How to navigate an interRAI assessment
Susan here. Just a quick blog post today. My family recently completed our interRAI assessment and I wanted to take moment to share my thoughts regarding the experience. First…
THIS IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL CASE MANAGEMENT MEETING! So don’t treat it like one.
My interRAI meeting lasted about 2 ½ hours. Of course my case manager knew that he was going bombarded with questions and that I would be documenting the entire experience - (Thanks Steve!) He has been recommending to his fellow case manager peers that they take extra time - not just an hour as suggested to complete these assessments. If your case manager thinks they can get this done in one hour, I suggest you take a look at the 11 pages worth of questions I was asked in my meeting and ask yourself if one hour is long enough for your assessment. For the record, I’m not trying to blame case managers here. They are human and mistakes happen. But as the caregiver who also relies on these services, I’m just doing my best to ensure everything goes well my family and sharing my experiences with all my autism caregiver friends, which is a pretty large group.
Most of you know that I have a son with level 2 autism and an intellectual disability. He is a good example of an individual that should have no problems qualifying for this program. But when he is asked questions, his answers are brief and not very specific. He could and did answer questions in a way that would disqualify him from the Family Supports Waiver. This is why I recommend the following steps:
Prepare yourself and your loved one receiving waiver services by looking over a sample questionnaire. Here is a link to my notes on what my son and I were asked. Please know that the question you get will differ. Why? Did you notice the AI in the name of the assessment. You guessed it. The questions are AI generated based on the answers you give. Isn’t that nice? (hopefully you read my sarcasm)
Although the questions will be asked of the individual receiving waiver services, others are encouraged and in my opinion SHOULD BE PRESENT at this meeting. You will need to remind your individual about different occurrences in their life that can influence responses.
Record your meeting. This is important if you need to appeal.
Ask for screenshots of what’s being submitted. Again, you’re going to need this information if you need to appeal.
If you’re approved - Woo hoo! You get to do it again next year.
If you’re denied…. well you need to appeal and you have 33 days from the date of the Level of Care (LOC) letter that your case manager sends to you. If you don’t hear from your case manager within 5 days of taking the interRAI assessment, you need to be calling, texting, emailing - all the things - because time is a ticking! The letter is generated once your case manager submits the assessment.
During the appeal, you need to ask which specific questions disqualified you. This is why we recommend that you record the meeting and ask for screenshots. So if there is a problem, you now have the information you need to appeal the decision.
I hope my experience helps you. If you have questions about the interRAI assessment, reach out to us at info@myautismally.org or 260-207-4686. We’re happy to help.