Date: April 26, 2021
To: Family Support Program Providers - Community Mental Health Centers and Hospitals
Re: Updated Family Support Program COVID-19 Guidance
This notice provides updated COVID-19 guidance to
Family Support Program (FSP) providers and replaces the Department’s April 10,
2020 informational notice.
HFS encourages providers to use materials available through
the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Illinois Department of Public
Health (IDPH) as part of their internal education of staff, including:
Initial
FSP Youth Enrollment Application
All required documents completed within the
previous 180 days will be accepted as part of the Initial FSP
Enrollment Application.
Continued
FSP Youth Enrollment
Continued Enrollment for redeterminations of FSP
eligibility will resume July 1, 2021. FSP Youth whose extended eligibility
period ends on, or after, July 1, 2021, will be mailed a Continued Enrollment
Authorization Request Packet from eQHealth Solutions, Inc. to notify the youth
and their family of the requirement to complete the Continued Enrollment
packet. FSP Coordinators will receive an email notification from eQHealth
Solutions, Inc. for youth and families who require Continued Enrollment. Youth
whose extended eligibility period ends prior to July 1, 2021, will receive an
extension of their FSP eligibility until their next Continued Enrollment period.
The timeline for the completion of an updated
Integrated Assessment and Treatment Plan for Continued Enrollments is extended
to 90 days prior to the Continued Enrollment submission.
Residential
Continued Stay Requests
Residential Continued Stay request submissions for
residential treatment services will resume July 1, 2021. Youth whose extended
Continued Stay request ends on, or after, July 1, 2021, will require an
approved Continued Stay request from eQHealth Solutions, Inc. Youth whose
extended Continued Stay request ends prior to July 1, 2021, will receive an
extension to their approved Continued Stay until their next Continued Stay
review period.
Residential Treatment providers and parents of youth
receiving residential treatment services will be notified of the requirement to
complete the Continued Stay request.
Signature
Requirements for all FSP Documents
Signature requirements for Initial FSP Enrollment
Applications will be considered met if the parent’s/guardian’s approval/consent
is documented via email or via verbal attestation written on the applicable
form, with the date and time that the verbal approval/consent was obtained and
the initial and date of the staff who obtained the verbal approval/consent.
Bedholds
Bedholds may be submitted for up to seven (7)
consecutive days for COVID-19 related reasons (e.g., the family/youth is under
mandatory quarantine). For all other bedhold requests unrelated to COVID-19,
standard bedhold policy applies. Bedholds are subject to clinical review, must
include a plan for maintaining supportive services for the youth during their
return home, and must include a clear plan for the youth returning to the
residential facility once the bedhold period has been completed. If the youth
is not going to return, then a clear plan for discharge services must be
included.
Questions regarding this notice may be directed to
the Bureau of Behavioral Health via telephone at 217-557-1000 or via email
at HFS.BBH@illinois.gov.
Kelly
Cunningham, Administrator
Division
of Medical Programs
