Provider Notice Issued 04/05/2023

Date:    April 5, 2023

To:       Supportive Living Program (SLP) providers and Interested Parties  

Re:       Expansion of the Supportive Living Program Dementia Care Settings ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This Notice informs Supportive Living Program (SLP) providers and Interested Parties that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) will be accepting applications for the expansion of the Supportive Living Program (SLP) Dementia Care Settings (DCS) in targeted geographic areas and must meet specific criteria defined below.   

The SLP DCS offers services to individuals aged 65 and older who exhibit symptoms related to internal pathological changes in the brain. Those symptoms must affect the individual's intellectual and social abilities severely enough to interfere with daily functioning that make it unsafe for them to reside alone. Examples of diagnoses that could meet this definition include Alzheimer's disease, dementia, Pick's disease, brain injury, or brain atrophy. 

Application Submittal Process:

A non-binding Letter of Intent is requested by April 19, 2023. The Letter of Intent should include the name of the applicant and the city and zip code of the proposed SLP DCS community. The Letter of Intent should be emailed or postmarked to the address identified below. A Letter of Intent is not an application requirement. 

Applications will be accepted April 5, 2023 – May 31, 2023. The application may be downloaded from the HFS Supportive Living Program webpage located at: Supportive Living Program. The Department requires 2 unbound hard copies of the application and supporting material. Electronic versions will not be reviewed. 

Current Operational SLP Settings:

Currently operational SLP settings in the counties listed below may submit an application to:

• Add dementia care to their existing elderly (non-dementia) program; or
• Convert elderly (non-dementia) units to dementia care; or
• Expand their already existing dementia care setting. 

Other Healthcare Providers or Interested Parties:
Other healthcare providers or interested parties are invited to apply. 

Applications will be reviewed and evaluated by HFS pursuant to the rules and regulations including any subsequent amendments and successors thereto.

Criteria

• The setting must be ready for operations and certification within 180 days of an approved application.
• This expansion is not open to new construction projects.
• This expansion is not open to the approval of additional elderly (non-dementia) units in the SLP setting.
• The applicant, or the management company, identified on the application must have healthcare experience and be able to demonstrate experience serving individuals with internal pathological changes in the brain.
• The dementia care setting must be compliant with State and Federal requirements:
  •  Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Summary of Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Setting Requirements
  • 305 ILCS 5/5-5.01a of the Illinois Public Aid Code; and
  • Title 89 Ill. Adm. Code Part 146 Subpart B and Subpart E
    • 89 Ill. Adm. Code 146 Subpart B – general SLP rules and requirements
    • 89 Ill. Adm. Code 146 Subpart E – rules and requirements specific to SLP Dementia Care. Subpart E will take precedence when any program requirement is contained in both Subparts
• Applications will be required to meet a minimum score with the Financial Plan and must also meet a minimum overall score with the application to be considered for an interview.

 

Automatic application disqualifiers:

• Any individual or entity that has been terminated or barred, suspended from any program under federal law; have not been reinstated; or been convicted of a criminal offense related to provision of health care items or services in the past 10 years;
• Setting plans are not compliant with administrative rules and federal community settings requirements;
  
  

All applicants will receive written notification of decision and the right to appeal. 

Reimbursement rates are located on the Medicaid Reimbursement for Supportive Living  webpage located at:  Supportive Living Reimbursement Rates. Reimbursement rates for Dementia Care Settings will increase 5% effective July 1, 2023.   

Applications will be accepted for the following geographic areas defined by counties: 

Cook (including the city of Chicago)
Cook Collar – DuPage, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will
Northwest – DeKalb, LaSalle, Rock Island, and Winnebago
Central - Champaign, Macon, McLean, Peoria, Sangamon, Tazewell, and Vermilion                
Metro East St. Louis - Madison and St. Clair
Southern – Clay, Effingham, Franklin, Jackson, Jasper, Richland, and Williamson

All questions should be directed to the SLP inbox at HFS.SLF@illinois.gov 

Please submit completed applications and materials (2 unbound hard copies) to: 

Department of Healthcare and Family Services

Bureau of Long Term Care – Supportive Living Program

201 South Grand Ave East, FL 3 

Springfield, IL 62763 

Applications and materials should be postmarked no later than May 31, 2023.  

Kelly Cunningham, Administrator
Division of Medical Programs