Announcing the Launch of the HCBS Referral and Authorization Portal

  • Announcement is also available in Portable Document Format (PDF)

May 16, 2024

TO:Children's HCBS Providers, Health Homes Serving Children, CMAs, and C-YES

NYSDOH is excited to announce the official launch of the Children's Home and Community Based Service (HCBS) Electronic Referral & Authorization Portalwithin the Incident Reporting and Management System (IRAMS) on June 17th, 2024. All HCBS referrals initiated on or after this date must be managed through this electronic system. This system has been designed to help streamline the referral process and ensure efficient tracking and management of Children's HCBS.

Please Note: This launch is only regarding the Health Home Care Manager/C-YES Referral for Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) to HCBS Provider. The next release will include the Children's HCBS Authorization and Care Manager Notification Form..

Agency Access and User Permissions

  • In preparation for the launch, we encourage all agencies to consider which staff members may require access to the HCBS Referral & Authorization Portal feature within IRAMS to view and manage referrals. The Manage Child Referralsrole allows users to create (for Care Managers)/accept (for HCBS Providers) and manage referrals. The View Child Referrals Role allows users the ability to view referrals with no ability to edit/manage them (Health Homes/Leadership). These roles are currently available in IRAMS. Agencies are encouraged to enter IRAMS and assign staff members the applicable referral role prior to the launch of the Referral & Authorization Portal.
  • The agency's IRAMS Gatekeeper can grant Referral Portal related permissions within the system. All staff must have a Health Commerce System (HCS) account to access the system. Agency staff will not have access to Referral Portal features until the agency IRAMS Gatekeeper has granted them the applicable permission. The IRAMS gatekeeper can grant HCBS Referral Portal permissions by following the steps below:
    1. Log in to IRAMS as the agency's IRAMS gatekeeper
    2. Navigate to the Settings section (on the left-hand menu bar):
    3. Select "Permissions" from the menu options
    4. Assign the applicable staff one of the following roles:

Upcoming Webinars

  • Overview of the Children's HCBS Electronic Referral & Authorization PortalTo familiarize stakeholders and providers with the HCBS Referral & Authorization Portal, NYSDOH will be hosting two webinars on May 29th and June 3rd to provide a comprehensive overview of the portal's functionality, navigation, and best practices for managing referrals. Content covered will be the same in each of these webinars. Health Homes, C-YES, Health Home Care Managers, and HCBS Providers are encouraged to attend one of these two sessions. Register to attend these webinars using the links below:
  • HCBS Electronic Referral & Authorization Portal: How to Enter Currently Active Cases into the Portal
    In this webinar, the transitioning of currently served participants will be reviewed. During the transition to use of the HCBS Electronic Referral Portal, all participants who are currently in receipt of HCBS will be required to be entered into the Referral Portal by care managers and accepted by HCBS providers to confirm they are serving the participant. This process will differ from the process of entering brand new referrals into the Portal. This webinar will review the process of entering and managing referrals for participants who are currently in receipt of HCBS. Agencies serving youth in these circumstances are encouraged to attend this webinar.
    Key Topics of Discussion:
    • How to enter currently served participants into the portal
    • How to "accept" referrals for currently served youth
    • Expectations and Best Practices for HHCM/C-YES and HCBS Providers during the transition
    Register to attend this webinar using the link below:

*Please note, the launch of the HCBS Electronic Referral & Authorization Portal will not include HCBS Authorization features. Electronic HCBS Authorization features within IRAMS will be released at a later date. Until released, the HCBS authorization process will continue to operate outside of IRAMS.

Do not reply to this email. If you require further assistance, send any questions related to the Referral Portal to homes, with "IRAMS Questions only - No PHI" as the subject.

We look forward speaking with you all and sharing the benefits this portal will bring to our HCBS community!