Support Coordination Services for OAAS & OCDD

Request for Information for

Support Coordination Services for

Office of Aging and Adult Services &

Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities

Home and Community-Based Waiver Service Programs

Release Date: January 20, 2026

Questions Due By: February 9, 2026

Responses Due By: March 6, 2026 by 4:30 PM CST

NOTE: This Request for Information (RFI) is solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. This information will be reviewed and discussed by the state agency and may result in the advertisement of a formal and competitive Request for Proposal for any or all of the services included in the RFI.

Only information which is in the nature of legitimate trade secrets or non-published financial data may be deemed proprietary or confidential. Any material within a response to this RFI identified as such must be clearly marked and will be handled in accordance with the Louisiana Public Records Act. R.S. 44:1-44 and applicable rules and regulations. Any response marked as confidential or proprietary in its entirety may be rejected without further consideration or recourse.

NOTE: LDH reserves the right to request additional information. In the event it becomes necessary to revise or withdraw the RFI for any reason, the Department shall provide addenda and/or supplements to potential respondents on its website at https://ldh.la.gov/news/category/7.

I. Purpose

LDH is exploring opportunities to transform support coordination services in an effort to ensure a focus on person centered practices with goals for moving from dependence to independence, to ensure that individuals accessing waiver services are aware of and access appropriate services, and to enhance collaboration across Medicaid systems. Individuals, families, providers, and advocacy groups have expressed concerns related to knowledge base and support provision currently available. Additionally, support coordination agencies have expressed concerns regarding LDH’s expectations for the provision of this service.

In an effort to evaluate options, this RFI is issued for the purpose of:

1. Gathering input and information from stakeholders including individuals, families, advocates, service providers and support coordination agencies to outline and define a vision for support coordination services that provide coordination, administration, and management of specialized services utilizing a person centered process to eligible individuals accessing long term supports and services through the State’s Medicaid 1915 (c) waivers.

2. Soliciting information on current and other support coordination/case management structures or concepts (i.e.… regional, statewide, etc.)

3. Exploring various options for providing support coordination/case management supports and services to address all aspects of individual’s needs.

The responses to this RFI will aid LDH in making decisions regarding the provision of case management services for individuals with developmental disabilities, older adults and individuals with adult-onset disabilities.

II. Background

The mission of the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) is to protect and promote health and to ensure access to medical, preventive, and rehabilitative services for all residents of the State of Louisiana. LDH is dedicated to fulfilling its mission through direct provision of quality services, the development and stimulation of services of others, and the utilization of available resources in the most effective manner.

LDH is the single state Medicaid agency that administers the Medicaid program. LDH is comprised of the Office of the Secretary (OS), the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (OCDD), the Office of Behavioral Health (OBH), the Office of Aging and Adult Services (OAAS), the Office of Women’s Health and Community Health (OWHCH), Disability Determination Services (DDS), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Office of Public Health (OPH). Under the general supervision of the Secretary, these principal offices perform the primary functions and duties assigned to LDH.

A. LDH’s Office of Aging and Adult Services (OAAS)

OAAS operates Medicaid Waiver programs that provide long-term care services to older adults and individuals with adult onset disabilities.

Like other states, Louisiana is working to balance the state long-term care systems to provide greater access to non-institutional, home and community-based alternatives with a goal of assisting people to remain a part of their communities. Research indicates that people prefer to age in place as indicated by the 2024 AARP Home and Community preference survey.

OAAS administers home and community based services (HCBS) through various programs for individuals who are aged 65 or older or have disabilities, assisting them to remain in their homes and in the community. The intent of these HCBS programs is to provide services and supports that are not otherwise available and that assist an individual to remain in or return to the community.

OAAS has an annual administrative budget of approximately $80 million and provides services to approximately 19,000 participants (older adults and individuals with adult-onset disabilities) through several large and complex Medicaid programs whose budgets total approximately $1.8 billion annually; including the Nursing Facility Admissions Program, Long-Term Personal Care Services Program, and two Medicaid Home and Community Based Services Waiver programs. OAAS also oversees one state-operated health care facility and administers Adult Protective Services, the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and other non-Medicaid grants and programs.

OAAS HCBS Waiver programs include the following:

• Community Choices Waiver

• Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) Waiver

B. LDH’s Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities

OCDD provides supports and services to help promote community participation and self-advocacy for people with developmental disabilities. These include, but are not limited to: vocational support to help foster independence, financial support to families who have a child with severe or profound disabilities; and assisting families with supporting the individual living in the community.

OCDD administers HCBS waivers for individuals with developmental disabilities. HCBS waiver programs provide supports that assist individuals with remaining in or returning to the community. Each home and community-based waiver has specific service packages and eligibility requirements. Waiver opportunities are dependent upon funding and also offered based on the individual’s need and priority level from their Screening for Urgency of Need (SUN) through the Request for Services Registry.

OCDD has an operating budget that is roughly $220 million and provides services to over 45,000 people across all service programs. OCDD oversees four Medicaid Home and Community Based waiver programs.

OCDD HCBS Waiver programs include the following:

• New Opportunities Waiver

• Supports Waiver

• Residential Options Waiver

• Children’s Choice Waiver

III. Overview of Support Coordination Services for the Waiver Programs

Support coordination, also referred to as case management, is mandatory in LDH’s Medicaid waiver programs. It is designed to assist participants in both developing and monitoring their person centered plan. Person centered plan development includes prioritizing and defining their personal goals, gaining access to necessary waiver and other State Plan services, as well as needed medical, social, educational, housing, and other services, regardless of the funding source for these services.

As outlined in the 2024 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Instructions, Technical Guide, and Review Criteria for section 1915 (c) Home and Community-Based Services Waiver, Support Coordination entails (but is not limited to) the following duties:

• Evaluation and/or re-evaluation of level of care;

• Assessment and/or reassessment of the need for waiver services;

• Assist the individual in discovery and exploration discussions, identifying preferences, strengths, goals and dreams, and needs in preparation for person-centered planning process:

• Development and/or the review of the service plan/plan of care;

• Assist and coordinate transitions from institutional setting (NF/ICF-DD) to community home setting;

• Coordination of multiple services and/or among multiple providers;

• Linking waiver participants to other federal, state, and local programs;

• Review individual progress on outcomes and initiate person-centered team discussions or meetings when services are not achieving desired outcomes;

• Assist in problem-solving and the resolution of barriers to receipt of services and supports, or barriers to accomplishments of outcomes specified in the service plan/plan of care;

• Monitor the individual’s satisfaction with services, as well as the satisfaction of responsible representatives as applicable;

• Monitoring compliance with HCBS settings criteria;

• Reporting and following-up on critical incidents;

• Responding to participant crises; and

• For waivers with cost or service duration limits, monitoring to detect and resolve situations when the needs of an individual might exceed the limit (s) to ensure health and welfare of waiver participants.

The support coordinator is responsible for coordination of the participant’s waiver services in a way that does not duplicate services when the participant is also receiving other services, such as Early Periodic Screening and Diagnostic treatment services, home health, hospice services or other Medicaid State Plan services. Support coordination services are provided by support coordination agencies (SCAs). SCAs must establish and maintain effective communication and good working relationships with each participant and their service providers.

Below is the number of certified participants as of September 2, 2025 receiving support coordination services in the OAAS and OCDD waiver programs:

Office of Aging and Adult Services
Waiver	Number Currently Serving
Community Choices Waiver	6771
Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) Waiver	288

Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities
Waiver	Number Currently Serving
New Opportunities Waiver	6914
Children’s Choice Waiver	3186
Supports Waiver	2648
Residential Options Waiver	2195

IV. Invitation to Respond and Information Requested

The responding entities and/or organizations must clearly and concisely describe why they are submitting a response to the RFI along with any information regarding how the service should be established including operationalization and implementation of support coordination services.

OAAS and OCDD are inviting RFI responders to provide information on the items listed below.

• Organization Information:

o Explain your organization’s mission and history of serving participants with developmental disabilities, older adults and participants with adult onset disabilities.

o If your organization has experience providing support coordination services in other states, provide a description of that work.

o Provide a brief statement on your organization’s structure and size.

o If you are not an organization, explain your relationship and historical interaction with the Support Coordination system and services.

• Organization Structure

o Describe the ideal structure for an organization in providing support coordination services to fulfill the State’s requirements.

o Describe your employee recruitment and retention plan.

o Describe how your organization secures participant Protected Health Information (PHI) and what encryption methods are in place.

o Are there any other models of support coordination services that you would like to see included in Louisiana?

o Describe your training for new and existing support coordinators.

• Provision of Support Coordination/Case Management Services

o Describe how person centered planning should be implemented by the support coordination agency.

o Describe how needs based assessments for planning supports should be conducted by support coordination agencies.

o Share and explain ideas or technologies that could improve waiver services to participants and how it should be utilized.

o Provide an explanation of how the organization should address communication barriers for waiver participants.

o Explain how the organization should assist individuals currently living in an institutional setting that want to transition into a life in the community.

o Identify any anticipated challenges in providing support coordination services in this state.

o Describe how the organization should work with individuals with a variety of diverse needs.

o Describe how the provision of support coordination services should continue to occur during emergencies.

• Quality and Compliance

o Describe your organization’s internal quality assurance process to ensure that participants are receiving adequate support coordination services that meet their individual goals.

o Describe how your organization ensures compliance in the administration of HCBS waiver programs.

V. Resources Available to Responding Agencies/LDH Contact Personnel

• Louisiana Administrative Code (LAC) Title 50

o OAAS

• Support Coordination Standards for Participation for Office of Aging and Adult Services Waiver Programs - LAC 50: XXI. Chapter 5

• Adult Day Health Care Waiver – LAC 50: XXI. Subpart 3

• Community Choices Waiver – LAC 50: XXI Subpart 7

o OCDD

• LAC 50: XV. Subpart 7. Targeted Case Management

• LAC 50: XXI. Subpart 5. Supports Waiver

• LAC 50: XXI. Subpart 9. Children’s Choice Waiver

• LAC 50: XXI. Subpart 11. New Opportunities Waiver

• LAC 50: XXI. Subpart 13. Residential Options Waiver

• Louisiana Administrative Code (LAC) Title 40

o OCDD

• LAC 48: I. Chapter 49. Case Management Licensing Standards

• CMS 1915 (c) Waiver Documents

o Community Choices Waiver

o Adult Day Health Care Waiver

o Children’s Choice Waiver

o Residential Options Waiver

o Supports Waiver

o New Opportunities Waiver

• LDH Medicaid Manuals

o Community Choices Waiver

o Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) Waiver

o Children’s Choice Waiver

o Residential Options Waiver

o Supports Waiver

o New Opportunities Waiver

VI. Submission of Information and Inquiries

All questions regarding this RFI should be directed to Louisiana Department of Health to both program offices email address provided below:

Office of Aging and Adult Services: OAASContracts@la.gov

Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities: OCDDInfo@la.gov

Respondents should submit an electronic copy of the response using the below format to:

• Submit to both email addresses:

Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities: OCDDInfo@la.gov

Office of Aging and Adult Services: OAASContracts@la.gov

• Format - Submissions should be submitted electronically in both Word and PDF format and must not be longer than 25 pages.

• Content – Responses should be concise and directly address the questions and topics in Section V.

• Proprietary Information – Respondents should avoid including confidential, proprietary, or trade secret information, as all submissions are subject to public records laws.