A. In order to implement the Oklahoma Self-Directed Care Act:

1. The Oklahoma Health Care Authority Board and the Commission for Human Services are hereby authorized to promulgate rules necessary to enact the provisions of this act;

2. The Oklahoma Health Care Authority shall take all actions necessary to ensure state compliance with federal regulations;

3. The Authority shall apply for any necessary federal waivers or waiver amendments required to implement the program;

4. The Legislature intends that, as consumers relocate from institutional settings to community-based options, funds used to serve consumers in institutional settings shall follow consumers to cover the cost of community-based services; and

5. The Department of Human Services or other applicable state entity for the population served may develop an electronic benefit transfer feature for the provision of self-directed care services to consumers.

B. The Oklahoma Self-Directed Care Act, at a minimum, shall meet the following requirements:

1. The cost in the aggregate of the services offered through the self-directed care plan shall be equal to or less than the cost of a home- and community-based waiver or comparable waiver program;

2. The baseline level of consumer satisfaction shall be measured by a third party prior to initiation of the Oklahoma Self-Directed Care Act;

3. The scope of services offered within the Self-Directed Care Program shall comply with current state statutes and rules, and federal regulations; and

4. Program evaluation which shall include an indication of whether consumer satisfaction for Self-Directed Care Program consumers is higher than or equal to consumer satisfaction for home- and community-based waiver clients or other comparable waiver programs, as measured by a third party.

C. Upon the approval of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the availability of funds, the Authority and the Department shall implement the Self-Directed Care Program statewide if the evaluation provided for in subsection B of this section demonstrates consumer satisfaction with and cost-effectiveness in the delivery of the program.

D. The Authority and the Department shall conduct a feasibility study on the future design and implementation of expanding the home- and community-based waiver program to include additional people with developmental disabilities, spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury; provided, however, before allocating any new monies to such program, the Department and the Authority shall prepare and submit to the Legislature the results of the feasibility study and a fiscal impact statement.

E. The Authority and the Department of Human Services shall each, on an ongoing basis, review and assess the implementation of the Self-Directed Care Program. By January 15 of each year, the Authority shall submit a written report to the Governor and Legislature that includes each agency’s review of the program.

F. The Department of Human Services shall appoint a committee to assist the Department in the development of waivers and rules related to self-directed services, including the functional needs assessment used for determination of eligibility for the Self-Directed Services program. The committee shall be composed of two self advocates or adults with developmental disabilities; two parents or family members of consumers; two advocates; two representatives of an agency providing Developmental Disabilities Services Division waiver services; one representative from the Oklahoma Parent Center; and one representative from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center for Learning and Leadership. The committee shall sunset no later than four (4) years after implementation of programs indicated in this act. The Governor, President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each appoint an at-large representative to the Committee.

The Authority is hereby directed to modify the state Medicaid program Personal Care Program to allow any person to self-direct his or her own personal care services who:

1. Is eligible to receive Personal Care Program services;

2. Chooses to receive Personal Care Program services; and

3. Is able to direct his or her own care or to designate an eligible representative to assist in directing such care.

Added by Laws 2005, c. 434, § 5, eff. July 1, 2005. Amended by Laws 2010, c. 309, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2010.