Processing for DDS State-Operated and DMH State-Operated Group Homes

SNAP case processing actions for DDS state-operated group home clients are directly routed to a new group home business group in BEACON, the Group Homes Business Group. The Group Homes Business Group is accessible to all Group Home Liaisons, Group Home Supervisors, and designated backup staff.

With BEACON enhancements, DDS Agency Authorized Representatives for Certification are encouraged to utilize the DTA Connect outreach provider portal to submit applications, recertifications, and verification documents. All DDS documents submitted through the provider portal will be directly routed to the Group Home Business Group for the pertinent group home liaison to process.

Until further BEACON enhancements are implemented, SNAP case processing actions for DMH state-operated group homes will continue to be routed to the regular FAW pool. FAWs that pull an action pertaining to a DMH state-operated case must complete the assigned action and process it as a regular case.

Important: At this time, only DDS state-operated group homes will have SNAP case processing actions directly routed to the Group Homes Business Group.

For DMH state-operated group homes, applications, recertifications, verifications and other documents must continue to be sent directly to the Document Processing Center (DPC).

For DDS state-operated group homes, applications, recertifications, verifications and other documents will be submitted to DTA via DDS access to the DTA Connect provider portal. However, submitting documentation to the Document Processing Center (DPC) will remain a backup option for DDS.

Group Homes Business Group

Although staff assigned to the Group Home Business Group can process any group home case in the Group Home pool, Actions from DDS state-operated group homes are initially routed to the direct Group Home Liaison(s) and Supervisor(s) within the client’s TAO catchment area based on the client’s group home address.

During their processing shift, Group Home Liaisons, Group Home Supervisors, and designated backup staff must assign themselves to the Group Home Business Group.
When you select Get Action, you will first receive Actions for DDS state-operated group home clients within your TAO catchment area for the first 2 calendar days of the established Action.
If an assigned group home Action has not been pulled within the client’s catchment area within the first 2 calendar days, the Action will be released into the larger Group Home pool on Day 3 for another liaison/staff to complete.
When all assigned Actions within your catchment area have been completed, you are to continue to pull Actions from the wider Group Home pool unless the pool is empty.
If no Actions appear in the Group Home Business Group during your processing queue, liaisons are to switch themselves back to the Processing Business Group to serve non-group home cases.

Actions routed to the Group Home pool will be created based on documents submitted by DDS through the DTAConnect provider portal or client changes detected by the monthly DTA-DDS data exchange. Actions in the Group Home pool will only pertain to DDS state-operated group home cases.

There are two Action types for DDS state-operated group homes. These case maintenance actions are initiated via the monthly DTA-DDS data exchange: Group Home Address Change and Group Home Authorized Rep. These action types are created when a difference is detected between the data available on the data exchange and what is recorded in BEACON. It is anticipated that these changes will be reported by DDS as they occur; however, the data exchange is an additional safeguard. If one of these actions are pulled, the liaison will confirm if the reflected change to the client’s address or authorized representatives are accurate and update the BEACON case record accordingly.

Group Home Liaison Interview Slots

The Group Home Business Group has their own pool of interview slots separate from the FAW processing group to schedule any appointments needed for group home clients. With their own appointment calendar, Group Home Liaisons have more flexibility in scheduling appointments for DDS state-operated group home clients and are able to schedule multiple interviews in one time slot (i.e., useful for DDS Authorized Representatives serving multiple clients in their region).

No automated IVR outbound calls will be made to the authorized representative for scheduled group home client interviews.

DDS Agency Authorized Representatives

Under the DTA/DDS agreement, if residents of DDS state-operated group homes elect DDS staff as their authorized representatives, they must have at least two Agency Authorized Representatives for Certification and two Agency Authorized Representatives for EBT Transactions. A DDS agency employee may be designated for one role, but not both. If DDS assigns more than two individuals for each role, additional Image-10As will be required.

DMH Agency Authorized Representatives

Under the DTA/DMH agreement, if residents of DMH state-operated group homes elect DMH staff as their authorized representative, they must have at least one Agency Authorized Representative for Certification and one Agency Authorized Representative for EBT Transactions. DMH may assign more than one individual for each role. If DMH assigns more than one individual for each role, each individual acting as an Authorized Representative must be included on an Image-10A.

Note: Although the majority of DDS state-operated or DMH state-operated group home clients have DDS or DMH Agency Authorized Representatives, some may not have DDS or DMH as their authorized representative, and may opt for an authorized representative of their choosing. In addition, DDS or DMH may choose not to serve as the client’s Agency Authorized Representative if the client is tube-fed or has certain dietary/religious food restrictions that cannot be met by the facility.

Department of Developmental Services (DDS) Guardian AR Authorization Form

DDS has streamlined procedures on updating Agency Authorized Representatives for their clients. Rather than requiring guardian signatures (if applicable) for each Image-10A form submitted for designated Agency Authorized Representatives, DDS has authorized the use of a new DDS Guardian AR Authorization Form, which once signed by the client/guardian, gives DDS consent to directly change/update Image-10A forms on the client’s/guardian’s behalf whenever necessary.

DDS Agency Authorized Representatives for Certification will submit the Guardian AR Authorization Form along with any new Image-10A forms needed for DDS state-operated group home clients.
DDS will also include a cover letter along with the forms to specify the authorized representative changes needed for the client (e.g., adding on new Agency Authorized Representatives; deleting formerly listed authorized representatives in BEACON).

If the DDS Guardian AR Authorization Form is accompanying any Image-10As submitted to DTA, the Image-10As are not required to have a signature and instead will have a DDS stamp in the signature box indicating to see the attached signed DDS Guardian AR Authorization Form.

For group home clients who have a completed DDS Guardian AR Authorization Form on file, designations are valid until DDS indicates verbally or in writing (e.g. cover letter) that changes need to be made to Agency Authorized Representative roles.

Note: Guardians signing on behalf of a DDS group home client still need to attach a guardianship decree, power of attorney, or court order along with the applicable forms. DDS will include the guardianship decree with the Guardian AR Authorization form when submitting to DTA.

Department of Mental Health (DMH) Authorized Representative Cover Letter

DMH will include a cover letter along with the Image-10A form to specify the authorized representative changes needed for the client (e.g. adding on new Agency Authorized Representatives; deleting formerly listed authorized representatives in BEACON).

Additional Specific DDS and DMH State-Operated Procedures

Client documents with sensitive information must not be sent via email. If a group home liaison needs to connect with DDS or DMH Reps via email, they are only to use client initials and APIDs in their correspondence. Group Home Liaisons are to limit communication with DDS or DMH Agency Representatives to conversations about scheduling interviews, quick follow-ups on documentation submitted, scheduling a phone call, etc. The subject line must also include Secure:.

If an Agency Authorized Representative for Certification notifies DTA that a group home client has passed away or has left the group home, the change must be processed as indicated by the Agency Authorized Representative If client death is verified, work with your supervisor or manager to deactivate the relevant EBT card(s).

If the client has moved out of the DDS state-operated or DMH state-operated group home, the worker must explore the new household circumstances with the client/guardian, to determine continued eligibility - household composition and shelter expenses. If the client continues to receive SNAP, a new primary or Authorized Representative EBT card may be issued if needed.