The Quality Management Unit, in collaboration with DDAS staff and service providers, is responsible for improving and ensuring the quality of services provided through DDAS.

Vision

The DDAS Quality Management Unit, through its quality management activities, in partnership with providers, improves the lives of the people we serve, and promotes the continuing contribution of older adults and people with disabilities within our Vermont communities.

• Services

• Program Contacts

• Policies and Guidelines

• Publications

• Boards and Committees

• Training and Events

• Other Resources

Services Include

The work of the Quality Management Unit includes the collection, analysis, and sharing of performance information through:

• Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement

• Provider Reviews

• Provider Designation

• Responses to Complaints/Appeals

• Ombudsman Services

• Training/Education

• Consumer/Family Surveys

• Provider Relations/Technical Assistance

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Program Contacts

For information about Quality Management Unit:

• Quality Management Unit:
  Phone: (802) 241-2614
  Fax Number: (802) 241-4224

• Joe Carlomagno, Director
  Phone: (802) 241-2721
  Cell Phone: (802) 793-9816
  E-mail: joe.carlomagno@ahs.state.vt.us

• Jeff Coy, Quality Management Training Coordinator
  Phone: (802) 241-2727
  E-mail: jeff.coy@ahs.state.vt.us

• Stephen Morabito, Quality Management Grant Manager
  Phone: (802) 241-2659
  E-mail: stephen.morabito@ahs.state.vt.us

• Jane Culver, Quality Management Unit Administrative Assistant B
  Phone: (802) 241-4594
  E-mail: jane.culver@ahs.state.vt.us

• Heather Gauvin, Quality Management Unit Program Technician
  Phone: (802) 241-2678
  E-mail: heather.gauvin@ahs.state.vt.us

• Quality Management Team Leaders:

• Quality Management Nursing Reviewers:

• Quality Management Reviewers:

• Quality Management Consumer Reviewers:

• Quality Management Unit Lead Agency Reviewer List (Updated October 2006)

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Policies and Guidelines

This is a collection of stand-alone policies and guidelines that contribute to the Quality Management of Waiver services.

This list is categorized by the Department/Agency, Division, or Program of Service that the policy or guideline is associated with.

Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living / Agency of Human Services

• Background Check Policy (April 2006)
  Performing background checks on individuals who work with vulnerable people is a component of preventing abuse, neglect and exploitation. This policy describes when a background check is required, what the components of a background check are and what is done if a background check reveals a potential problem.

Department of Disability and Aging Services

• Case Management Reference Manual and Study Guide (June 2007)
  This study guide should help you prepare for the Case Management Certification Exam. It is not intended to be a training guide to become a Case Manager. It should be used in addition to the core training and orientation you have completed through your agency.

• Administrative Rules on Agency Designation (Effective June 1, 2003)
  These administrative rules governing the selection of designated agencies outline the requirements an agency must meet in order to be designated (or re-designated), the responsibilities of agencies that are designated, and the process for designation, re-designation and de-designation.

Quality Management Unit

• Quality Management Plan (April 2007)
  The Quality Management Plan guides the activities of the Division of Disability and Aging Services Quality Management Unit staff and establishes the standards for assessing the quality of services throughout Vermont.

Adult Day

• Standards for Adult Day Services in Vermont (January 2004) (Updated March 11, 2004)

Attendant Services Program

• Attendant Services Program Regulations
  Regulations for Policy to foster the development of services to assist older persons and persons with disabilities to live independently.

Choices for Care

• Choices for Care - ARIS Employer Handbook (June 2006)

• Choices for Care 1115 Highest & High Needs Manual
  The operational protocol manual describing the eligibility criteria, services and program procedures to assist individuals, case managers and service providers in planning and managing services for the highest and high needs individuals.

• Choices for Care 1115 Moderate Needs Manual
  The operational protocol manual describing the eligibility criteria, services and program procedures to assist individuals, case managers and service providers in planning and managing services for moderate needs individuals.

• Choices for Care-1115 Highest & High Needs Manual; Section IV.12-Flexible Choices (January 2007)
  Letter from Medicare and Medicaid Services outlining special terms and conditions for the award of the Long Term Care Plan section 1115 demonstration.Regulations for Designation/Operation Of Home Health Agencies (draft)

• 1115 Long-Term Care Waiver Special Terms and Conditions
  Letter from Medicare and Medicaid Services outlining special terms and conditions for the award of the Long Term Care Plan section 1115 demonstration.

Developmental Services

• Behavior Support Guidelines for Support Workers Paid with Developmental Services Funds - (October 2004)
  These Guidelines outline the types of interventions that support workers paid with developmental disability services funds may use to support behavior change and also the steps to follow when restriction of rights or restraints are required.

• How to Appeal a Decision About Getting Services or How Much Support You Get (1998) (July 29, 2002)
  An easy to read guide for consumers and families that tells how to appeal a decision made by a developmental disability services agency about eligibility for services, or an agency's decision to deny, reduce or stop benefits a person has requested. An instructional video is also available upon request by calling 802-241-2648.

• How to File a Complaint About the Quality of Services (1998) (Updated December 21, 2001)
  An easy to read guide for consumers and families that tells how to file a complaint about the quality or accessibility of their developmental disability services. An instructional video is also available upon request by calling 802-241-2648.

• Developmental Disabilities Act
  The Vermont Statutes Online, Title 18: Health, Chapter 204A: Developmental Disabilities Act

• A Guide for People who are Self- or Family-Managing Medicaid-Funding Developmental Services (March 2004)
  This document is designed to help people who wish to self- or family-manage their services understand what tasks are required and who is responsible for seeing that those tasks are accomplished.

• Guidelines for Critical Incident Reporting (December 2002)
  Detailed guidelines for critical incident reporting, including critical incident report form and restraint form.

• Health and Wellness Standards and Guidelines (March 2004)
  These guidelines were created because the Division of Disability and Aging Services is responsible for insuring the health and safety of people who receive Medicaid-funded developmental disability services.

• Individual Support Agreement Guidelines (Revised: March 2003)
  An Individual Support Agreement is a contract between you, your guardian (if you have one), and your provider(s). If you are managing all or some of your supports, you are still required to have an Individual Support Agree (ISA). This agreement addresses your needs that you, your Designated Agency and others have prioritized through an individualized planning process.

• Policy on Education and Support of Sexuality (January 2004)
  This document provides a clear statement about the rights of individuals receiving developmental disability services to learn about the risks and responsibilities of expressing their sexuality.

• Qualified Developmental Disabilities Professionals: Definitions, Qualifications & Roles (March 2004)
  This document explains the Vermont Division of Disability and Aging Services' definition, qualifications & roles of qualified developmental disabilities professionals.

• Endorsement of Individuals Acting Independently as Qualified Developmental Disability Professionals
  This document explains the Vermont Division of Disability and Aging Services' endorsement process for individuals who are interested in becoming endorsed individuals acting independently as a qualified developmental disabilities professional.

• Regulations Implementing the Developmental Disabilities Act of 1996 (July 2007)
  A copy of the actual regulations implementing the Developmental Disabilities Act of 1996. They include definition of developmental disability, criteria for being a "recipient"; certification; application, assessment and notification; periodic review; recipients who are able to pay; special care procedures; complaint procedures and training.

• Medicaid Manual for Developmental Disability Services (July 1995)

• Medicaid Manual for Developmental Disability Services (Update January 1999)

• Housing Safety and Accessibility Review Process (March 2006)

• Housing Accessibility Review Process - Attachment A (Revised March 2006)

Older Americans Act

• Agency Case Management Standards (December 2001)
  Standards written to provide guidance for case managers and to describe acceptable case management performance. These standards apply to case management services provided to adults 60 years of age and older and to younger adults with disabilities through the Home and Community Based Medicaid Waiver, Enhanced Residential Care Waiver and Older Americans Act.

• Agency Case Management Certification Procedures (October 2002)
  In order to ensure the statewide quality of case management services offered to these individuals, DAIL in partnership with Vermont’s Area Agencies on Aging and Home Health Agencies, has instituted a Case Management Certification Program. This certification program applies to individuals providing case management as a service of the Department’s Medicaid Waiver programs and for individuals providing case management as part of the services authorized under the Older Americans Act through the State Unit on Aging and the Area Agencies on Aging.

Traumatic Brain Injury

• TBI Application Package Guidelines and Forms (TBI Program Procedures Manual)
  This package contains the necessary applications forms, eligibility requirement guidelines, selection process information, and more.

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Publications

This is a collection of stand-alone documents that contribute to the Quality Management of Waiver services.

This list is categorized by the Department/Agency, Division, or Program of Service that the publication is associated with.

Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living / Agency of Human Services

• State of Vermont Agency of Human Services HIPAA Regulations
  HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) The Agency of Human Services meets HIPAA's definition of a covered entity and, therefore, must comply with HIPAA. This webpage contains compliances and additional links on HIPAA regulations.

Department of Disability and Aging Services Programs

Quality Management Unit

• Quality Services Resource Guide
  This Resource Guide will tell you:
  - Information about quality in long term care services.
  - The outcomes you should expect from your services.
  - How the State of Vermont assures and improves the quality of services.
  - Your role in assuring and improving the quality of your services.
  - How to get more information or assistance.

Choices for Care (1115 Long-Term Care Medicaid Waiver)

• Choices for Care 1115 Operational Protocol
  The State of Vermont in an effort to further improve its programs developed this demonstration initiative to provide greater choice and the highest quality services possible to recipients in need of long-term care. Through this demonstration the Vermont Agency of Human Services (AHS) will undertake broad based reform of the long-term care service system by offering a continuum of care that includes a series of options, including both home- and community-based alternatives and traditional nursing facility services. This publication will give a full description of the eligibility criteria and benefit package for each of the three clinical groups included in this Operational Protocol along with additional information.

Offender Services

• Vermont Best Practices Manual: Supervision and Treatment of Sex Offenders with Developmental Disabilities (March 2005)
  This 270 page manual was written and reviewed by individuals with extensive practical experience, including therapists, attorneys, program managers, Corrections staff, and Division of Disability and Aging Services staff.

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Boards and Committees

Quality Management Unit Boards and Committees:

• Quality Management Committee for the Real Choices Systems Change Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement Grant for Home and Community-Based Waiver Services
  The State of Vermont is one of nine 2004 Real Choice Systems Change Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement grantees. This funding from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will be used to develop a comprehensive quality management system across the Division of Disability and Aging Services (DDAS) Home and Community-based Services (HCBS) waivers over a three year period that began in September, 2004.

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Training and Events

• Quality Management Unit's trainings can be found on the Division of Disability and Aging Services' Training Page.

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Other Resources

Listing of Other Quality Management Resources.

• National Core Indicators

• The Council on Quality and Leadership

• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

• American Evaluation Association

• Independent Living Research Utilization

• Clearinghouse for the Community Living Exchange Collaborative

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