behalf of individuals for services to be provided in accordance with the service guarantees in He-M 503.07(b);
(2) Coordinate the service planning process in accordance with He-M 503.07, He-M 503.09, and He-M 503.10;
(3) Describe to the individual, guardian, or representative service delivery options including participant directed and managed services;
(4) Monitor and document services provided to the individual in accordance with He-M 503.10 below and He-M 517 for home and community-based waiver services;
(5) Ensure continuity and quality of services provided in the amount, scope, frequency, and duration as outlined in the service agreement;
(6) Monitor and document quality of services provided in accordance with He-M 503.10 below and He-M 517 for home and community-based waiver services;
(7) Provide crisis and critical incident coordination and planning;
(8) Ensure that service documentation is maintained pursuant to He-M 503.10(c) and (1) (2)-(3) and He-M 517 for home and community-based waiver services;
(9) Determine and implement necessary action and document resolution when goals are not being addressed, support services are not being provided in accordance with the service agreement, or when health or safety issues have arisen;
(10) Convene person-centered service planning meetings at least annually and whenever:
a. The individual, guardian, or representative is not satisfied with the services received;
b. There is no progress on the goals after follow-up interventions;
c. The individual's needs change;
d. There is a need for a new provider agency; or
e. The individual, guardian, or representative requests a meeting;
(11) Document service coordination visits and contacts pursuant to He-M 503.09(u) and He-M 503.10(1)(2)-(4);
(12) No less than 45 days in advance of the annual person-centered service planning meeting:
a. Ensure that all needed evaluations, screenings, or assessments, such as the SIS-A ®, HRST, assistive technology evaluation, comprehensive risk assessments, positive behavior plans, and other clinical or health evaluations are updated and, if necessary, performed and that information from said evaluations, screenings, and assessments is discussed and shared with the individual, guardian, or representative;
b. Identify risk factors and plans to minimize them;
c. Assess the individual's interest in, or satisfaction with, employment; and
d. Discuss and assess the individual's progress on goals and preparing for the development of new goals to be included in the new service agreement;
(13) Assist the individual, guardian, or representative to maintain the individual's public benefits; and
(14) Participate in risk management activities by:
a. Making referrals to the applicable area agency's local risk management committee for individual's exhibiting behaviors including but not limited to violent aggression, problematic sexual behaviors, or fire-setting behaviors for evaluations or planning activities initially and ongoing;
b. Participating in and presenting to committees and other groups related to risk management including, but not limited to, local human rights committees, statewide and local risk management committees, and community of practice to determine application of assessment recommendations received;
c. Attending risk management training activities; and
d. Attending clinically specialized trainings, based on assessed needs of the individuals supported, that enable successful completion of and participation in risk management activities.
(c) A service coordinator shall not:
(1) Be a guardian or representative of the individual whose services they are coordinating; or
(2) Have a conflict of interest concerning the individual, such as providing, or being employed by the provider agency that also provides other direct services to the individual, except in accordance with He-M 503.08(d) and (e) below.
(d) A provider agency that provides direct services to the individual and seeks to also provide service coordination, shall be determined the only willing and qualified service coordination agency and permitted to provide service coordination and direct services if the following criteria are met:
(1) There is a lack of another qualified service coordination agency willing to provide services to the individual as outlined in their service agreement;
(2) The individual, guardian, or representative agrees that the same agency shall provide both service coordination and direct services;
(3) The agency ensures that service coordination and direct services are located in different departments and different physical locations within the organization, and report to separate and equal organizational leadership; and
(4) The direct services department shall not develop or have any influence on developing the individual's service agreement.
(e) A provider agency requesting determination to serve as the only willing and qualified service coordination agency in accordance with (d) above shall complete and submit the form entitled "NH Bureau of Developmental Services Exemption Request" (December 2023) along with the following documentation:
(1) Documentation that the criteria outlined in He-M 503.08(d)(1) through (4) above has been met;
(2) Such agency's plan to develop or recruit service coordination agencies;
(3) Documentation of service coordinator orientation and training that outlines the role of the service coordinator as a neutral facilitator and how to offer choice to individuals;
(4) Documentation of how such agency ensures all individuals, guardians, and representatives have accurate and accessible information relative to service providers; and
(5) Documentation to demonstrate how such agency monitors that choice is given to individuals, guardians, and representatives.
(f) Upon review of the form submitted pursuant to (e) above, the bureau shall approve such a request if all the requirements are met.
(g) The approval of being the only willing and qualified service coordination agency shall be for one year.
(h) After approval of an initial exemption request, the agency in (e) above shall resubmit to the department a "NH Bureau of Developmental Services Exemption Request" form (December 2023) annually.
(i) The documentation required in (e)(1)-(4) shall only be required with the initial request.
(j) Subsequent requests shall not require the described documentation provided that the only willing and qualified service coordination agency certifies that there have been no changes to the original documentation submitted.
(k) Once an only willing and qualified service coordination agency request has been approved in accordance with (f) or (j) above, the bureau shall conduct ongoing quarterly monitoring regarding the criteria in (d)(1) above.

N.H. Admin. Code § He-M 503.08

#1969, eff 2-25-82; ss by #2615, eff 2-6-84; ss by #2962, eff 1-22-85; ss by #5211, eff 8-28-91; EXPIRED: 8-28-97

New. #6581, INTERIM, eff 9-19-97, EXPIRED: 1-17-98

New. #6932, eff 1-27-99; ss by #8805, eff 1-27-07

Amended byVolume XXXV Number 06, Filed February 12, 2015, Proposed by #10774, Effective 1/27/2015, Expires7/27/2015.
Amended by Volume XXXV Number 32, Filed August 13, 2015, Proposed by #10900, Effective 7/25/2015, Expires7/25/2025.
Amended by Number 2, Filed January 11, 2024, Proposed by #13841, Effective 12/29/2023, Expires 12/29/2033.