How Support Coordinators Can Refer Adults for Residential Services in Manassas

Start with the person’s residential goals and informed choice

A residential referral should connect an individual’s preferences and assessed support needs with a possible service—not simply seek an open bed. Review the person’s goals, desired community connections, communication preferences, and relevant current supports. Include family, caregivers, and others as appropriate while preserving the individual’s role in choosing services and the setting.

Virginia’s ISP rule requires collaborative, person-centered planning and ongoing coordinator monitoring. The DBHDS Support Coordination Handbook provides additional guidance on assessment, consent to exchange information, planning, and transitions. Use current agency procedures and applicable requirements alongside this practical guide; an MSL inquiry is not a substitute for the formal coordination process.

Official guidance: Virginia Administrative Code: Individual support plans (12VAC30-122-190) · DBHDS: DD Waiver Support Coordination Handbook (July 2024 revision, PDF) · DMAS HCBS Toolkit: General Requirements for All Settings

Verify waiver status and the proposed residential service

Confirm the individual’s active waiver and whether Supported Living Residential is the appropriate authorized service. Under Virginia’s service rule, Supported Living is covered in FIS and CL. An active DD Waiver alone does not establish the authorization for a particular residential service or its compatibility with existing services.

MSL accepts referrals exclusively for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and an active, eligible Virginia DD Waiver. Admissions are subject to individualized assessment of whether we can safely and effectively meet needs in accordance with the ISP. These are provider referral and assessment criteria, not an eligibility determination or a promise of acceptance. Confirm current availability directly before developing a proposed timeline.

Official guidance: Virginia Administrative Code: Supported living residential service (12VAC30-122-540)

Send an initial inquiry without sensitive records

Use MSL’s Referrals and Admissions page for a general inquiry. Provide your name, organization, contact details, preferred contact method, and a general question about Supported Living or the referral process. Avoid diagnoses, Medicaid identifiers, medical histories, assessment attachments, and other sensitive health information in the ordinary inquiry form or initial email.

Ask how to share any required assessment material appropriately and verify the recipient and consent requirements before exchanging it. The DBHDS handbook addresses consent to exchange information; follow applicable privacy requirements and your organization’s procedures. The website inquiry is an introduction, not a secure clinical referral packet or admission application.

• Identify yourself and your organization.
• State that you are exploring adult Supported Living in Manassas.
• Ask about current availability, assessment steps, and appropriate record sharing.
• Give a preferred contact method without adding resident health details.

Official guidance: DBHDS: DD Waiver Support Coordination Handbook (July 2024 revision, PDF)

Coordinate the individualized assessment and provider discussion

After the general conversation, clarify who will participate in assessment, which information is necessary, and how the person will be involved. Discuss how the provider would address assessed supports, personal choices, daily routines, and goals. Ask about staffing delivery and timely access to help instead of inferring the arrangement from a service label.

Confirm what remains unresolved: individual fit, service authorization, a residency agreement, housing expenses, or transition arrangements. Supported Living’s rule excludes room and board from the waiver service and requires individual-specific supports. Make responsibilities explicit so that provider review is not mistaken for final funding approval or an agreed move-in date.

Official guidance: Virginia Administrative Code: Supported living residential service (12VAC30-122-540) · Virginia Administrative Code: Individual support plans (12VAC30-122-190)

Plan a move to the actual Manassas location

MSL’s home is at 10545 Winged Elm Circle, Manassas, VA 20110. Northern Virginia communities are referral audiences, not additional MSL residential sites. Review the person’s existing day activities, relationships, visits, and travel needs in relation to that address. Do not assume transportation or existing service arrangements will transfer automatically.

Prince William County Community Services serves the county and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park. For someone moving from another locality, discuss any coordination implications with the current support team and relevant agencies. A regional referral inquiry does not itself transfer case management or establish new service arrangements.

Official guidance: Prince William County: Community Services · DBHDS: DD Waiver Support Coordination Handbook (July 2024 revision, PDF)

Agree on next steps and follow-through

Document the questions still open, responsible parties, and the next contact. Where a placement proceeds, align the provider’s plan for supports with the ISP and complete required authorization and transition work before services begin. Virginia requires ongoing review of needs and outcomes; a move is the start of a support relationship, not the end of coordination.

To explore MSL, use the general referral form or contact info@mslthrive.com. Ask about a tour and the individualized review process. We do not guarantee a vacancy, waiver acceptance, response deadline, or admission date. Keep private records out of the initial message and request the appropriate sharing process.

Official guidance: Virginia Administrative Code: Individual support plans (12VAC30-122-190) · Virginia Administrative Code: Supported living residential service (12VAC30-122-540)