1. Program Definition and Services

Supported Employment Services deliver individualized job development, placement assistance, and ongoing coaching to help participants with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) obtain and maintain competitive, integrated employment. Operating under South Dakota's Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers and Employment First mandates, this program ensures individuals earn competitive wages in typical community work environments. Services include:

• Discovery & Job Development: Performing person-centered vocational assessments, identifying candidate strengths, and orchestrating target community employer matching strategies
• On-the-Job Coaching: Delivering intensive, 1:1 on-site task instruction, workplace environmental modifications, and structured, long-term stabilization follow-along support

2. Regulations

• Administrative Rules of South Dakota (ARSD) Chapter 46:11: System rules governing Community Support Providers (CSPs)
• South Dakota Medicaid CHOICES Waiver Billing and Policy Manual: Waiver specific definitions, job coaching boundaries, and service billing thresholds
• Federal HCBS Settings Final Rule (42 CFR 441.301): Core community workplace integration requirements
• South Dakota Employment First Initiative Policy Rules: Prioritizing community employment as the preferred outcome for all working-age waiver participants

3. Licensing or Certification

Providers do not possess medical board or clinic licenses, but must be formally certified as an approved Community Services Provider (CSP) or Community Support Provider (SP) under ARSD Chapter 46:11. 

4. Responsible State Agency

The South Dakota Department of Human Services (DHS), Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) acts as the lead operational entity, managing provider certifications, verifying Employment First compliance, and evaluating individual service authorizations under the CHOICES Waiver. 

5. Application Process

Agencies submit an employment service outline and operational credential packet to DHS-DDD for structural review. Following program plan clearance and verification of direct staff training, the entity completes automated system registration through the South Dakota Medicaid Provider Portal to establish active electronic billing profiles.

6. Required Documentation

• SD Secretary of State corporate registration documents (Articles of Organization)
• Federal EIN and an Organizational Type 2 National Provider Identifier (NPI)
• Signed South Dakota Medicaid Provider Enrollment Agreement forms
• Active programmatic CSP Certification documentation issued by DHS-DDD
• Commercial general liability, professional indemnity, and mandatory state workers' compensation insurance certificates
• Supported Employment Policy & Procedure Manual (covering discovery metrics, job matching, employer relations, and task logging workflows)
• Certified criminal background checks and state registry verifications for all job coaching staff

7. Timeline for Approval

The operational certification and state system integration cycle generally requires 2 to 3 months to complete, heavily contingent on the speed of provider capability evaluations, staff baseline training milestones, and electronic portal linking profiles.

8. Pre-Application Process

Before starting state portal data entries, companies must incorporate through the South Dakota Secretary of State, buy general and professional liability policies, finalize standard onboarding materials for employment specialists, and configure a secure digital platform to log individual on-the-job tracking data.

9. Pre-Application Training

All job coaches, employment specialists, and vocational coordinators must complete foundational orientation before receiving participant flows. 

10. Additional Notes

• Non-Duplication Rules: Waiver-funded Individual Supported Employment cannot bill simultaneously for tasks or periods actively funded by the South Dakota Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS/VR) during initial job entry cycles
• Wage and Separation Mandates: To justify individual waiver support billing, positions must ensure the participant is an integrated employee earning at least minimum wage, and the employer supervisor cannot concurrently act as the paid waiver job coach
• Group Service Scale Boundaries: If delivering Group Supported Employment models under the waiver, community settings must keep team sizes strictly limited to between two (2) and eight (8) participants to satisfy state integration quotas

Why Choose Waiver Consulting Group?

Starting or expanding your Medicaid waiver-funded agency can feel overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be. At Waiver Consulting Group, we simplify the process by guiding you through licensing, compliance, provider enrollment, policies & procedures, and regulatory approvals in any state.

With proven expertise, a structured process, and ongoing support, we take the guesswork out of launching your healthcare business. Whether you're a first-time entrepreneur or an established provider looking to expand, our team ensures you stay compliant, competitive, and fully operational.

To get started, click the link to request portal access.