Comprehensive Quality Strategy

A Comprehensive Quality Strategy (CQS) is a CMS-required document for all states implementing Managed Care in its Medicaid Program. The Vermont CQS Outline serves as a blueprint or road map for Vermont and its public Managed Care Organization in assessing the quality of care that beneficiaries receive, as well as for setting forth measurable goals and targets for improvement.

Driver Diagram - The Global Commitment to Health (GC) driver diagram is a tool used to display the components of Vermont’s improvement efforts in its Medicaid Program (via the waiver), as well as, to communicate the waiver’s theory of change. The driver diagram displays the goals of the waiver, identifies their drivers, shows how the drivers are connected, and ultimately provides the basis for how Vermont will measure its performance relative to the goals.
HCBS Systemic Assessments - These documents assess the existing Vermont regulations and standards related to HCBS delivery to determine if they meet the federal HCBS final rule requirements. Items are scored as alignment, partial alignment, silent, or non-compliant. All items that do not receive a score of alignment are subject to remediation or corrective action plans and included on the associated Work Plan.
HCBS Work Plans - These documents expand upon the System Assessments by identifying subsequent action steps for the Vermont regulations and standards that did not receive a score of alignment. The action step must resolve the identified issue and bring the Vermont regulation and/or standard into alignment with the federal HCBS final rule.
HCBS Surveys - Consumer Validation and Site Specific Setting Assessment - Surveys available at this link were used by the state of Vermont to assess specific settings in which home and community-based services (HCBS) are provided to determine compliance with the new HCBS setting rules and to validate the provier self-assessment results. Click on the link to learn more and to view the surveys.