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CMRD-Related FAQs Submitted to Foothills Gateway – Updated: 10/25/2023
–I know that Foothills Gateway won the Case Management award from the state, and so, please tell me what is the plan for the Direct Services part of the business? What will happen to the nearly 2200 IDD people who currently receive direct services from Foothills Gateway? We know only that services will stop, but we have no idea who or where services will be provided. Every other agency we contact is full or cannot serve our son. Surely there is a plan.
Foothills Gateway was given the Intent to Award and will become the Case Management Agency for Larimer County on March 1, 2024. In addition to providing case management services to over 2,200 individuals, Foothills Gateway provides direct services to approximately 241 people. As part of the Case Management Redesign process, Foothills Gateway will no longer be able to provide waiver-funded or state funded direct services to these 241 people once the organization become the Case Management Agency for Larimer County. Those who receive waiver or state funded direct services from Foothills Gateway will work with their Case Manager to discuss options for service providers and work through the Request for Proposal (RFP) process to change service providers. Foothills Gateway and Program Approved Service Agencies (PASAs) in Larimer County have begun working together to build capacity and accommodate the needs of those who are changing service agencies. We are carefully working through each step of this important process and are committed to doing our best to help each person impacted find the best path forward through this transition.
–HCPF is disseminating that the Case Management Agency (CMA) awardee contracts and transition will begin August 2023 and must be completed by July 2024. Has this date changed since their webinar (in early December 2022)?
HCPF’s timeline for CMA contracts and transitions will begin July 2023 and continue through to completion by July 1, 2024. The dates for contracting and agency transitions did not change as of their webinar. You can find HCPF’s graphic for the transition phases HERE.
–It sounds like if/when Foothills Gateway is approved as the CMA, all direct services will have to be transferred to a separate financial entity. Has there been any talk of if or how FGI will continue to provide direct services or is the plan to transition all direct services to other service agencies? What happens to the building and all the individuals who go there for day program services? What does this mean for host homes through FGI?
Not knowing what every possible outcome of the RFP process will look like is one of the most difficult aspects of this transition. The most honest answer that can be given at this time is that should Foothills Gateway become the CMA for Larimer County, the services side of the agency would need to be delivered by a completely separate business or nonprofit entity by July 2024. Looking at the timeline provided by HCPF, this should allow more than a year to figure out how that can happen. Foothills Gateway leadership is committed to providing information and updates as soon as we have details and will do our best to keep everyone informed.
–I have a question about how this will affect my daughter who is on FSSP (Family Support Services Program). She is currently on the HCBS waiver through a private case management company that will go away when everything transitions. Depending on the outcome, how will this affect her FSSP?
It will be the responsibility of the Case Management Agency (CMA) selected for Larimer County to provide case management and program administration for FSSP, in addition to all case management for all Medicaid waiver programs, including the Children’s HCBS waiver. The CMA selected for this area may choose to change some aspects of the way that FSSP operates in Larimer County; however, the FSSP rules will not change as a result of CMRD.
–I have a couple of questions after attending the CMRD meeting:
- Which Medicaid waivers would be added to Case Management coverage?
- Erin mentioned that if Foothills Gateway becomes the CMA, services would go to a “new or existing provider”. Does that mean services could be taken over by another provider like Mosaic? I know this is a difficult step to be forced to take and I really appreciate how information has been shared with employees.
In response to your first question, below are the 10 Medicaid Waivers that are available in Colorado at this time. The waivers marked with an asterisk (**) would be new to Foothills Gateway’s Case Management if FGI is awarded the CMA.
- Developmental Disabilities Waiver (DD)
- Supported Living Services Waiver (SLS)
- Children’s Extensive Support Waiver (CES)
- Children’s Home and Community Based Services Waiver (CHCBS)
- Children’s Habilitation Residential Program Waiver (CHRP)
- Children with Life Limiting Illness Waiver (CLLI)**
- Brain Injury Waiver (BI)**
- Community Mental Health Supports Waiver (CMHS)**
- Complementary and Integrative Health Waiver (CIH)**
- Elderly, Blind and Disabled Waiver (EBD)**
In response to the second question, if Foothills Gateway is awarded the CMA contract, the plan is to work with allied service agencies to discuss merger options. There are no specific plans or agencies to share at this time, as the CMA decision is still unknown.
–If FGI is not awarded the CMA, can Foothills Gateway employees depend on job security? Are current departments more vulnerable than others?
This is a good question, and one to which there is no easy answer. Each agency that responded to the RFP must do a transition plan for becoming, or not becoming, the CMA. Whether or not Foothills Gateway becomes the CMA for Larimer County, we know that the work, both case management and direct services, must be done and having staff with expertise to do the work is a must. Additionally, people accessing services, families and advocacy want to see continuity with staff and not feel disruption in the systems or people they have come to know and rely on. It is also a given that in order to do the excellent work we do now, we need support staff in all areas, including finance, admin support and IT support. The FGI Board and leadership staff believe wholeheartedly that our staff, at all levels, is among the very best in the state. We are working diligently on transition plans based on the possible outcomes of the RFP and while there are no guarantees of the outcome of the RFP process, Foothills Gateway is committed to supporting staff through all the transitions that my come once we learn what ongoing services FGI will be able to provide.
–Once the decision is made on who will be the CMA for Larimer County, how soon after you find out will staff be notified of the decision? If the result is going to be shared publicly, where could staff go to find out who will be the CMA?
While it seems that sharing the information about the CMA award would be a decision that is made internally by Foothills Gateway leadership, there are in fact requirements in place that will dictate when and how the information can be shared.
Foothills Gateway and all other parties who applied to become a CMA are required to follow state solicitation requirements. FGI Leadership will share as much information as possible with staff, families, and the public as soon as is possible, but will have to depend on the direction/information from the state on what information can be released and when it can be released. More information from the State on solicitations and notifications can be found here: Solicitations FAQs (state.co.us)
HCPF also included language in the CMA Solicitation that requires all applicants follow notification requirements as stipulated in the Solicitation. Below is the notification information included in the CMA Solicitation documents:
- The state will have to follow all the solicitation requirements that are part the state’s solicitation system. Most recently, the Department (HCPF) has said Case Management Agency awardees will be notified at some point in June (no specific date has been given). According to the solicitation, the Department reserves the right to revise the dates in this schedule. The estimated vendor selection and notification of award period is for informational purposes only and may vary significantly based on the number and size of proposals received.
- According to the CMA Solicitation, upon approval of the Evaluation Committee’s recommendation for award, the Department will issue a “Notice of Intent to Make an Award” announcement to all Offerors which will state the Department’s intent to make an award to the selected Offeror. The award will also be published on the VSS web site (solicitation website).
- News releases pertaining to this solicitation or intent to award shall NOT be made prior to execution of the contract or without prior written approval by the Department.
–Since December of 2022, I have not received any information one way or the other about what is happening with the Case Management Design and how Foothills Gateway fits into this arrangement. I am assuming that everyone is overwhelmed with whatever is happening.
Thank you for trying to stay informed on the CMA award. We understand that the process can feel frustrating and information is not always available immediately. Here is where things currently stand as of today (6/26/2023). Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) has told the CMA RFP bidders that once the state’s required solicitation processes are complete, HCPF will be sending out official award information via Constant Contact around July 21, 2023. Once Foothills Gateway has the official HCPF communication, we will put it on our website and send it out to our families and other stakeholders via email as well.
–I am curious if FGI has been awarded the CMA contract? I couldn’t find it on your website which reads: “Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) has told the CMA RFP bidders that once the state’s required solicitation processes are complete, HCPF will be sending out official award information via Constant Contact around July 21, 2023. Once Foothills Gateway has the official HCPF communication, we will put it on our website and send it out to our families and other stakeholders via email as well.”
The most recent information that we received from Health Care Policy and Financing on Friday, August 11 is located on our website. Please click on “What we Do” then select “CMRD at FGI”. This information is public information. This is just an update and is pending any protest outcomes.