Service Interruption and Service Waitlist

Information for DVR staff and Statewide Service Providers

August 2023

Effective July 1, 2022-June 30, 2024, included in the DVR Statewide Service Agreement, there are defined and established policies for providers to follow when they identify a statewide service interruption and/or a service waitlist. Providers may deliver services outside of the statewide service categories. The procedures listed below are not intended to be used to track any delay in services that are not covered by the agreement.

Occasionally, DVR statewide service providers cannot provide services to consumers for various reasons. DVR developed a policy and procedure for providers and DVR staff to facilitate consumer needs, address tracking, and other related issues to the delivery of statewide services.

Service Interruption

A service interruption is defined as any temporary suspension of a statewide service(s) (due to the Service Provider's inability to provide the service) that was being provided to an authorized DVR consumer estimated to last up to 30 calendar days. This is a designation to allow for temporary provider absences, or other interruptions for a short timeframe, and services are expected to resume quickly.

Provider responsibilities: The Service Provider must notify impacted and authorized DVR consumers, the DVR Director/Supervisor/Designee, and referring DVR staff within five (5) business days of a service interruption. The Service Provider must inform the DVR consumer and referring DVR staff person of the reason for the service interruption, their plan for continued services, and/or the anticipated timeframe for the services to resume.

DVR responsibilities: DVR staff may keep existing service authorizations in place and create new authorizations for services during a service interruption. DVR staff should address any consumer concerns and explore options to select a different provider or wait for the services to resume. If the consumer requests a change after informed choice discussion, DVR staff should make a referral using a purchase order and associated referral information to another Service Provider.

Service Waitlist

A service waitlist is defined as a statewide service interruption lasting more than 30 calendar days, or when a Service Provider is unable to initiate a service(s) within 30 calendar days of receiving a DVR service authorization. This designation is used to track and address provider interruptions for a longer timeframe that may impact consumer progress and informed choice.

Each impacted service and county is identified as a separate wait list.

Service providers shall not create or use policies that discriminate against DVR consumers per the statewide services agreement or disadvantage a DVR consumer due to the severity of a DVR consumer's disability, demographics, or other barriers to employment.

Provider responsibilities: After November 1, 2022, and within five (5) business days of identifying a service waitlist, Service Providers should enter the required information into the DVR Individual Record Information System (IRIS) and this action will notify the DVR Contract Specialist, the WDA DVR Director(s)/ Supervisor(s) or designee of the service(s), impacted county(s), start and anticipated end date(s), and reason for the waitlist. Additionally, the Service Provider must provide the following information to DVR every 30 days:

The name(s) of the authorized DVR consumer(s) impacted
The status of the DVR consumer case (i.e.., services initiated but placed on hold, services not initiated, services completed, consumer cannot be reached, etc.)
Policies and procedures for the administration and resolution of the wait list, including the benchmarks and timeframes for addressing and ending the wait list*.
- Policies should include information related to the resumption of services (i.e., first identified, first served, all served once the wait list is lifted, which specific services resume first, etc.).
- Procedures should include information about submission of reports/invoices and communication of updates to DVR staff and consumers, etc.
Plan for communicating the service resumption date and provider policies to DVR consumers and DVR staff.

*This information only needs to be included in the 30-day update(s) if there are changes to the information that was submitted by the Service Provider at the time of the initial waitlist notification.

DVR Management/Supervisor/Designee responsibilities:

Upon receiving notification of a waitlist, the DVR WDA Director/Supervisor/designee may seek more information from the provider as needed and acknowledge the wait list. If the WDA Director/Supervisor/designee is not clear on any aspect of the submission, they will seek clarity from the provider. The DVR WDA Director/Supervisor should review updated submission(s) and share relevant information with DVR staff in the WDA. DVR staff will also have access to up-to-date information for their own consumers via IRIS. The WDA Director can reach out to the DVR Contract Specialist or other BMS staff for technical assistance.

DVR Staff Consumer and fiscal processing responsibilities:

DVR Staff are required to provide informed choice information to DVR consumers including the selection of providers and expected timeframes for services identified in the IPE.

If a selected provider has a wait list, consumers should be provided with information about the expected duration of the wait list for that provider, and an updated list of available provider options. Consumers can choose to wait for their preferred provider for no more than 90 days and the service can be authorized. After 90 days, DVR should provide updated information to consumers about the status of their selected provider. If services cannot be initiated within the next 30 days, consumers must choose an alternate provider and the authorization should be cancelled.

During regular 30-day contacts, other available services should be explored, and continued progress should be encouraged while the consumer waits for their selected provider to be available. This will help consumers prepare for their employment goal. If the consumer requests a change in provider after informed choice discussion, DVR staff should use a purchase order to make a referral to another Service Provider.

DVR should create authorizations to a Service Provider for waitlisted services when the consumer is willing to wait after documented discussion. DVR staff should also include referral information needed to provide the service with the purchase order. Only those consumers with a current purchase order will be included on a wait list. DVR staff should not informally make a "referral" via email or phone to a Service Provider to circumvent a formal waitlist in IRIS.

DVR staff should casenote discussions in IRIS and consult with Supervisor as appropriate.