Appendix M - Annoucement FS 24 No. 01 - Virtual Home Visiting Services.pdf
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- Attached to
- Family Support Programs
- Solicitation number
- 25-RFA-13800
- Issued by
- Pennsylvania
About this file
This is an announcement document issued by the Pennsylvania Departments of Education and Human Services, Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Bureau of Early Intervention Services and Family Supports, establishing policy requirements for virtual home visiting services within Family Support Programs. The announcement clarifies definitions, requirements, and considerations for the delivery of virtual home visiting services for evidence-based home visiting (EBHV) models funded through the Bureau of Early Intervention Services and Family Supports. Family Support programs must implement policies addressing when in-person and virtual home visits will be conducted and submit these policies to their assigned Family Support Consultant no later than July 1, 2025. Programs must also coordinate policy review with their model technical assistance providers to ensure alignment with EBHV model fidelity standards.
The announcement establishes mandatory service delivery requirements, including conducting at least one in-person home visit per family during each 12-month enrollment period and maintaining a minimum of 85 percent in-person home visits with no more than 15 percent conducted virtually. Virtual home visits must be conducted through non-public-facing video communication applications such as Zoom, Skype, Teams, FaceTime, or Google Hangouts, and are prohibited from using public-facing platforms such as Facebook Live or TikTok. Decisions regarding virtual versus in-person visits must be made based on family preference, not provider convenience, and programs must obtain documented family consent. Valid circumstances for virtual home visits include geographic limitations, hazardous conditions, public health emergencies, and accommodations for families with limited English proficiency or disabilities. All services must comply with HIPAA requirements and applicable Medical Assistance Bulletins for programs enrolled in the Medical Assistance Program.
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APPENDIX M
Announcement FS 24 #01 Virtual Home Visiting Services
Departments of Education and Human Services | 607 South Drive | 4th Floor Rotunda | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120 | 717.346.9324 | F 717.346.9330 | www.education.pa.gov | www.dhs.pa.gov
Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning Bureau of Early Intervention Services and Family Supports
Issue Date: 09/29/2024
Effective Date: 09/29/2024
Subject: Virtual Home Visiting Services
To: Family Support Programs
From:
Shante’ A. Brown Deputy Secretary, Office of Child Development & Early Learning
PURPOSE
The purpose of this announcement is to clarify the requirements for the delivery of virtual home visiting services for Family Support programs.
BACKGROUND
As a requirement of federal funding, the Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Bureau of Early Intervention Services and Family Supports is required to create a policy on virtual home visiting services which aligns with federal laws, definitions, and state grant award contract terms. These requirements outlined below are applicable to all evidence based home visiting (EBHV) models and services funded by Department of Human Services, Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Bureau of Early Intervention Services and Family Supports, across all current and future Family Support programs.
Definitions
Virtual Home Visit - A home visit that is conducted solely by the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies1 and as described in the applicable service delivery model.
1 Section 6101(h) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-328)/ Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022.
Announcement Number
Announcement
FS 24 #01
607 South Drive | 4th Floor Rotunda | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120 | 717.346.9324 | F 717.346.9330 | www.education.pa.gov | www.dhs.pa.gov
Telehealth - Two-way, real-time interactive communication between the family and the home visitor. This communication often requires the use of interactive telecommunications equipment that can include both audio and video components but can also be conducted via audio-only2.
Fidelity – Adherence to model developer requirements for high-quality implementation as well as any applicable affiliation, certification, or accreditation required by the model developer, if applicable.
Originating Sites - Location of the family at the time the virtual home visit is rendered to them.
The originating site can be but is not limited to: the family’s home, a provider’s office, an outdoor space, local meeting space, clinic, nursing facility, or other medical facility sites.
Public Facing Video Communication Applications - Applications that transmit communications in a way in which it is not possible to determine who is able to view the communication. Examples include, but are not limited to, Facebook Live, Twitch, TikTok, and other similar video communication applications.
Non-Public Facing Video Communication Applications – Applications that allow only the intended parties to participate in the communication. Examples include, but are not limited to, Zoom, Skype, Teams, FaceTime, and Google Hangouts.
Asynchronous or Store and Forward Technology - Technology used to transmit a family’s medical information from an originating site to the provider at a distant site without the presence of the family.
REQUIREMENTS
Family Support programs must adhere to the following requirements and considerations when determining if a virtual home visit is appropriate.
Required Frequency of In-Person and Virtual Home Visits At least one in-person home visit will be conducted for each family during a 12-month period of enrollment beginning with their date of entry into the program.
Family Support Programs should create, or revise, and implement policy to conduct at least 85% of all home visits in-person. The remaining 15% of home visits can be conducted through virtual home visiting, when necessary, in alignment with this policy announcement.
All grantees enrolled in the Medical Assistance (MA) Program who render physical health services in the MA Fee-for-Service (FFS) delivery system must comply with all published applicable Medical Assistance Bulletins.
2 Adapted from Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Medical Assistance Bulletin, Updates to Guidelines for the Delivery of Physical Health Services via Telehealth (99-23-08).
607 South Drive | 4th Floor Rotunda | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120 | 717.346.9324 | F 717.346.9330 | www.education.pa.gov | www.dhs.pa.gov
DISCUSSION
The following considerations should be taken into account when selecting virtual home visits:
Family consent – Family consents for services to be delivered in-person or through a virtual home visit in alignment with the fidelity standards of the EBHV model. This should be documented through a model approved family consent to services form. Services rendered via a virtual home visit may not be electronically recorded without the family’s consent.
Documentation - Services rendered and the telecommunication technology used to render the service should be documented in the family’s record. If the service was rendered using audio-only technology, document that the services were rendered using audio-only technology and the reason audio/video technology could not be used.
Family preference - Family indicates their preference to their home visitor as to what type of home visit will be delivered, virtual or in-person. A family can elect to return to in-person from virtual services at any time and may elect to not receive virtual home visiting at any time. A family’s refusal to receive a virtual home visit cannot be used as a basis to limit their access to services. Decisions about virtual home visits must be made at the preference of the family, not at the convenience of the home visitor.
Geographic limitations - Family lives a distance away from the grantee’s central office or home visitor’s home office, based on local program travel policies. In addition to distance and travel time, there should be other valid geographic limitations to visiting the family noted, such as road closures, etc., that would limit the ability to visit the family.
Model fidelity - Virtual home visits are allowed under the EBHV model fidelity standards.
Hazardous conditions - Public health emergencies, weather events, health concerns for home visitors and families, and other local issues that may impact travel or the ability to be in-person for home visits.
Limited English Proficiency - Interpretation services, including sign language, oral interpretation, and written translation to families with limited English proficiency, visual and/or auditory disabilities or limitations.
Technology Guidelines - Technology used for virtual home visits, whether fixed or mobile, should be capable of presenting sound and image in real-time and without delay.
The virtual equipment should clearly display the home visitor and family’s face to facilitate interactions and must meet all state and federal requirements for the transmission and security of health information. Audio-only telecommunications technology may be used when the family does not have video capability.
607 South Drive | 4th Floor Rotunda | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120 | 717.346.9324 | F 717.346.9330 | www.education.pa.gov | www.dhs.pa.gov
Family Support providers must assure the privacy of the family receiving services and comply with HIPAA and all other federal and state laws governing confidentiality, privacy, and consent. Non-public facing video communication applications can be used for virtual home visits. Public facing video communication applications cannot be used to render virtual home visits. Virtual home visits do not include asynchronous or store and forward technology such as facsimile machines, electronic mail systems, or remote family monitoring devices. Additionally, virtual home visits do not include text messages, although text messages and telephone calls may continue to be utilized for non-service activities, such as scheduling appointments.
NEXT STEPS
Family Support programs must create a policy on when in-person and virtual home visits will be conducted using the requirements and considerations outlined in the announcement. Family Support programs must share their policy with their assigned Family Support Consultant to ensure they align with the requirements outlined in the announcement. Additionally, Family Support programs must share the policy with their model technical assistance providers to ensure it aligns with the fidelity standards of the EBHV model.
Family Support programs must submit their virtual home visiting policy to their assigned Family Support Consultant no later than July 1, 2025.
| PURPOSE |
| BACKGROUND |
| REQUIREMENTS |
| DISCUSSION |
| NEXT STEPS |
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