Current through Register Vol. 41, No. 3, September 23, 2024
A. The Supports
Intensity Scale (SIS®) requirements.
1. The SIS® is
an assessment tool that identifies the practical supports required by
individuals to live successfully in their communities. DBHDS shall use the
SIS® Children's VersionT (SIS-CT) for
individuals who are five years through 15 years of age. DBHDS shall use the
SIS®
Adult
Version® (SIS-A®)
for individuals who are 16 years of age and older. Individuals who are younger
than five years of age shall be assessed using an age-appropriate standardized
living skills assessment.
2. A
SIS® assessment and the current version of the
Virginia Supplemental Questions (VSQ), as appropriate, shall be completed with
the individual and other appropriate parties who have knowledge of the
individual's circumstances and needs for support:
a. At least every four years for those
individuals who are 22 years of age and older.
b. At least every three years for those
individuals who are 16 years of age through 21 years of age.
c. Every two years for individuals five years
through 15 years of age when the individual is using a tiered service, such as
group home residential, sponsored residential, supported living residential,
group day, or community engagement. Another developmentally appropriate
standardized living skills assessment approved by DBHDS, such as the Brigance
Inventory, Vineland, or Choosing Outcomes and Accommodations for Children shall
be completed every two years for service planning purposes for those in this
age grouping who do not receive a SIS® assessment.
d. For a, b, and c of this subdivision A 2,
when the individual's support needs have been deemed to have changed
significantly for a sustained period of at least six months.
e. For children younger than five years of
age, an alternative industry assessment instrument approved by DBHDS, such as
the Early Learning Assessment Profile, shall be completed every two years for
service planning purposes.
3. The SIS®
shall be used in conjunction with VSQ, the person-centered planning process,
and other assessment information to develop each individual's ISP. The
SIS® shall be used to assess individuals'
patterns and intensity of needed supports across life activities such as (i)
home and community living activities; (ii) school activities for children;
(iii) lifelong learning and employment activities for adults; (iv) health and
safety activities, social activities, and advocacy activities; (v) exceptional
medical and behavioral support needs; and (vi) what is important to and
important for individuals who are enrolled in a waiver.
4. Scores from
SIS-A® and SIS-CT Section 1 (Exceptional Medical
Needs, Exceptional Behavioral Needs), Section 2 Subsections A, B, and E and
responses to Supplemental Questions shall be used to assign levels of supports
(Levels 1 through 7, as defined in 12VAC30-122-250) to each individual.
5. The
SIS® shall be administered and analyzed by
qualified, trained interviewers designated by DBHDS.
B. The current version of the Virginia
Supplemental Questions (VSQ version 10/2017) shall also be used to identify
individuals who have unique needs falling outside of the needs identifiable by
the SIS® instrument. The VSQ shall also be
administered and analyzed by the same qualified, trained interviewers
designated by DBHDS.
1. The Virginia
Supplemental Questions shall address these topics:
a. Severe medical risk;
b. Severe community safety risk for people
with a related legal conviction;
c.
Severe community safety risk for people with no related legal
conviction;
d. Severe risk of harm
to self; and
e. Fall
risk.
2. Specified
affirmative responses to the items in subdivisions B 1 a through B 1 d of this
section shall require a review of the individual's record for verification.
After such review, the individual may or may not be assigned to Level 6 (
exceptional medical) or Level 7 ( exceptional behavioral).
C. The results of the
SIS®, Virginia Supplemental Questions, and, as
needed, a document review verification process shall determine the individual's
required level of supports. The results of the
SIS®, other assessment information, and the
person-centered planning process shall establish the basis for the individual
support plan.
D. Establishment of
supports packages, which means a set of assumptions regarding the types and
amounts of supports that an individual needs to be adequately supported in the
community. It is a model that reflect reasonable services levels based on
common expectations for persons who share similar characteristics.
Statutory Authority: §
32.1-325
of the Code of Virginia;
42 USC §
1396 et
seq.
