Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Access Program For Individuals With I/DD The Home and Community-Based Services Access Program for Individuals Living with I/DD (Program) is established to support existing direct support professionals and increase the number of direct support professionals (DSPs and non-DSPs) employed by BHDDH licensed Developmental Disability Organizations (DDO) that deliver supports in residential, community-based or home-based services during the COVID-19 public health emergency. These funds are an additional measure to be used as secondary funding source to other federal COVID-19 relief funding received by providers, and other similar funding resources made available by the State during the COVID-19 response. This Program will distribute up to $3.0 million in funding to the community-based providers and programs licensed by BHDDH as DDOs (“DDO Programs”) to retain existing staff and recruit new staff during the COVID-19 public health emergency. These DDO Programs provide an array of services, including home-based support services to eligible Medicaid beneficiaries as an alternative to the use of higher risk congregate care settings, and as a result serve to mitigate potential exposure to COVID-19 during the pandemic. The main objective of this Program is to increase the capacity and immediate availability of home and community-based services as a timely, infection safe, community-based alternative to congregate care facilities. The methodology for funding allocation is outlined in detail in the program guidance and application documents. Program Timeline: Applications are due Friday October 30, 2020 by 5pm EST. The state projects to make disbursements to approved provider agencies by November 15, 2020. Program Documents: Program Application Program Guidance Please email OHHS.IDDAccessProgram@ohhs.ri.gov if you have additional questions that are not addressed in the program documents. HCBS-I-DD-Access-Program-Guidance.pdf