Key Elements of MSC

MSC consolidates Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver Service Coordination and CMCM and replaces them with a single way of doing business. People enrolled in OPWDD’s HCBS Waiver, as well as other Medicaid-eligible consumers who meet MSC eligibility criteria, will be served under MSC.

OPWDD will provide MSC directly and also subcontract with vendors for the provision of MSC.

Service coordination activities promote individualized services. Activities are based on the consumer’s valued outcomes and personal goals.

Consumers and vendors sign a Service Coordination Agreement. This agreement identifies the responsibilities of the service coordinator and the person served.  The agreement also identifies what the service  coordinator and the MSC vendor will do to help the person obtain his or her valued outcomes and what the person will do to further these outcomes. 

MSC has a monthly unit of service and the contract payment level is based on the type of residential setting in which the person lives.

Maximum caseloads are kept low. The maximum caseload for an MSC service coordinator is 30 people.

Consumers will have the option to withdraw from service coordination. Upon review by the DDSO, a person can opt out of MSC.  However, in accordance with HCBS Waiver requirements, HCBS Waiver recipients must receive MSC for three months.  After this, the person can request to withdraw.  The need for a current ISP and other HCBS Waiver enrollment requirements will be met through a new HCBS Wavier service - Plan of Care Support Service for Waiver enrollees opting out of MSC (Chapter Nine).  Non-Waiver enrollees can opt out of MSC at any time.  Willowbrook consumers must participate in service coordination.

There is a minimum requirement of one face-to-face contact per month with consumer. Additionally, at least once every three months, the service coordinator must conduct one of the face-to-face visits at the consumers home.

The MSC service design guards against conflict of interest in service coordination. Clinicians, habilitation staff, direct care staff and any other staff providing direct care services to the consumer, including the consumer’s Family Care home liaison,   cannot also serve as the consumer’s service coordinator.  Residential and Day managers with administrative control over a consumer’s services or programs may not supervise the consumer’s service  coordinator.