Training Announcements and Calendar

Other Announcements:

June 16, 2025:

All staff are required by the state of Virginia to have hands-on CPR/First Aid training. Admin are the only staff who DO NOT need CPR/FA as they have little to no contact with individuals, and when admin do,  it is with supervision of a DSP with CPR/FA for individuals. 

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June 4, 2025:

Welcome to Molly Gilbert as our new Program Manager for our providers south of Buena Vista!

Check out the newest addition of the CONNECT Spotlight:  https://dbhds.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/OL-CONNECT-Spotlight-5-1-25.pdf

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May 13th, 2025:

📢 Announcement: Changes to Customized Rate Submissions

Effective immediately, Sunny Haven’s Program Director will no longer submit Customized Rate Requests in WaMS.

The state has made it clear that Customized Rate approvals are extremely rare and only considered after all other avenues have been thoroughly explored and documented. This is a highly detailed, time-consuming process that is not worth pursuing unless absolutely necessary.

Before a Customized Rate request will even be reviewed, WaMS and DBHDS expect that all other support options have been exhausted. Providers must work closely with the individual's Support Coordinator or Case Manager to pursue and document alternative supports, including but not limited to:

Skilled Nursing services
Behavioral Health Supports (e.g., outpatient therapy, behavior consultation)
Assistive Technology or Environmental Modifications
Increased staffing or revised staff schedules through standard waiver services
Natural supports (e.g., family, community involvement)
Reviewing and revising the ISP to better align with current needs

Providers should consult with the Program Manager if they believe an individual may require more support than current funding allows. From there, the Support Coordinator or Case Manager must be engaged to assist in exploring and documenting all appropriate services.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we follow DBHDS and Medicaid guidance on this matter.

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May 12th, 2025:

The Incident Report with Root Cause Analysis 3.0 is now active. The 2.0 as been deactivated. If you have questions, please reach out to the Risk Manager, Josh Floyd. 

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May 1, 2025:

The Incident Report With Root Cause Analysis 2.0 form is undergoing updates by Lauris. These changes will make the form more "user friendly" and include more guides on how to effectively and accurately complete it. Once it's completed and available for use, an announcement will be posted. 

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April 28, 2025:

🚨 ATTENTION ALL STAFF: DO NOT CHANGE DEFAULT VALUES IN NOTES 🚨

We’ve noticed some staff are changing or setting “Default Values” in the documentation forms — especially in the sections labeled “Identified or potential risks observed this shift?” and “Health and Safety.”

YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CHANGE THESE.

🔒 LEAVE ALL OF THESE SETTINGS ALONE.
✔️ Do NOT change dropdowns to “Yes” unless it actually happened on your shift.
✔️ Do NOT check the box that says “Default Value.”

👉 When you change a default, you change it for everyone — and that causes incorrect documentation, puts the agency out of compliance, and messes up services for individuals.

Every individual has different needs. What applies to one person does not apply to another. You must document only what you personally observed or supported during your shift.

✅ IMPORTANT: OUTCOME DOCUMENTATION

If you document that you worked on an outcome, you must check “Yes” to make sure the system logs it correctly. If you forget to check “Yes,” the note won’t count — and it will look like it was never done.

✍️ YOUR NOTES MUST BE IN PARAGRAPH FORM — ONE SENTENCE IS NOT ENOUGH.

Your note should describe what actually happened — nothing made up, nothing copied from someone else. Use facts only.

Use these four questions to guide your documentation:

What did you do with the individual?
(Describe the activity, support, or care provided.)

How did they respond?
(Were they happy, quiet, talkative, resistant, distracted?)

Any challenges or successes?
(Did they need help? Do really well? Struggle with a task?)

Anything new or different?
(Do they need a different approach next time? Was something off?)