Current through Register Vol. 18, September 20, 2024
(1) Follow along
support consists of habilitation services and supports that enable a waiver
recipient, who is paid at or above the state's minimum wage, to stabilize and
maintain employment in a competitive, customized, or self-employment setting
with a goal of earning not less than the customary wage and level of benefits
paid by the employer for the same or similar work performed by individuals
without disabilities.
(2) The
waiver recipient may require follow along support when:
(a) the waiver recipient's job is in
jeopardy; or
(b) a job promotion
opportunity requires more complex, comprehensive, or intensive
supports.
(3) Follow
along support may be provided in an extended ongoing manner or intermittently
as needed. Outcomes and actions needed for the waiver recipient to maintain
employment must be identified in the plan of care.
(4) Follow along support may include:
(a) person-centered employment planning with
or on behalf of the waiver recipient;
(b) development of skills that will make the
waiver recipient employable for more hours or for additional duties;
(c) job promotion activities;
(d) observation and job support to enhance
job task skills and monitoring at the work site to ascertain the success of the
job placement;
(e) the provision
of job coaches to accompany the waiver recipient for short-term job skill
training at the work site to help maintain employment;
(f) regular contact and/or follow up with the
employer, coworkers, employed waiver recipient, parents, legal representatives,
and others as needed, in order to reinforce and stabilize job
placement;
(g) facilitation of
natural supports at the work site;
(h) individual program development, writing
task analysis, monthly reviews, and behavioral intervention programs;
(i) advocating for the waiver recipient at
the employment site for purposes directly related to employment, or with
persons not directly affiliated with the employment site such as parents, bus
drivers, case managers, school personnel, or landlords if the waiver recipient
is hired and currently working;
(j)
assistance with financial paperwork and management related to the waiver
recipient's employment and/or Medicaid eligibility; and
(k) assistance with medication administration
considered incidental to the follow along support.
(5) The following services are not
reimbursable:
(a) transportation of a waiver
recipient to and from the job site;
(b) any service that is available under the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Documentation is required to ensure that service is
not available or is no longer available under a program funded under section
110 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the IDEA (20 U.S.C 1401 et
seq.), or EPSDT;
(c) public
relations activities;
(d) staff
continuing education - in service meetings, department meetings, individual
staff development;
(e) incentive
payments made to an employer to subsidize the employer's participation in a
supported employment program;
(f)
payments that are passed through to the waiver recipient;
(g) payments for vocational training that is
not directly related to a waiver recipient's supported employment
program;
(h) any activities which
are not directly related to the waiver recipient's career plan;
(i) services furnished to a minor waiver
recipient by a parent(s), step-parent(s), or legal guardian; and
(j) services furnished to a waiver recipient
by the waiver recipient's spouse.
(6) Behavioral intervention programs may be
applied as a component of follow along support services when the plan is:
(a) specifically designed to be implemented
in the employment setting by the follow along staff;
(b) when developed and approved according to
ARM 37.34.1401 through
37.34.1422; and
(c) developed by the person who trains the
follow along staff to utilize the interventions to reduce the challenging
behaviors in the employment setting.
(7) Waiver recipients may utilize the
following services: individual and small group employment support, co-worker
support, and day supports and activities in conjunction with follow along
support.
(8) A waiver recipient may
be considered inappropriately placed if they are unable to sustain competitive,
customized, or self-employment. Movement to a better-fit employment setting
should be considered, and the waiver recipient may need to be referred or
re-referred to vocational rehabilitation.
(9) Reimbursement for follow along support
and vocational rehabilitation services will not be allowed concurrently for the
same job placement.
(10) The
department requires all other funding sources be utilized and a denial from
other funding sources before this service is authorized for payment by the
Developmental Disabilities Program.
AUTH:
53-6-113,
53-6-402,
53-20-204, MCA; IMP:
53-6-101,
53-6-402,
53-20-205,
MCA
