HFS has received the necessary federal approval for the Jan. 1, 2025, rate increase to take effect.

We have an important update on the rate increase for in-home nurses originally set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) has received the necessary federal approvals for the rate increase to take effect.

You will see the updated rates reflected on your next Prior Authorization for In-Home Shift Nursing letter (also known as the 2352).

The rate increase affects:

• Registered nurse (RN), licensed practical nurse (LPN) and certified nursing assistant (CNA) care
• In-home and facility-based respite care
• Nurse training rates

The increased rates are:

• RN, $57.78 per hour
• LPN, $48.15 per hour
• CNA, $32.10 per hour

You can find the updated rate table on our website’s Home Care Rate Table page.

The Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) will begin paying nursing agencies the newly approved rate when our new CarePay claims software system goes live. We currently expect to launch CarePay in mid-May.

We are communicating with our enrolled home nursing agencies about this update as well.

After we transition to CarePay, DSCC will work with home nursing agencies to adjust payments for nursing services dating back to Jan. 1. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to your DSCC Care Coordinator. We are here to help!

We invite all Illinois families of children with special healthcare needs to share their feedback and experiences at this virtual forum.

Join us for an opportunity to connect with other families and share your feedback on topics that matter to you. 

Our next Family Advisory Council (FAC) open forum is on May 8 from 9 to 11 a.m. 

This free virtual meeting is for all Illinois families of children with special healthcare needs. You do not have to be a Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) participant to attend. 

You can sign up on Zoom to join the meeting. Please note that live Spanish translation will be available during the open forum.

The FAC guides our efforts to strengthen teamwork, improve communication and empower families to have a voice in their children’s care. The council also connects families to resources and other families who are on a similar journey. 

Our FAC has also played an important role in developing:

• Our DSCC Family Portal to help families more easily communicate and share information with their DSCC care coordination team
• NurseNet, a digital platform that connects Illinois families needing nursing care with local home health agencies
• “All About Me” Page templates to help providers, care coordination teams, schools and other caregivers understand the likes, strengths and needs of each child beyond their medical diagnosis
• Our free, virtual Health Insurance Education Series to help families navigate the insurance maze and better understand their coverage and benefits
• Improvements to our family survey process, including reducing the number of surveys that families receive 
• Updates to our online Resource Directory and more

You can find the minutes from past meetings and more details on our website’s Family Advisory Council page.  

You can also visit our Family Stories page to learn about some of the family members who serve on the council:

• Davina’s Family
• The Vasquez Family
• The Stearns Family
• Dominic’s Family

If you have questions or would like more details on how to participate in the FAC, please email dsccfac@uic.edu.

We hope to see you on May 8!

“My hope is that what I bring to DSCC… are the data points that help to drive advocacy and improvements in care.”

Dr. Sarah Sobotka first started working with the Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) through her research to improve support for children with mechanical ventilators and their families.

“I have been working with DSCC as a critical partner in my research program since 2017,” she said, noting how DSCC helped recruit eligible families for her research studies.

“I am so fortunate to have had the enthusiastic support from DSCC because our missions are so aligned and from a research standpoint, it allows me to work with a state agency that lacks the bias of a single hospital center or a single institution… it is a more balanced sample, working with the entire state.”

Sobotka and DSCC share the same goal to better understand the needs of children with medical complexity and connect their families with the right services and support to achieve their best quality of life.

In 2020, DSCC’s leadership invited Sobotka to join our Medical Advisory Board as an expert medical provider.

Her research and expertise provide valuable perspectives on how to best allocate resources and improve systems of care for all Illinois children and youth with special healthcare needs.  

An early focus on children with medical complexity leaving the hospital

Sobotka is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Section of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, and Ambulatory Medical Director of Comer Developmental and Behavioral Pediatric Programs in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Chicago.

She became interested in children with medical complexity while completing her residency.

“I did my pediatric residency, and then I elected to do a developmental and behavioral pediatric fellowship in order to focus on the diagnosis and support of children with disabilities and their families,” Sobotka said.

She quickly saw how long children with medical complexity and undiagnosed disability spent in the hospital.

“I recognized early on that an impediment to their flourishing and to their families’ functioning was the length of time they were in the hospital,” she said. “So, some of my early work focused on that process of discharge and the many components that have to get together in order for a child with medical complexity, particularly kids with ventilators, to leave the hospital.”

As part of Dr. Sobotka’s training, she took an additional year between her third and fourth year of medical school to complete a Master of Science for Clinical Professionals. This advanced degree gave her training in epidemiology and research.

Sobotka’s research focus has explored what happens after children with complex medical needs leave the hospital, what the home nursing landscape looks like and what individual families’ experiences and needs are.

One of Dr. Sobotka’s first research studies involved interviewing DSCC Care Coordinators, skilled private duty nurses, and parents of children in the Home Care Program who came home with a ventilator.

“I interviewed those parents a couple of times after going home, so I really started to understand the complexity of home care challenges and what that looked like for families,” she said.

This research project identified gaps in therapy services for these children, and Sobotka developed interventions to support their diverse disabilities. She also learned more about how DSCC Care Coordinators support families and what motivates and challenges professionals in this important role.

Improving the healthcare system’s efficiency

Over the last seven years, Sobotka has continued to partner with DSCC on multiple studies. Recent projects include:

• “Disparities in Home Nursing and Hospital Length of Stay for Children with Invasive Mechanical Ventilation: Identifying National Trends and Piloting a Parent-to-Parent Intervention”
  • This study includes a parent-to-parent coaching pilot program for families. This pilot program is for families who have a child on a ventilator in the hospital and are awaiting home nursing so their child can be discharged home or have gone home and do not have enough home nursing support.
    
• “Let’s E.A.T! (Eating with Assistive Technology)”
  • This study aims to help children with feeding tubes and tracheostomies (trachs) eat by mouth. It is for families who have a child under 3 years old with a feeding tube and trach.

You can read more about these studies on pages 35 and 36 of our FY 2024 Annual Report.

A major theme in Sobotka’s work is improving the healthcare system’s efficiency so that all children, especially those with medical complexity, spend more time in the least restrictive environment at home with their families.

“This ultimately has the greatest potential to improve their developmental trajectory, because although this is a population at high risk for complex disability, I still believe there are opportunities to mitigate the worst disability outcomes with the right interventions at the right times,” Sobotka said.

Sobotka says families’ experiences and feedback direct the course of her research.

As a Medical Advisory Board member, Sobotka enjoys the opportunity to collaborate with other members to advocate for parent caregivers. She also aims to keep families’ needs and priorities at the center of decisions and improvements in the healthcare system.

“My hope is that what I bring to DSCC and also to other investigators, clinicians, and families are the data points that help to drive advocacy and improvements in care,” she said.

Thank you, Dr. Sobotka, for your dedication to improving the lives of children with complex medical needs and their families!

The Annual Illinois Statewide Transition Conference provides valuable opportunities and resources to help youth and young adults with disabilities navigate the transition to adulthood.

Turning 18 is a major milestone. For Brenton Braxton and his family, they approached it with a mix of excitement and many questions about the future.

What benefits can Brenton qualify for as an adult? What should they know about guardianship and power of attorney?

Brenton has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic disorder that causes his muscles to weaken over time.

“When Brenton was first diagnosed when he was 7, these things that are being presented to us now – at that time, we had no idea that we’d be able to be at this place. So, that’s why my word I keep using is a sense of excitement because… Brenton’s still thriving,” his mom, Veneise, said.

Brenton is now a senior in high school with a strong interest in sports and a desire to go to college and “live life to the fullest.”

To help Brenton and his family prepare for what’s next, their Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) Care Coordinator recommended they attend the Illinois Statewide Transition Conference.

The annual event provides valuable resources and information to help youth with disabilities and their families navigate the transition to adulthood.

“One of the major reasons why we wanted to attend this conference is that we wanted to get in the room with the resources. We wanted to get to the people, talk to the people, engage with the people that can say, ‘Hey, here’s what your child qualifies for. Hey, try this program for him, do this, go down this avenue,'” Veneise said.

“You just really want to have your feet grounded in knowing what’s getting ready to happen.”

The Braxtons were among nearly 450 people who attended the 19th Illinois Statewide Transition Conference, titled “Stepping Stones of Transition,” on Nov 7-8, 2024, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel and Convention Center in Springfield.

The transition conference brings together youth with disabilities, parents, caregivers, vocational professionals, healthcare professionals, educators and more,

Youth with disabilities and their families can network and find answers to common questions about the transition to adulthood, including:

• What happens after I leave high school?
• How do I sort through the maze of resources?
• What steps can I take now to prepare for upcoming changes?
• What skills are important for me to develop?

“Here we all are in one space.”

DSCC Home Care Family Outreach Associate Erica Stearns describes the annual conference as “a dream come true.”

Erica is the parent of two children enrolled with DSCC. Erica also has lived experience as an individual with disabilities.

“I was talking to another adult with disabilities before this interview, and it dawned on me, I didn’t grow up having this,” she said.

“To have an event where everyone is coming together for a similar purpose related to our children and their disabilities is incredibly meaningful, and it’s unique in that here we all are in one space.”

Erica highlighted the importance of ensuring youth and young adults have access to the information and resources they need as they transition to adulthood.

“It is abundantly clear that while we know that there are certain steps and certain paths that individuals with disabilities can take as they navigate their entry into adulthood, the information to prepare both their families and themselves for that is very challenging to find,” she said.

“I think most families feel empowered with knowledge. And I think that’s what this conference provides families is information, knowledge, tools and resources.”

DSCC helps sponsor the conference and serves on its steering committee. DSCC also provides financial support to help participant families attend the conference.

Claire Cook is DSCC’s Title V Transition Specialist and co-chair of the Transition Conference’s Steering Committee.

“Several families came back from last year,” said Claire. “We had about 20 or so individual families from DSCC, five of which were primarily Spanish speaking and several of our transition-age youth.”

“A lot of opportunities, a lot of information.”

Jani, 14, attended the conference with his mom, Aimee, and sister, Grace.

Jani has spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). He first enrolled with DSCC when he was diagnosed with SMA, close to 12 years ago.

Jani described the conference as a positive experience with valuable information. He and his family gained resources, discovered new opportunities and made connections.

 “We had a very nice family that was sitting by us (at lunch), whose son had a similar disability. It was just nice to talk to them and hear their story,” Jani said.

When asked if he would recommend the conference to other young adults, he said, “You should definitely come because it has a lot of opportunities, a lot of information. It’s just good to come to understand what’s going to happen, what they want to do later in life.”

After high school, Jani plans to go to college and become a teacher.

“I want her to be strong, and I want her to be confident.”

TaLeah, 17, attended the conference with her mom, Tamara. TaLeah first enrolled with DSCC 15 years ago, when she was diagnosed with hearing loss.

She is an accomplished basketball player who plans to go to college, play basketball and be successful.

 “I want her to be strong, and I want her to be confident,” said Tamara.

“I want her to continue to advocate for herself and others. And I think she’s doing a good job thus far.”

Tamara said she is trying to give her daughter the best tools and equip her the best way she knows how.

“All this information is very helpful and hopefully it’ll help build her up.”

Brenton Braxton said the resources and knowledge his family gained at the conference will help him achieve his goals.

“I think some things from here that I learned is that not only I’ll still have my independence, but I can also use my parents to help me in my journey and to living it to the fullest and doing all the things I want to do,” he said.

On turning 18, he said, “It’s a big step, but I feel like with the support from my family and people around me, it’ll be good.”

Save the Date for the 2025 Transition Conference

The 2025 Illinois Statewide Transition Conference will take place Oct. 30-31 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel and Convention Center in Springfield.

To learn more about how to support youth with special healthcare needs during the transition to adulthood, contact DSCC at (800) 322-3722 or visit dscc.uic.edu.

For more information about the Transition Conference, visit www.illinoistransitionconference.org/.

Check out our Facebook page to see a photo album with more photos from the 2024 Transition Conference.

We developed a tip sheet to help guide parents and caregivers through the steps to become a CNA.

We continue to wait for approval to allow parents/legally responsible adults (LRAs) to become paid caregivers if they are a certified nursing assistant (CNA) and employed by a nursing agency.

We understand that our participant families are eager for this change to take effect. Allowing parents and caregivers who are CNAs to become paid caregivers is an important step in strengthening support for families of individuals who need in-home shift nursing.

To help families prepare as we await approval, we’ve put together a Certified Nursing Assistant Resources Tip Sheet.

This tip sheet aims to guide parents and caregivers through the steps to become a CNA. It links to several websites for your convenience and provides general guidelines.

• CNA Resources Tip Sheet in English
• CNA Resources Tip Sheet in Spanish

You can also find the CNA Resources Tip Sheet on our Home Care Nursing Information for Families page.

Our Family Advisory Council reviewed this tip sheet to make sure it’s as helpful for families as possible.

Please remember that currently, parents/LRAs can only be paid for providing skilled nursing services to their children if they hold an active registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN) license. This rule applies to parents/LRAs of all children approved for Home Care Program services, regardless of the child’s age.

The plan to allow CNAs as paid family caregivers requires an amendment to the Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Waiver for Those Who Are Medically Fragile, Technology Dependent (MFTD waiver). It also requires the creation of a new state plan amendment. Both approvals must be in place to allow for this change.

There is currently no set timeline for the state plan amendment and the MFTD waiver amendment to be approved.

Once approved, we will notify you as quickly as possible.

If you have any questions, please contact your DSCC Care Coordinator at (800) 322-3722.

Learn more about the MFTD, DRS and DDD Medicaid waivers and how they can help your family

Our annual Health Insurance Education Series returns in March to help families understand important health insurance topics.

In response to family feedback, our 2025 series will explain Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Waiver Programs for Illinois.

The webinars are open to Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) participants, their family members and anyone interested in these topics.

These free virtual trainings will feature DSCC team members and other presenters covering a different waiver each month:

• Medically Fragile and Technology Dependent (MFTD) Medicaid Waiver, March 11 at 6 p.m.
  
  • The March presentation will focus on the Medically Fragile and Technology Dependent Waiver for children and adults. Presenters from DSCC will explain how to apply, who is eligible, what benefits are available, and how to use the benefits.
    
  • See the MFTD Medicaid Waiver flyer
  • Register on Zoom for MFTD Medicaid Waiver

• Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) Medicaid Waivers, April 8 at 6 p.m.
  
  • The April presentation will focus on the different waivers available for children and young adults through the Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS). Presenters from DRS will explain how to apply, who is eligible, what benefits are available, and how to use the benefits.
    
  • See the DRS Medicaid Waivers flyer
  • Register on Zoom for DRS Medicaid Waivers
    
• Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) Medicaid Waivers, May 13 at 6 p.m.
  
  • The May presentation will focus on the different waivers for children and young adults available through the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD). Presenters from DDD will explain how to apply, who is eligible, what benefits are available, and how to use the benefits.
    
  • See the DDD Medicaid Waivers flyer
  • Register on Zoom for DDD Medicaid Waivers
    
• La Excepción de Medicaid para personas médicamente frágiles y dependientes de la tecnología (MFTD), 11 de marzo, a las 6 p.m.
  
  • La presentación de marzo se centrará en la excepción para personas médicamente frágiles y dependientes de la tecnología para niños y adultos. Los presentadores de la División de Atención Especializada para Niños (DSCC) le explicarán cómo presentar la solicitud, quién es elegible, qué beneficios están disponibles y cómo utilizarlos.
    
  • Consulte el folleto de Beneficios de MFTD para obtener más detalles.
  • Registrarse para MFTD en Zoom.
    
• Excepciones de Medicaid de la División de Servicios de Rehabilitación (DRS), 8 de abril a las 6 p.m.
  
  • La presentación de abril se centrará en las diferentes excepciones disponibles para niños y adultos jóvenes a través de la División de Servicios de Rehabilitación (DRS). Los presentadores de DRS explicarán cómo presentar la solicitud, quién es elegible, qué beneficios están disponibles y cómo utilizarlos.
    
  • Consulte el folleto de Excepciones de Medicaid de la DRS para obtener más detalles.
  • Registrarse para Excepciones de Medicaid de la DRS en Zoom.

• Excepciones de Medicaid de la División de Discapacidades del Desarrollo (DDD), 13 de mayo a las 6 p.m.
  
  • La presentación de mayo se centrará en las diferentes excepciones para niños y adultos jóvenes disponibles a través de la División de Discapacidades del Desarrollo (DDD). Los presentadores de DDD explicarán cómo presentar la solicitud, quién es elegible, qué beneficios están disponibles y cómo utilizarlos.
    
  • Consulte el folleto de Excepciones de Medicaid de la DDD para obtener más detalles.
  • Registrarse para Excepciones de Medicaid de la DDD en Zoom.

You can also:

• Download a flyer with all Health Insurance Education Series topics and registration links. (The flyer is also available in Spanish.)
• See details about each series session on our Events page.
• Watch the session recordings and access related materials anytime on our Family Education Webinars page.

Our Health Insurance Education Series began in response to questions and suggestions from our Family Advisory Council.

If you have questions about these webinars before or after a session, please email dscc@uic.edu or call (800) 322-3722.

Our annual family survey is an easy way to share your input and help improve our services.

Attention participant families, be sure to watch your mail or email!

On Feb. 10, all Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) participants will receive our annual family survey.

This survey asks how well our team members support your family and meet your needs. It also asks about:

• Your contact preferences
• How and when you’d like to meet with our team
• How well our staff communicates with you

You will receive this survey by email or mail, based on your preferences. If you respond, you could win one of five $50 Amazon gift cards.*

Your responses will help us strengthen your services. They also guide updates to our DSCC policies and procedures that affect your family.

Our surveys are optional, but we strongly encourage you to share your experiences. We want to ensure we’re doing all we can to help you meet your family’s needs and achieve your goals.

* Please note: Foreign national nonresident aliens are not eligible for the gift card participation prize.

How Your Feedback Makes a Difference

Your ideas and feedback help improve our services to families like yours. We used family input from last year’s survey to:

• Train our care coordination teams to better understand the family perspective and tailor services to your unique needs and wants. 
• Educate families about the benefits of our DSCC Family Portal to easily communicate and share information with your care coordination team.
• Launch NurseNet, a new online tool to help families connect with available in-home nurses.
• Offer free webinars on important health insurance topics affecting families.
• Improve our language access to better support our families’ diverse backgrounds.
• Reorganize our Chicago offices to better serve the Chicago community.

Please be on the lookout for our annual survey on Feb. 10.

If you have questions or need more information, please contact your Care Coordinator.

We appreciate your partnership and look forward to hearing from you!

Families have until Jan. 30, 2025, to share their input on a state plan amendment allowing CNAs to become paid family caregivers.

Families can now share their feedback to allow more parents/legally responsible adults (LRAs) to become paid caregivers for their children at home.

The public comment period is currently open for a state plan amendment allowing parents/LRAs to become paid caregivers if they are a certified nursing assistant (CNA) and employed by a nursing agency.

Currently, parents/LRAs are paid for providing skilled nursing services to their children if they hold an active registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN) license. This rule applies to parents/LRAs of all children approved for Home Care Program services, regardless of the child’s age.

Allowing parents and caregivers who are CNAs to become paid caregivers is an important step in strengthening support for families of individuals who need in-home shift nursing.

This change requires an amendment to the Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Waiver for Those Who Are Medically Fragile, Technology Dependent (MFTD waiver). It also requires the creation of a new state plan amendment. Both approvals must be in place to allow for this change.

The public comment period for the new state plan amendment is now open until Jan. 30. You can read the public comment notice for the state plan amendment on the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) website.

Here is how you can review the amendment and share your feedback.

Review the Amendment

• Visit the HFS website to download and/or print a copy of the proposed state plan amendment.
  
• Email HFS.BPPC@illinois.gov to request a digital copy of the proposed state plan amendment.
  
• Review a hard copy of the proposed state plan amendment at HFS’ offices at:
  
  • 201 South Grand Ave. E.,
    Springfield, IL 62763
    
  • 401 S. Clinton
    Chicago, IL 60607

Share Your Feedback

HFS is accepting public input on the proposed state plan amendment through Jan. 30, 2025.

You can share your feedback in two ways:

• Email your input to HFS.BPPC@illinois.gov.
• Mail your written input to the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, Attention: Bureau of Program and Policy Coordination, 201 South Grand Ave. E., 2nd floor, Springfield, IL 62763

This public comment process is one of the best ways you can make your voice heard.

Next Steps

In addition to the new state plan amendment, we have worked closely with HFS to incorporate this new rule into the MFTD waiver. This waiver amendment is currently under federal review for approval.

There is currently no set timeline for the state plan amendment and the MFTD waiver amendment to be approved.

Once approved, we will notify our Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) participant families as quickly as possible.

If you have any questions, please contact your DSCC Care Coordinator at (800) 322-3722. 

DSCC honors Meeka Hudson for her dedication to supporting Illinois children and youth with special healthcare needs and their families

Care Coordinator Meeka Hudson is the 2024 recipient of the University of Illinois Chicago’s Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) Award of Merit.

The award recognizes exceptional employees for outstanding dedication and service to Illinois children with special healthcare needs and their families.

Meeka is a Care Coordinator in the Mokena Regional Office. She joined the Core Program team in 2018 and has played an invaluable role in empowering families ever since.

“Meeka is an exceptional Care Coordinator with a passion for helping her participant families navigate difficult situations and finding ways to reduce stress in their lives,” DSCC Executive Director Thomas F. Jerkovitz said.

“Her teammates praise her dedication, knowledge of resources and willingness to help. Meeka has also been instrumental in developing valuable education and networking opportunities for families based at the Mokena office.”

Meeka’s colleagues in the Mokena office nominated her for the award, noting her positive influence, expertise, compassion and creativity.

“Meeka’s dedication to her role is evident in everything she does,” Mokena Assistant Regional Manager Tami L. Peleckis said. “She is always ready to lend a hand, provide guidance, and share her expertise with her colleagues. Her positive attitude and willingness to go the extra mile make her an indispensable asset to our team.”

Program Coordinator Assistant Leslie Leske-Ely praised Meeka’s ability to break down information into manageable steps and empower families to take charge of their situations.

“She provides positive and innovating contributions to our office. Her ideas help in improving our office morale and family engagement,” Bilingual Care Coordinator Ana Lule said. “Meeka consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that families receive the support and resources they need. She approaches every case with empathy and a genuine desire to make a positive impact.”

Mokena Regional Manager Deanna Deleshe has worked with Meeka since she started at DSCC. When Meeka’s participant families wanted a space to network with other families in their same situation, Meeka saw a need and shared an idea with Deanna.

“Meeka was the inspiration behind our pilot of the Mokena Family Networking and Education Group called the Mokena Connection,” Deanna said. “Meeka also, along with other team members, was the inspiration behind all of our in-person office events (for participant families). We do our Winter Wonderland, our Spring Fling, our Summer Extravaganza and our Trunk or Treat.”

Meeka said she is “deeply honored and incredibly grateful to receive the 2024 Award of Merit.”

“This recognition is not just a personal achievement, but a reflection of the support, encouragement and inspiration I’ve received from the Mokena Regional Office Team,” Meeka continued. “I am truly fortunate to work alongside such talented, dedicated individuals.”

Meeka thanked DSCC’s leadership and added a special thank you to her managers Deanna and Tami, whose belief in her has made all the difference.

“This award is a testament to the teamwork, hard work, and passion that we put into everything we do,” she said.

Learn more about Meeka and her exceptional service to families in this video below:

DSCC staff nominated a total of 13 of their colleagues for this year’s Merit Award. As the winner, Meeka will receive a Merit Award memento, a $2,500 award and recognition from the Executive Director.

Congratulations to the rest of our 2024 DSCC Award of Merit Nominees:

• Daniel “Dan” Beagles, Training and Development Specialist, Mokena Regional Office (RO)
• Becky Helmink, Program Coordinator Assistant, Olney RO
• Andrea Hoskinson, Assistant Director Operations-Finance, Accounting and Procurement, Central Administrative Office (CAO)
• Amanda Kaufman, Care Coordinator, Home Care (HC) Region 3
• Cristina Lazala, Bilingual Program Coordinator Assistant, HC Region 2
• Cathleen “Cathy” Morrissey, Program Coordinator Assistant, Mokena RO
• Patricia Perez, Assistant Director of Operations-Research and Practice Initiatives, Chicago RO
• Yariela “Yari” Ramirez Beccue, Program Services Specialist, CAO
• Mary Ratermann, HC enrollment Specialist, St. Clair RO
• Adell Scott, Manager of HC Quality Improvement, St. Clair RO
• Paige Town, Assistant Regional Manager, Rockford RO
• Imani Wornum, Care Coordinator, HC Region 5

Learn more about all of the 2024 nominees in this recap video of the Award of Merit luncheon on Oct. 29 in Springfield:

Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) is a system that electronically documents the time and location of care that in-home nurses provide.

We have an important update about the in-home nursing services that Home Care Program families receive.

Your nursing agency must now comply with the Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) system. This system ensures accurate tracking of home-based healthcare visits. Your nursing agency may have mentioned EVV to you already.

We want to make sure you understand what EVV is and how it affects you and your nursing agency.

What is EVV?

EVV is a system that electronically documents the time and location of care that in-home nurses provide. Using GPS coordinates, EVV automatically collects shift clock-in and clock-out times and locations to access information on care delivery in real time.

The EVV system verifies:

• The nursing service provided
• The participant receiving the service
• The nurse or Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) providing the service
• The date and location of service delivery
• The service start and end times

This information helps ensure there are no care gaps throughout the service schedule. It also helps make sure that nursing hours are billed accurately toward participant nursing hours allocations.

The EVV system overall helps ensure greater transparency and accountability for both caregivers and recipients.

Why is this important to my family? 

The EVV system allows for better tracking than paper time sheets or agency charting that Illinois Medicaid cannot access. This improved tracking allows for better program quality assurance monitoring and access to quality care.

When your nursing staff clock in or out with EVV, it ensures accurate times are available. Therefore, only the true amount worked is billed against your nursing hours allocation.

There is nothing your family needs to do with the new EVV system.

How does this affect my nursing agency?

As a federal requirement under the 21^st Century Cures Act, Illinois Home and Community-Based Waiver programs began phasing in EVV on Jan. 1, 2024.

Following months of townhalls, resources, and flexibility, the official compliance period for EVV begins on Oct. 31, 2024.

All nursing agencies enrolled with the Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) will have six months to reach 50 percent compliance and one year to reach and maintain at least 75 percent compliance.

We are helping agencies reach compliance through outreach, education, and remediation plans, if necessary.

All agencies have access to technical support through the state’s EVV vendor, HHAeXchange. You can find more details on the:

• Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) EVV webpage
• Illinois’ Electronic Visit Verification webpage
• DSCC’s EVV Information and Resources page

We are working with nursing agencies to make this transition as smooth as possible. 

Questions? 

If you have any questions, please contact your DSCC Care Coordinator. You may also call us at (800) 322-3722 or email dscc@uic.edu.