The following are policies and guidelines developed for Developmental Disability Services.

• Community Safety Procedures for Sex Offenders with Developmental Disabilities
• Peggy's Law
• Peggy's Law - Guidelines for Completing the Mandatory Disclosure Form for Home Provider/Respite Worker
• Peggy's Law - Disclosure to Home Provider/Respite Workers Form
• Peggy's Law - Home Provider Mandatory Disclosure Law Implementation Questions and Answers
• Vermont State System of Care Plan for Developmental Services - Three Year Plan FY2008 - FY2010 (July 2007)
  This plan describes the nature, extent, allocation and timing of services that will be provided to people with developmental disabilities and their families. The Three Year Plan and any subsequent Updates make up the complete plan for the current year.
• System of Care Plan FY'10 Update

• Behavior Support Guidelines for Support Workers Paid with Developmental Services Funds (October 2004)
  These Guidelines outline the types of interventions that support workers paid with developmental disability services funds may use to support behavior change and also the steps to follow when restriction of rights or restraints are required.

• Qualified Developmental Disabilities Professionals (QDDP): Definitions, Qualifications & Roles (March 2004)
  This document explains the Vermont Division of Disability and Aging Services' definition, qualifications & roles of qualified developmental disabilities professionals.
Resource List for QDDP
Many of the items listed below can be found on the Department or DDAS website. For your convenience the items have been listed and linked below.

• Appendix A: Service Codes and Definitions
• Appendix B: A Guide for People who are Self- or Family Managing Medicaid-Funded Developmental Services
• Appendix C: Periodic Review Form
• Appendix D: Vermont State System of Care Plan for DS FY2008-FY2010
• Appendix E: Individual Support Agreement (ISA) Guidelines
• Appendix F: Health and Wellness Standards and Guidelines
• Appendix G: Guidelines for Critical Incident Reporting
• Appendix H: Behavior Support Guidelines
• Appendix I: Grievance Procedures and Appeals Procedures
• Appendix J: DDAS Guidelines for Quality Services
  (Currently Under Revision will be posted as soon as available)
• Appendix K: Supportive ISO Brochure
• Appendix L: ARIS (Informational document)
• Appendix M: Background Check Policy
• Appendix N: The Developmental Disabilities Act 1996
• Appendix O: Regulations Implementing the Developmental Disabilities Act of 1996
• Appendix P: Flexible Family Funding Program Guidelines
• Appendix Q: Adult Abuse Report Law
  Vermont Statutes; Title 33: Human Services, Chapter 69: Reports of Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of Vuln
  
• Appendix R: Needs Assessment Developmental Services
• Appendix S: The Vermont Statutes Online

• Endorsement of Individuals Acting Independently as Qualified Developmental Disability Professionals
  This document explains the Vermont Division of Disability and Aging Services' endorsement process for individuals who are interested in becoming endorsed individuals acting independently as a qualified developmental disabilities professional.

• Flexible Family Funding Guidelines (Revised: July 1, 2009)
  Flexible Family Funding Program offers support to individuals with developmental disabilities and families to enhance their ability to live together.

• Health and Wellness Standards and Guidelines (March 2004)
  These guidelines were created because the Division of Disability and Aging Services is responsible for insuring the health and safety of people who receive Medicaid-funded developmental disability services.

• A Guide for People who are Self- or Family-Managing Medicaid-Funding Developmental Services (March 2004)
  This document is designed to help people who wish to self- or family-manage their services understand what tasks are required and who is responsible for seeing that those tasks are accomplished.

• Policy on Education and Support of Sexuality (January 2004)
  This document provides a clear statement about the rights of individuals receiving developmental disability services to learn about the risks and responsibilities of expressing their sexuality.

• Guidelines for Critical Incident Reporting (December 2002)
  Detailed guidelines for critical incident reporting, including critical incident report form and restraint form.

• Individual Support Agreement Guidelines (Revised: March 2003)
  An Individual Support Agreement is a contract between you, your guardian (if you have one), and your provider(s). If you are managing all or some of your supports, you are still required to have an Individual Support Agree (ISA). This agreement addresses your needs that you, your Designated Agency and others have prioritized through an individualized planning process.

• Background Check Policy
  Performing background checks on individuals who work with vulnerable people is a component of preventing abuse, neglect and exploitation. This policy describes when a background check is required, what the components of a background check are and what is done if a background check reveals a potential problem.

• Critical Health Care Decisions Policy (November 1996) (Updated 2007)
  A Division of Disability and Aging Services (DDAS) policy that outlines the role of the public guardian when needing to make critical health care decision for adults with developmental disabilities for whom they are guardian. It includes an outline of the role of the Ethics Committee.

• Human Rights Committee Guidelines (Updated November 2006)
  The purpose of the Human Rights Committee is to safeguard the human rights of people receiving developmental disability services in Vermont. The Committee will provide an independent review of restraint procedures proposed or occurring within the supports provided by the developmental disability service system. This document gives the guidelines utilized in the review of policies, procedures, trends and patterns, individual situations and individual behavioral support plans that authorize the use of restraint procedure.

• Medicaid Manual for Developmental Disability Services (July 1995)

• Medicaid Manual for Developmental Disability Services (Supplement: January 1999)
  The Medicaid provider manual details the procedures for Medicaid-funded developmental disability services. This manual only outlines requirements for reimbursement of Title XIX services (Social Security Act covering Medicaid) including fee-for-service and home and community-based services.

• Medicaid and Placement Out of State
  This document provides information to assist individuals who receive Vermont developmental disability Medicaid waiver funding and who live out-of-state for the purposes of receiving treatment (i.e., shared living/ developmental home) to not lose their Vermont Medicaid or SSI.

• Developmental Disabilities Home and Community Based Services memo (July 2009)
  This updated notice provides clarification about the process for applying for Medicaid by means of being found eligible for developmental disabilities home and community-based services. This information had been previously issued as a memo in 2004 and 2005.  One of the changes is use of the language "developmental disability home and community-based services" instead of "DS Waiver" to reflect long-term care status that can provide access to Medicaid.

• Housing Safety and Accessibility Review Process (March 2006)

• Housing Accessibility Review Process - Attachment A (Revised March 2006)
  The Review Process outlines the Housing Safety and Accessibility Reviews that are conducted by the Division of Disability and Aging Services to assess safety and accessibility of all relevant residential and agency community support sites.

• DDS Grievance Procedure (2009)
  A description of how to file a grievance (expression of dissatisfaction) with a Designated Agency (DA), Specialized Service Agency (SSA) or other provider of developmental services through Medicaid that does not involve eligibility or the authorization of the amount or duration of services. For example, grievances may relate to the quality of services provided or to interpersonal interactions between an individual receiving services and a provider. A grievance is distinguished from a complaint in that a grievance requires a written response.

• DDS Appeal Procedure (2009)
  A description of how to file an appeal about a decision made by the Division of Disability and Aging Services (DDAS), a Designated Agency (DA), or a Specialized Services Agency (SSA) which has an impact on the amount or duration of services a consumer can have. This includes decisions around eligibility, type and quantity of services a consumer can have or the length of time a consumer can have a service.

• Change in Requirements for Eligibility Determinations for Children with PDD Funded for Limited Services (2009)
  The DD Act of 1996 Regulations require a full re-assessment of children with PDD funded for limited services prior to entering first grade.

• Best Practices Guidelines for the Diagnosis of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (2009)

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