Pre-Admission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR)

What to expect of your assessment

This assessment helps decide if a nursing facility is the best place for a person with a behavioral, intellectual or developmental disability.

What is PASRR?

Screening for PASRR is federally required for everyone who is admitted to nursing facilities certified by the Medicaid program - even for individuals who do not receive Medicaid benefits. It addresses three areas:

Eligible disability

Does the individual have a behavioral, intellectual or developmental disability?

Appropriate setting

What setting would best meet the individual's needs? This may be in the community, in a nursing facility or in a hospital.

Needed services

What disability-related services are needed by the individual?

Prepare for your PASRR

PASRR is a federal program requiring a brief screening whenever an individual seeks admission to a Medicaid-certified nursing facility from the community or hospital. This assessment, known as a Level I, is conducted to determine if there are any indications of mental illness or intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). If there are none, then the individual may enter the nursing facility directly. Maximus provides the tools to conduct this screen in some states.

When does a Level II PASRR take place?
If, after the Level I is reviewed, there are indications of any mental illness or IDD, then Maximus is notified that a face-to-face PASRR Level II evaluation is necessary. We work closely with hospitals, providers, etc. to coordinate these evaluations with minimal delay or stress on the individual. Maximus immediately dispatches an evaluator who schedules a meeting with the individual to perform the evaluation. The PASRR interview generally takes between 45 minutes and 1 hour.
Who will participate?
Maximus assessors are experienced clinicians who will make contact with the individual and their providers, family members, or other caregivers in order to obtain all necessary information. Although assessors are only required to speak with the individual and his or her legal guardian (if one exists), other respondents may be contacted to help the assessor better evaluate the individual’s needs.
What will happen the day of the interview?
The assessor will explain how the interview works. During the interview, the assessor will ask questions that cover all realms of physical, mental health, and intellectual and developmental disability symptoms and history. The assessor will also make efforts to speak with caregivers and review the medical chart, if available, to obtain further details.
Where will the interview take place?
The assessment meeting should take place wherever the individual and other respondents choose. If the individual is in the hospital, it can take place in their room. It can also include, but is not limited to, the individual’s home, his or her service provider, or the home of a family member or friend. The interview should be in a quiet, private, comfortable space that is appropriate to meet the individual’s needs.
What topics does the PASRR cover?
The assessor will ask questions that evaluate the following areas:
- Communication needs
- Psychosocial information
- Employment/vocational training
- Mental status and psychiatric/behavioral presentation
- Cognitive impairment
- Medical status and history
- Activities of daily living
- Medications
Some of the questions are federally required to identify your wishes and whether resources exist to keep you in the community.
There is no need to be anxious about your assessment. Maximus assessors are highly trained PASRR professionals, and your PASRR determination is based on more than just your interview; the assessor also reviews records and performs a methodical investigation to ensure accurate results.