Prevocational Services in Louisiana support individuals with disabilities in developing the foundational skills needed for future competitive employment. These services focus on work readiness, soft skills, and appropriate workplace behaviors and are delivered through structured training programs authorized under the state’s Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers.

1. GOVERNING AGENCIES

Agency: Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) — Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (OCDD)
Role: Defines standards, monitors outcomes, and approves providers delivering prevocational training under Medicaid waivers

Agency: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Role: Provides federal oversight to ensure that prevocational services align with person-centered goals and the federal HCBS Settings Rule

Agency: Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS) / Molina Medicaid Solutions
Role: Handles provider enrollment and claims processing for waiver-funded services

Agency: Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS)
Role: Collaborates for vocational goal-setting and potential transition to competitive employment services

2. PREVOCATIONAL SERVICE OVERVIEW

Prevocational Services offer non-job-specific training designed to help participants develop general skills that prepare them for employment. Services may take place in small group community settings or individually based on the participant’s Plan of Care (POC).

Approved providers may deliver:

• Instruction in workplace etiquette and communication
• Problem-solving and decision-making exercises
• Time management, attendance, and task completion skills
• Vocational assessments and interest inventories
• Community-based volunteer opportunities to practice skills
• Transportation training and personal presentation workshops
• Tracking of progress and readiness for Supported Employment
• Services must be tied to individual employment goals, even if the participant is not currently job-seeking.

3. LICENSING & PROVIDER APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS

Prerequisites:

• Register your business with the Louisiana Secretary of State
• Obtain IRS EIN and Type 2 NPI
• Enroll with Louisiana Medicaid through the Provider Enrollment Portal
• Become an approved OCDD HCBS provider for Prevocational Services
• Maintain liability and workers’ compensation insurance
• Hire qualified vocational trainers or DSPs with experience in job readiness instruction
• Develop a Prevocational Services Policy & Procedure Manual
• Implement HIPAA-compliant documentation and service tracking systems

4. PROVIDER ENROLLMENT PROCESS

Step 1: Business Registration and Medicaid Enrollment

• Enroll at https://www.lamedicaid.com under HCBS waiver provider type

Step 2: Submit to OCDD for Waiver Service Approval

• Provide staffing plan, program structure, curriculum samples, and service delivery models

Step 3: Complete Staff Hiring and Credentialing

• Background checks, required trainings, and participant rights orientation

Step 4: Begin Referrals and Training Programs

• Coordinate with waiver case managers and LRS (if applicable) to support participant goals

5. REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION

• Articles of Incorporation or sole proprietorship documentation
• IRS EIN and NPI confirmation
• Certificates of insurance
• OCDD approval as a HCBS prevocational provider

Prevocational Services Policy & Procedure Manual, including:

• Individual Service Plan (ISP) goal tracking sheets
• Daily attendance and activity logs
• Progress summaries and skill assessments
• Participant rights and informed consent forms
• Emergency procedures and supervision protocols
• Staff training logs and ongoing evaluation templates
• Medicaid billing logs and audit-ready documentation

6. STAFFING REQUIREMENTS

Role: Vocational Trainer / Direct Support Professional (DSP)
Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent, experience with job readiness training and community-based supports, background check clearance

Role: Program Supervisor / Compliance Manager
Requirements: Experience in employment services or human services management, responsible for staff oversight, documentation, and quality assurance

Training Requirements for All Staff:

• HIPAA and participant confidentiality
• Workplace safety and soft skills coaching
• Behavior management and positive reinforcement
• Person-Centered Planning and goal documentation
• Abuse/neglect prevention and emergency response

7. MEDICAID WAIVER SERVICES

Prevocational Services are reimbursed under:

• Residential Options Waiver (ROW)
• Supports Waiver
• New Opportunities Waiver (NOW)
• Children’s Choice Waiver (limited readiness activities for transition-age youth)
• Money Follows the Person (MFP) for employment transition planning

Service delivery options include:

• Small-group community-based instruction
• Individual skill-building sessions
• Training in simulated or real-world environments
• Documentation of progress toward employment or further vocational programs

8. TIMELINE TO LAUNCH

Phase: Business Setup and Staff Recruitment
Timeline: 1–2 months

Phase: Medicaid Enrollment and OCDD Program Approval
Timeline: 60–90 days

Phase: Policy Manual and Service Tracking Setup
Timeline: 2–4 weeks

Phase: Participant Referrals and Program Launch
Timeline: Ongoing, based on waiver enrollment and transition plans

9. CONTACT INFORMATION

Louisiana Medicaid Provider Enrollment Portal
Website: https://www.lamedicaid.com

​Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (OCDD)
Website: https://ldh.la.gov/page/121

​Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS)
Website: https://www.laworks.net/WorkforceDev/LRS/LRS_ProgramInfo.asp

​Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Website: https://www.medicaid.gov

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10. SCOPE OF WORK

• Business registration and Medicaid enrollment
• OCDD documentation and service approval support
• Policy & Procedure Manual tailored to job-readiness training
• Skill tracking templates, ISP alignment tools, and safety protocols
• Staff onboarding and training compliance logs
• Employer outreach strategies and LRS coordination templates