Providers of Section 17 Services - Telehealth Clarification

Dec 09, 2024

Effective January 1, 2025, the Department exercises enforcement discretion permitting providers to utilize telehealth for Section 17 services in line with the following guidance. 

Certain services may be provided via telehealth under exceptional circumstances when clinically appropriate and so long as the member would still benefit from a contact if provided via telehealth. Exceptional circumstances include, but are not limited to, when there is severe weather, or a member is physically ill and as a result cannot travel to an appointment, or when a member travels unexpectedly and cannot attend their appointment in-person as a direct result of the unexpected travel. The provider must document the exceptional circumstances in the member’s medical records relating to the service being delivered by telehealth (e.g. the progress note).

The following services may be provided via telehealth:

• Community Integration Services (CIS), under exceptional circumstances.
• Community Rehabilitation Services (CRS), under exceptional circumstances.
• Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Services. ACT teams must provide frequent in-person contact and a high amount of in-person service time for each member. ACT teams are required to maintain a minimum quarterly panel-wide average of three (3) in-person contacts per member per week.

 Providers should not deliver services through telehealth for their own convenience. 

The following services may not be provided via telehealth:

• Daily Living Support Services (DLSS),
• Skills Development Services (SDS), and
• Day Support Services (DSS) must be provided in-person and are not allowed to be delivered via telehealth.

Note: Please also note that DSS must be delivered in an office-based setting.

In the future, the Department will update its rules regarding Section 17 services accordingly.   

For questions, please contact John Repecko, Provider Relations Specialist.