What They are Saying about APD Successfully Implementing Senate Bill 82

“In keeping with Governor Ron DeSantis’ priority to support our state’s most vulnerable citizens, the Agency for Health Care Administration recognizes the importance of improving the quality of service to individuals with disabilities and their families,” said Secretary Simone Marstiller. “The implementation of SB 82 will enhance the level of critical care services for those who depend on the Medicaid waiver program and the Agency for Persons with Disabilities.”

“SB 82 has brought on many challenges to Waiver Support Coordinators and members of SCAF. Waiver Support Coordinators from around the state have risen to the challenge transitioning to Qualified Organizations. These changes should strengthen the quality and consistency of support coordination across the state,” said Support Coordinators Association of Florida Chairperson Laura Mohesky.

Association of Support Coordination Agencies in Florida Chairman Ryan Chandler said, “We look forward to continuing to work with the agency to implement the changes brought about by SB 82, to bring more consistent Waiver Support Coordination service delivery to the individuals we serve.”

FARF Executive Director Tyler Sununu said, “We are appreciative that the Florida Legislature and Governor DeSantis recognized the need to serve individuals with severe maladaptive behaviors in our community Intermediate Care Facilities (ICFs) for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Floridians with disabilities and their families needed additional service options afforded to them to best meet their needs. The community ICFs look forward to working with APD and AHCA to ensure the needs of Floridians with intellectual disabilities and behavioral challenges are met through this new level of care.”

Major facets of the law include:

Streamlining and centralizing the Significant Additional Needs process: This process ensures that individuals receiving services are medically necessary in accordance with state and federal Medicaid regulations. This means that when an individual requests an increase to their iBudget Florida waiver funding, it will be reviewed by employees in the APD State Office who have received extensive training and education in reviewing the specific needs of the individual and applying rule criteria to ensure individuals receive medically necessary services.
Clarifying requirements for provider usage of the APD iConnect system when billing for services: These requirements provide additional clarity in statute, eliminate staff time spent on obtaining the documentation after the fact, potentially reduce Medicaid fraud, and provide for better monitoring of client services. The APD iConnect system is currently being used by WSCs and certain providers. Other groups of providers are receiving training to begin using the system.
Reforming waiver support coordination, including requiring all WSCs to be members of a provider agency and revising duties for APD relating to WSCs: The use and designation of Qualified Organizations that employ four or more support coordinators replaces the old system that allowed any qualified individual to independently enroll as a treating provider in the Medicaid program. This change enables APD to implement a systematic approach to service oversight for persons providing care to individuals with developmental disabilities.
Establishing a Waiver Support Coordinator Scorecard: APD has developed an online WSC Scorecard hosted on the APD website, APDcares.org, which includes customer satisfaction surveys, professional and ethical violations, and other information. The scorecard will be continuously updated.
Requiring WSCs to enhance their professional skills: The requirements for APD-approved training, professional development, competency-based assessment, and mentoring programs will ensure that WSCs have the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to competently provide services to individuals with developmental disabilities.
Establishing more housing options for individuals with maladaptive behaviors: The law creates an exemption from the Certificate of Need process (CON) and establishes a rate for Intermediate Care Facilities (ICFs) that may serve individuals with severe maladaptive behaviors. By creating a new ICF rate, it may increase the availability of providers willing and able to serve individuals with complex needs, thereby affording additional residential options for this population.