37.30.1001    STANDARDS FOR PROVIDERS OF SERVICES FUNDED THROUGH CERTAIN DISABILITY, EMPLOYMENT, AND TRANSITIONS PROGRAMS: GENERALLY

(1) Services that the department purchases to be delivered to persons who are applicants for or who are eligible consumers of the Vocational Rehabilitation Program, the Blind and Low Vision Program, the Older Blind Program, the Independent Living Program, the Extended Employment Program, or the Visual Medical Program must be appropriate to meet the needs of the person for whom they are purchased.

(2) The department purchases services for applicants and consumers only from entities or persons that meet the required or appropriate, as determined by the department, accreditation, certification, licensure or other requirements and criteria made applicable by law, accrediting body, or as provided for in ARM Title 37, chapter 30, subchapter 1.

(3) The department reimburses the cost of professional services delivered to persons who are applicants for or who are eligible consumers of the Vocational Rehabilitation Program, the Blind and Low Vision Program, the Older Blind Program, the Independent Living Program, the Extended Employment Program, or the Visual Medical Program only if the person who is to deliver the services is currently professionally licensed to provide the type of services that are to be delivered to the applicant or consumer and is in conformance otherwise with the professional standards that are appropriate for the profession the person is practicing. A provider of professional services is a person who provides services to persons with disabilities for the purposes of furthering their employment or life skills and who are subject under state law to licensure as a particular type of professional services practitioner.

(4) The department reimburses the cost of program services delivered to persons who are applicants for or who are eligible consumers of the Vocational Rehabilitation Program, the Blind and Low Vision Program, the Older Blind Program, the Independent Living Program, the Extended Employment Program, or the Visual Medical Program only if the department, in accordance with ARM Title 37, chapter 30, subchapter 1, has certified the entity that is to deliver the program services as an enrolled provider of services and the entity is in conformance with all legal requirements necessary for the conduct of business, including but not limited to licensure, incorporation and registration, and federal and state laws and regulations on tax and wage and hour requirements. A provider of program services is an incorporated or other legal business entity that provides services to persons with disabilities for the purposes of furthering their employment or life skills.

(5) The department may evaluate through quality assurance reviews, inclusive of service inspections and consumer and provider interviews, and other measures the quality of professional and program services delivered to consumers of the Vocational Rehabilitation Program, the Blind and Low Vision Program, the Older Blind Program, the Independent Living Program, the Extended Employment Program, or the Visual Medical Program. The department based upon those evaluations and other pertinent information as it may note or receive from third parties may take any appropriate measures, including termination of the provider relationship, to assure that consumers receive appropriate and effective services and that state and federal monies are appropriately managed and accounted for.

History: 53-2-201, 53-7-102, 53-7-203, 53-7-206, 53-7-302, 53-7-315, MCA; IMP, 53-2-201, 53-7-102, 53-7-103, 53-7-203, 53-7-302, 53-7-303, MCA; NEW, Eff. 1/3/77; AMD, 1984 MAR p. 511, Eff. 3/30/84; AMD, 1992 MAR p. 2572, Eff. 11/26/92; TRANS, from SRS, 1998 MAR p. 2040; AMD, 2010 MAR p. 1318, Eff. 5/28/10; AMD, 2013 MAR p. 789, Eff. 5/10/13; AMD, 2013 MAR p. 2309, Eff. 12/13/13.