Senior Medicaid HCBS & Consumer-Directed Services Subject Matter Expert

Senior Medicaid HCBS & Consumer-Directed Services Subject Matter Expert Engagement Type: Independent Consultant / Part-Time / Project-Based Location: Florida preferred; remote within the United States considered Project Duration: Approximately 12 months, subject to project award and final schedule Industry: Medicaid / Health & Human Services / Home and Community-Based Services Travel: Limited travel may be required based on project needs Start Date: Anticipated near-term, contingent upon project award Background Screening: Candidate must be willing and able to satisfy applicable background-screening requirements. Position Overview We are seeking a Senior Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) and Consumer-Directed Services Subject Matter Expert to support a statewide training modernization initiative. The selected consultant will provide specialized program and operational expertise related to Medicaid waiver services, participant-directed/consumer-directed service models, individual budgeting, service planning, participant responsibilities, provider and employee administration, financial accountability, program monitoring, and related operational processes. This is not primarily an instructional design or eLearning development position. The project team includes professionals responsible for instructional design, eLearning development, multimedia production, accessibility, quality assurance, and project management. The SME will serve as a bridge between complex program requirements and the training-development team, helping ensure that instructional materials, assessments, scenarios, job aids, and other learning resources accurately reflect how consumer-directed Medicaid programs operate in practice. The ideal candidate has direct, hands-on experience working with or administering a Florida Medicaid waiver, consumer-directed/participant-directed services program, HCBS program, or closely comparable public-sector human-services program. Primary ResponsibilitiesProgram and Policy Subject Matter Expertise Provide guidance to the project team regarding Medicaid HCBS and consumer-directed service models, including program structure, participant responsibilities, service administration, financial-management processes, documentation requirements, and operational workflows. Interpret complex program policies, procedures, manuals, forms, guidance, and existing training materials for instructional-design and development personnel. Identify areas where existing training content may be outdated, unclear, incomplete, inconsistent, or difficult for participants and other audiences to understand. Distinguish between established program requirements and issues requiring clarification or validation by authorized program personnel. Consumer/Participant-Directed Services Provide expertise concerning the practical operation of consumer-directed or participant-directed programs, including:

• Participant/consumer roles and responsibilities.
• Authorized representatives and their responsibilities.
• Individual choice and control of services.
• Participant-directed budgeting.
• Service planning and purchasing plans.
• Hiring and managing workers.
• Provider/vendor relationships.
• Payroll and timesheet processes.
• Recordkeeping and supporting documentation.
• Monitoring and program compliance.
• Corrective-action processes.
• Enrollment and ongoing participation requirements.

The RFQ's underlying training inventory includes substantial content involving budgeting, purchasing plans, employees, payroll, enrollment, monitoring/corrective actions, reconciliation and provider/vendor processes, so those are particularly valuable areas of expertise. Budgeting and Financial Processes Provide subject-matter guidance concerning the financial-management responsibilities common to participant-directed programs, including:

• Monthly budgets.
• Individual purchasing/service plans.
• Budget allocation and utilization.
• Allowable services and expenditures.
• Savings and expenditure justification.
• Payroll-related processes.
• Account reconciliation.
• Financial documentation.
• Supporting records.
• Identifying and correcting discrepancies.

The SME does not need to be an accountant but should understand how financial controls operate within participant-directed Medicaid programs. Workforce / Employee Administration Advise the team regarding participant responsibilities associated with directing workers and service providers, including employee/provider enrollment, documentation, payroll, timesheets, service verification, and related administrative processes. Experience with participant-directed personal care or personal assistance services would be particularly valuable. Program Monitoring and Compliance Provide expertise concerning monitoring, documentation, quality assurance and corrective-action processes. Help the instructional-development team understand:

• What participants are required to do.
• What representatives are responsible for.
• What consultants/support personnel monitor.
• What documentation must be maintained.
• Common compliance problems.
• What happens when requirements are not met.
• How corrective actions are communicated and resolved.

Training Content Review and Validation Work directly with instructional designers and developers to review existing training materials and ensure that redesigned content accurately represents program requirements and real-world processes. Review and provide feedback on:

• Curriculum outlines.
• Learning objectives.
• Storyboards.
• eLearning scripts.
• Scenarios and case studies.
• Knowledge checks.
• Assessments.
• Instructor/facilitator guides.
• Participant guides.
• Job aids.
• FAQs.
• Quick-reference materials.
• Digital/web-based instructional content.

Assessment Development Collaborate with instructional designers to ensure assessments test meaningful program knowledge rather than superficial recall. Assist with development and validation of questions covering participant responsibilities, budgeting, purchasing/service planning, payroll, documentation, enrollment, monitoring and other applicable program processes. Plain-Language Translation Help translate complicated Medicaid and program requirements into information that can be understood by diverse audiences. The SME should be comfortable explaining technical or regulatory concepts in practical terms without changing their meaning. This is especially important because the ultimate learners may include individuals receiving services, family members/representatives, consultants and other program stakeholders—not just government personnel.