National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Accreditation

DDD continues to improve its Support Coordination Program. DDD has received accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for Case Management for Long Term Services and Supports (CM-LTSS). NCQA is an organization focused on improving the quality of healthcare and case management through evidence-based standards, measures, and programs.

The Division has been working toward accreditation for more than three years. Many policies and procedures have been updated and created to align with the NCQA standards. Staff have also been trained to implement the changes needed to align with the NCQA standards. Improving the quality of the needs assessment and planning processes was a key focus for these changes. These improvements are most noticeable during person-centered planning meetings.

Support Coordinators have been implementing these changes during person-centered planning meetings for the last few months and will continue to provide the same level of care through the coming PCSP changes. The biggest change is in the person-centered needs assessment. This is a comprehensive process that analyzes all areas of a person’s life. It identifies and understands their strengths, needs, and interests. Completing it results in understanding the whole person, not just parts. There are more direct questions about the person and family’s needs. This allows individuals to communicate their life plans. It also identifies what is important to them and what is important for them.