1. Program Definition and Services
Supported Employment Services in New Hampshire help individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, acquired brain disorders, or chronic conditions find, secure, and maintain meaningful, competitive community-based employment.
- Job Development and Placement: Conducting career assessments, identifying individualized vocational goals, building targeted employer partnerships, and negotiating workplace modifications.
- On-the-Job Coaching: Providing direct, face-to-face instruction, soft-skills training, adaptive tool utilization, and ongoing performance monitoring directly at the employment site to ensure the worker meets employer specifications.
2. Regulations
The program is governed by the following regulations:
- New Hampshire Code of Administrative Rules, Part He-M 518 (Employment Services for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities or Acquired Brain Disorders)
- New Hampshire Code of Administrative Rules, Part He-M 504 (Provider and Provider Agency Operations)
- New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated (RSA) Chapter 171-A (Services for the Developmentally Impaired)
- Federal Home and Community-Based Services Settings Final Rule (42 CFR § 441.301)
3. Licensing or Certification
Providers must be officially screened, credentialed, and authorized as an approved provider by the Bureau of Developmental Services (BDS) before enrolling as a specialized Developmental Services provider type.
4. Responsible State Agency
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), specifically operating through the Division of Long Term Supports and Services (DLTSS) and the Bureau of Developmental Services (BDS), is responsible for reviewing applications, coordinating regional readiness, and certifying supported employment service providers.
5. Application Process
The application process is initiated by submitting a comprehensive screening request directly to the Bureau of Developmental Services (BDSProviderEnrollment@dhhs.nh.gov) under the He-M 504 framework. Following BDS screening approval, providers execute their formal electronic enrollment application through the New Hampshire Medicaid Provider Portal (NHMMIS.nh.gov) as a Developmental Services Group Provider Type (236).
6. Required Documentation
While specific documentation requirements vary based on the target waiver, providers typically need to submit:
- Proof of corporate formation and standing registered with the New Hampshire Secretary of State
- A comprehensive Supported Employment Policy and Procedure Manual detailing vocational planning protocols, job site safety structures, employer engagement strategies, and documentation tracking
- Three written business references verifying the applicant’s capacity to fulfill waiver obligations in accordance with their mission statement
- A completed New Provider Self-Assessment detailing staff credentialing processes and position-specific training schedules
- Proof of broad general liability and professional liability insurance protections
7. Timeline for Approval
The exact timeline for approval fluctuates based on agency capacity. Providers should monitor their NHMMIS portal submissions and coordinate directly with the BDS Provider Enrollment Unit to stay updated on current processing cycles, which typically span 60 to 90 days.
8. Pre-Application Process
Prospective providers must complete specific foundation tasks before applying. They must legally form their corporate entity with the state, secure an IRS Employer Identification Number (EIN), and establish a Type 2 Organizational National Provider Identifier (NPI) properly mapped to vocational rehabilitation or supported employment taxonomies.
9. Pre-Application Training
The state hosts mandatory administrative and compliance training sessions online. Access details and specific modules on service-specific competencies under Chapter He-M 500 are sent to qualified applicants once preliminary intake documents and reference checks are successfully completed by BDS.
10. Additional Notes
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Supported Employment Services under the waiver are strictly restricted to individuals who are not currently authorized to receive identical vocational services funded by the New Hampshire Department of Education's Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation.
- All direct employment specialists, job coaches, and agency directors must clear mandatory background clearance lines, registry checks, and State Police fingerprint tracking through IdentoGO.
- Claims for Supported Employment services are reimbursed on a strict quarter-hour (15-minute) unit rate and require verifiable, face-to-face progress tracking notes correlated explicitly to the client's Individual Service Agreement (ISA).
- Under recent conflict-free case management mandates, providers must utilize the direct-bill infrastructure through the state’s NHMMIS portal, bypassing historical billing loops previously routed through regional Area Agencies.
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