American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Provider Retention Payments
Initial report is due by August 15, 2022.
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) implements American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Provider Retention payments.
HHSC is providing funds to agency providers and consumer-directed services employers to support recruitment and retention efforts for direct care staff delivering HCBS services. Payments made under this section can include one-time financial compensation directed toward direct care staff, including lump-sum bonuses, retention bonuses, and paid time off to receive a COVID-19 vaccination or to isolate after receiving a positive COVID-19 test.
Providers who may be eligible to receive funds are:
- 1915 (c) Community Living and Support Services (CLASS) Provider Agency
- 1915 (c) Deaf-Blind with Multiple Disabilities (DBMD) Provider Agency
- 1915 (c) Texas Home Living (TxHmL) Provider Agency
- 1915 (c) Home and Community-Based Services (HCS) Provider Agency
- 1915(i) Home and Community-Based Services ? Adult Mental Health (HCBS ? AMH) Provider Agency
- Primary Home Care/Community Attendant Services (PHC/CAS) Provider Agency
- STAR+PLUS Assisted Living Provider Agency
- STAR+PLUS Day Activity and Health Services (DAHS) or STAR Kids Adult Day Care Provider Agency
- STAR+PLUS Personal Attendant Services and Nursing - HCBS (S+P Waiver) and Non-HCBS (non-waiver) Provider Agency
- STAR Kids or STAR Health Personal Attendant Services and Nursing services (including Medically Dependent Children?s Program (MDCP) and Personal Care Services (PCS)) Provider Agency
- 1915 (c) CLASS Consumer Directed Services (CDS) Employer
- 1915 (c) Deaf-Blind with Multiple Disabilities (DBMD) CDS Employer
- 1915 (c) Home and Community-Based Services (HCS) CDS Employer
- 1915 (c) Texas Home Living (TxHmL) CDS Employer
- Primary Home Care/Community Attendant Services (PHC/CAS) CDS Employer
- STAR+PLUS Personal Attendant Services and Nursing - HCBS (S+P Waiver) and Non-HCBS (non-waiver) CDS Employer
- STAR Kids or STAR Health Personal Attendant Services and Nursing services (including MDCP and PCS) CDS Employer
HHSC is providing time-limited reimbursement increases to strengthen and stabilize the HCBS workforce. Temporary rate increases will be made on eligible HCBS service claims with dates of service between March 1, 2022, and August 31, 2022.
Providers receiving temporary rate increases must complete an attestation and complete an initial report by August 15, 2022.
HHSC will announce the due date for the final report in a follow-up notice. Providers will have at least 30 days to complete the final report.
Providers who fail to complete the required attestation and reporting will be subject to recoupment of HCBS ARPA funds.
Consumer Directed Services (CDS) Employers and Financial Management Services Agencies (FMSAs)
The CDS participant, as the employer of record, may choose to submit the required attestation and reports or work with the Financial Management Services Agency (FMSA) to submit the attestation and reports on the CDS participant?s behalf. FMSAs may also reach out to the CDS participants to offer assistance in submitting the attestation and reports. FMSAs can submit the required information for multiple CDS participants in the FMSA HCBS ARPA Attestation and Initial Report Template. Pursuant to Texas Administrative Code rule 1 TAC 355.207(c)(4), to be eligible for the temporary rate add-on, providers must submit required reports regarding the use of funds and provide data to document vacancy rates in direct care staff and other indicators. If completing the attestation and reports on behalf of a CDS participant, FMSAs should work with the CDS participant to collect all required data. The deadline for the attestation and initial reporting has been extended to August 15, 2022.
Information regarding ARPA HCBS Provider recruitment and retention payments is available on the HHSC Provider Finance website.
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