Division Policies and Rules
Division Policies and Rules
DDD develops policies that conform to state, federal, and contractual requirements.
DDD has five policy manuals:
- Operations
- Medical
- Eligibility
- Behavior Supports
- Provider
Changes in policy are communicated to contracted DDD providers via electronic policy notifications. These updates are also sent to all DDD employees. They reach providers, Administrative Services Subcontractors, and anyone who signed up for them.
Complete the DDD Policy Update Opt-In Request form to receive email updates about changes to DDD policies.
DDD welcomes comments and suggestions at any time. For more information regarding our policies and materials, contact DDD’s Policy Unit via email.
Interested individuals can also sign-up to receive Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) Policy Update Notifications via email.
Pursuant to Title VI (6) of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other nondiscrimination laws and authorities, the Arizona Department of Economic Security (ADES) does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. Persons that require a reasonable accommodation based on language should contact the Division's Network Cultural Competency Unit via email. Persons that require a reasonable accommodation based on a disability should contact the DDD ADA Requests Unit via email. Requests should be made as early as possible to ensure the State has an opportunity to address the accommodation.
Policy Manuals
All Policy Manuals have been moved to a single page to enable easier transition between manuals.
Policies and Rules for Public Comment
The Division would like your feedback on proposed revisions to Division Policies and Rules. Below is a list of policies and rules that are currently open for public comment.
The Division prefers electronic comments. Use the DDD Policy Public Comment Submission Form. Check the following section, Submission of Comments, for more ways to share your thoughts.
Rule: A statement created by the Department of Economic Security that explains or puts into action a law or policy, or describes the procedure or practice requirements for the Department. Administrative rules have the force and effect of law.
Policy: A policy is an internal process or guideline that shows how the Division works. The internal guidelines or processes are not laws.
Public comments are public record and can be requested through a public records request. Learn more about DES public records requests.
Submission of Comments
The Division prefers that comments be submitted electronically using this online DDD Policy Public Comment Submission Form.
You can also submit comments through the DDD Policy Unit via email.
Please include the following information about the Commenter in the submittal:
- First, Middle, and Last Name
- Mailing Address, including City, State, Postal Code
- Email Address
- Phone Number
- Fax Number
- Organization’s Name
The documents have a number at the beginning of each line; to ensure that comments are best understood, please tell us the specific line number for each comment and the corresponding document.
Contact the DDD Policy Unit
Email the Policy Unit
Division of Developmental Disabilities
Arizona Department of Economic Security
Complete the DDD Policy Update Opt-In Request form to receive email alerts for updates on DDD policies.
Report Fraud, Waste or Abuse
Detecting Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (FWA) is everyone's responsibility. Misusing Medicare and Medicaid funds steals money. This money could provide vital services to those in need. FWA can appear in many ways. As you hear at the airport: "If you see something, say something."
FWA can appear in various ways. It can involve anyone in healthcare, like providers, physicians, and patients.
Reporting Procedure
- Call DES/DDD FWA Hotline: 877-822-5799
- Report the incident by completing the online referral form
- Email the DDD Corporate Compliance Unit directly
Health Insurance Portability and Accounting Act (HIPAA)
President Clinton signed the Kassebaum-Kennedy Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)on August 21, 1996.
HIPAA is designed to expand health coverage by improving the portability and continuity of health insurance coverage in group and individual markets to:
- combat waste in health care delivery,
- promote the use of medical savings accounts,
- improve access to long-term care services and coverage, and
- simplify the administration of health insurance.
Within this context HIPAA includes a provision called Administrative Simplification, which is intended to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the health care system by encouraging the development of standards for the electronic transmission, privacy and security of certain health information. Administrative Simplification is one of the Act's five titles and is a focus for governments across the nation.
The Administrative Simplification provision of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA, Title II) requires the Federal Department of Health and Human Services to establish national standards for electronic health care transactions and national identifiers for providers, health plans and employers. The Act also addresses the security and privacy of health data. The long-term purpose of these standards is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the nation’s health care system by encouraging widespread use of standard electronic data interchanges in health care.
The United States Department of Health and Human Services established the HIPAA Privacy Regulation in December 2000, which then became effective on April 14, 2003. The Privacy Rule provides for the protection and privacy of individually identifiable health information and guards against misuse of such information.
Learn more about DDD HIPAA privacy practices including requesting documentation and filing complaints.
Laws
The Arizona Legislative Information System hosts an online version of the Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) for the Division. Current statutes that govern the Division are viewable in ARS Title 36, Chapter 5.1 (scroll down approximately one-third of the page):
Chapter 5.1 - State Department of Developmental Disabilities
Article 1 Administration and Regulation
Article 2 Developmental Disabilities
Article 3 Licensing and Monitoring of Community Residential Settings
Article 4 Third Party Liability Program
Article 5 Family Support
Rules
Rules are written by the Division and go through an extensive hearing process. Once approved, they have the force of law. Rules exist to clarify how the Division will implement the law in more specific and practical terms.
Current rules governing the Division may be found at the Arizona Secretary of State website. The Rules impacting the Division are Title 6 Chapter 6.
Arizona State Resources
Pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other nondiscrimination laws and authorities, ADES does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. Persons that require a reasonable modification based on language or disability should submit a request as early as possible to ensure the State has an opportunity to address the modification. The process for requesting a reasonable modification can be found at Equal Opportunity and Reasonable Modification