Integrated community supports (ICS) is a new waiver/245D license service as of 2021 under the “waiver reimagine” initiative in Minnesota.
Integrated Community Supports (ICS) are a 245D licensed service for adults 18+ on the BI, CAC, CAID or DD waivers. Providers provide support (e.g. supervision, cuing, and assistance) and training for adults (18+) in a provider-controlled, multifamily housing building (integrated community supports setting). Providers may deliver up to 24 hours of service support in a day. In a way, Integrated Community Supports (ICS) are similar to other “group home” programs.
ICS is not covered if it is delivered in a setting that is licensed or registered under Minn. Stat. Chapter 144D or Minn. Stat. Chapter 144G to deliver customized living or assisted living services and/or is licensed under Minn. Stat. Chapter 245A or Minn. Stat. Chapter 245D to deliver adult foster care, child foster care, community residential services or family residential services.
ICS provides support and/or training in four community living service areas: (1) community participation, (2) health and safety, and wellness, (3) household management, and (4) adaptive skills.
Community participation may include community mobility and pedestrian safety (e.g., safely getting in and around the community); community resource use and access; community safety and awareness; informal support system and network development; interpersonal communications skills; leisure, recreation and socialization planning; and skill-building to meet transportation needs.
Health safety and wellness may include collaboration with the person to arrange health care (e.g., physical, mental, chemical), meaningful activities, social services, meetings and appointments; cueing, guidance, supervision, training or instructional support to complete self-care activities; health services support; help for the person to activate and build resiliency factors; and support for the person to design and meet individualized strategies to reach their health, safety and wellness goals.
Household management may include cueing, guidance, supervision, training or instructional support to complete routine household care and maintenance; household safety knowledge and skills; tenancy support and advocacy; training, assistance, support and/or guidance (with budgeting and assistance to manage money, cooking, meal-planning and nutrition, healthy lifestyle skills and practices, household chores, including minor household maintenance activities, personal-needs purchasing.
Adaptive skills may include crisis prevention skills; implementation of positive support strategies; problem-solving; sensory/motor development involved in acquiring functional skills; support strategies for self-sufficiency; support and training to increase positive behavior, resulting in reduction or elimination of challenging behavior.
An integrated community supports setting is a multi-family housing building (tri-plex, four plex, apartment building, etc.) where the service provider has direct or indirect control of the person’s living unit and has an approved setting capacity report.
An integrated community supports setting Is considered a provider-controlled HCBS setting (must comply with all requirements for HCBS settings in 42 CFR 441.301(c)) and it does not meet the requirements of a person’s own home, community residential program or family residential program.
A living unit is a self-contained residential living unit with living, sleeping, eating, cooking and bathroom areas.
A multifamily housing building will have multiple living units.
When a single provider leases or owns more than one living setting located on the same or adjoining property, the lead agency can only authorize services in one of the settings.
A setting capacity report is required to be submitted to DHS by the provider indicating:
Before an integrated community supports provider can deliver services, they must submit a Setting Capacity Report, DHS-8062 to DHS for each integrated community supports setting, as required by Minn. Stat. Chapter 245D. Only one HCBS provider may deliver integrated community supports in the approved setting. To submit a setting capacity report, email the completed DHS-8062 form to hcbs.settings@state.mn.us.
Integrated community support settings must comply with the federal HCBS settings rule, therefore there is a limit to the number of units in a building where ICS can be provided.
Integrated community supports may be provided in:
A site specific review is required for:
The site specific review is required in order to ensure the setting does not isolate or create stigma for people living there.
Information the provider submits to DHS for the site-specific review must include, but is not limited to:
DHS will not approve the site-specific review if the information submitted does not:
If a site-specific review is required for a setting based on the setting capacity report, DHS will contact the provider to obtain the required information.
The DHS rate framework can be found here, and navigate to the ICS spreadsheet and input your specific staffing and resident numbers to learn your rate per day = 2022 Disability waiver rate-setting frameworks / Minnesota Department of Human Services (mn.gov)
Only the provider with the approved setting capacity report can deliver When a person chooses to receive integrated community supports, they are choosing both their ICS service provider and where they live integrated community supports in that setting.
A person who lives in an integrated community supports setting does not have to receive ICS. They can receive other services that meet their needs from a different provider of their choosing (e.g. individualized home supports, 24 hour emergency supports.
A person who lives in an integrated community supports setting does not have to receive ICS. They can receive other services that meet their needs from a different provider of their choosing (e.g. individualized home supports, 24 hour emergency supports
There are limitations on the services that can be delivered when someone receives integrated community supports. A person who receives integrated community supports cannot also receive: community residential services, family residential services, customized living (including 24 hr), 24 hour emergency assistance, individualized home supports, night supervision, respite, caregiver living expenses.
If more than one person resides in a single living unit of an ICS setting, the ICS provider must not direct or facilitate who will and will not live in the unit; allow each person to choose who lives in the unit with them, as allowed by rental guidelines or a lease agreement; and maintain documentation that each person, their case manager and their legal representative (if applicable) are aware of and have chosen the living arrangement.
ICS can be delivered through remote support. Services delivered through remote support must meet all the requirements listed here though.
Integrated Community Supports Apartments offer a variety of apartment homes in locations conveniently located throughout the Minnesota to individuals with physical disability & Mental Health Disability.
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