Community Support Services cut to less than 8 hrs/ week : Lawsuit waiting to happen: NO APPEAL IS POSSIBLE

GOOD NEWS EVERYONE! COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES HAVE BEEN SEVERELY CUT AGAIN AND CLIENTS HAVE BEEN BLOCKED FROM APPEALING SUCH A DECISION:

http://www.ncdhhs.gov/mhddsas/servicedefinitions/servdefupdates/
dmadmh7-18-08update46.pdf

The governor signed it and the state legislature created it.

The BIGGEST snafu re: all of this is that NC DHHS is attempting to block (no, scratch that), NC DHHS is blocking any appeals. Best I understand it, this is not legal.

There is a Charlotte NC attorney who has been working on this matter for a while now. His e mail: "Douglas Sea" . Law Practice: http://www.lssp.org/staff.html : Legal Service of Southern Piedmont.

Client help line: 704-376-1600


Outside Mecklenburg County: 800-438-1254
Spanish line: 800-247-1931
Administrative calls: 704-971-2622
Fax: 704-376-8627
Address: Legal Services of Southern Piedmont
1431 Elizabeth Ave
Charlotte NC 28204
Email: contact@lssp.org


Community Support Services have been cut again, now to less than 8 hrs/ week. The last major cut was in April, 2007 and at that time CSS was taken from an unlimited number to 12 hours/ week.

The tiered rate to be paid has not been posted by NC DHHS.

Then, over the ensuing year, a 'fade-in' of the requirements of the people who work directly with the Medicaid clients (forget the state funded clients CSS: they have had a whopping 4 hours/ week for some time now and remember that paperwork gets included in the 4 hours and so you see they get no CSS) of 25% of the time working with the clients needed to be done by a college graduates QP, and now 50%.

Now, there is no prior 'pre authorized' 4 hours for adults and 8 hours for children. "This means that the unmanaged 4 hours for adults and 8 hours
for children will no longer be allowed. Providers must request prior authorization before the delivery of any community
support services."

Remember: Medicaid is an 'entitlement' service and NC DHHS is putting a 'Benefit Limit' on CSS.

Basically, what is in place or about to go into place is the following:

* loss of many of the paraprofessional CSS workers' jobs as now 50% of the work must be provided by people w/ college degrees and 2 yrs of related experience (that is the basic requirement for a QP, Qualified Professional)

* there is little to nothing to be gained by the 'magic' of having a college gradute working w/ a client in terms of hands-on CSS. There are many very fine non-college graduates CSS workers.