Appendix A: Waiver Administration and Operation, 6. Assessment Methods and Frequency, page 26

The draft Agreement lacks assessments that represent input from individuals. There are options and methods that have not been fully explored or seriously considered for individuals to express their own voice, choice, and experiences. The national average for people with disabilities who report they are satisfied with the type of community interactions they have is only 57.6%, satisfied with the frequency of their community interactions is only 36.7%, respected is only 48.8%, and treated fairly is only 49.3%, according to the 2023 Personal Outcome Measures® Data Digest from the Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL). Yet, most of the assessments required by DOJ and DMAS, including the Monthly Onsite Assessment Tool for people who live in group homes, report close to 100% individual satisfaction and met needs, based entirely on how their Support Coordinator/ Case Manager reports it, even with evidence to the contrary, such as adult protective services referrals, evictions, encounters with law enforcement, suicide attempts, and emergency room visits.

RECOMMENDATION:  Methods used to measure consumer satisfaction with waiver services and the waiver planning process should be added to this item. The methods should be independent of DBHDS, Community Services Boards (CSB), or waiver service providers.