Intensive Support Service Pre-Qualified Providers Guideline

Transcription

1 Disability Services Intensive Support Service Pre-Qualified Providers Guideline Subject: Intensive Support Service - Pre-Qualified Providers Policy Number: DS ISS 15 Related Legislation, DHHS, Divisional, Disability Services Policies, Standards & References: Disability Services Act (1992) This policy replaces existing policy: Yes No (Please tick box) If Yes Policy Number/s are: Date of Effect: Date of Review: June 2009 Endorsed as Working Guidelines Signature: Ingrid Ganley A/Director Disability Services Date 17/7/08 Department of Health and Human Services

2 Contents 1. Purpose Background Why establish a Pre-Qualified Providers Register? DEFINITIONS Pre-Qualified Provider (PPR) Guideline What is a Pre-Qualified Provider required to do? How can an organisation get on the PPR? How will the Register work? References... 6 Page 2 of 6

3 1. Purpose 1.1 Background The Disability Services Intensive Support Service model supports people with a disability who have complex and exceptional needs that exceed the scope of other programs. The Intensive Support Service (ISS) model focuses on the development, implementation and review of Individual Support Plans for ISS clients. The Support Plans provide a consistent framework through which positive client outcomes can be progressed, and include details of assessments, behaviour interventions, positive programming, and community access within a least restrictive environment. The Intensive Support Service provides time-limited, transitional support. Disability Services has established a register of Pre-Qualified Providers of Intensive Support Services. 1.2 Why establish a Pre-Qualified Providers Register? The Pre-Qualified Provider Register (PPR) provides details of all organisations that have expressed an interest in being included on the Register and which have been assessed as being suitably qualified, and experienced, and committed to providing services to people requiring intensive support. The benefits of the PPR are: Organisations with interest and capacity in providing Intensive Support Services can be readily identified; Organisations will not be required to provide information on their operations and capacity (i.e. Evaluation Criteria) to provide services in response to individual requests for proposals by Disability Services; A reduction in the impost on both organisations and Disability Services and together with the ability to readily identify suitable providers will enhance the responsive of the system to meeting the needs of clients; and Enable specialised training to be provided to staff of Pre-Qualified organisations. 2. DEFINITIONS 2.1 Pre-Qualified Provider (PPR) The Pre-Qualified Provider Register (PPR) provides details of all organisations that have expressed an interest in being included on the Register and which have been assessed as being suitability qualified, experienced, and committed to providing services to people requiring intensive support. Page 3 of 6

4 3. Guideline 3.1 What is a Pre-Qualified Provider required to do? Intensive Support may be provided for an individual following referral via a Disability Services Area Office. Support will be negotiated with a Pre-Qualified Provider based on the needs of the client as outlined in their Individual Support Plan. Intensive Support may be provided in the client s existing accommodation environment or an alternative accommodation option may be required depending on the circumstances. Pre- Qualified Providers may be required to support people with a disability with challenging and/or offending behaviours. Pre-Qualified Providers will be required to ensure their staff attend required training and otherwise maintain their capacity to provide Intensive Support Service to remain eligible to be on the register. Training requirements for Pre-Qualified Providers will include the following: As a minimum, one staff member is to have completed longitudinal Institute of Applied Behaviour Analysis (IABA) training within 12 months of acceptance on the Register. All staff members supporting clients through Intensive Support Service will be required to participate in the 4 day introduction to IABA course (Modules 1 4). Management of Pre-Qualified Providers will be required to participate in training in relation to Intensive Support Services in order to assist them in their understanding of the services and support their staff involved in the provision of these services. Specific training relating to the needs of individual clients provided by the Disability Services Resource Team, ISS Training Coordinator or Forensic Disability Officers. 3.2 How can an organisation get on the PPR? Interested organisations can be included on the PPR through responding to the Request for Expressions of Interest every six to twelve months. Applications will be assessed by an Evaluation Committee against the following criteria: 1. Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing individual support plans within a non-aversive framework to support people with a disability, including those who exhibit challenging behaviours (inclusive of offending behaviour) which place themselves and others at potential risk of injury; 2. Demonstrated application of practices which align with State disability legislation and standards, including the demonstrated capacity to design and deliver services to develop positive outcomes for people with disabilities; 3. Demonstrated experience in monitoring the implementation, and reviewing the outcomes, of individualised support plans, including the use of a quality assurance methodology (eg. Periodic Service Review); 4. Demonstrated capacity to work collaboratively with government agencies, specialist behavioural and forensic teams, as well as other organisations, in developing and implementing individual behaviour intervention, support plans and personal plans including those for clients on court orders; Page 4 of 6

5 5. Demonstrated ability to recruit, retain and further develop experienced and qualified staff, including the capacity, or potential, to train staff in relation to service provision for people with disabilities who exhibit challenging behaviours, including those with offending behaviours; and 6. Proven management capacity, including the management of finances and resources to deliver agreed services and client outcomes within budget and on time. A score will be allocated to each criterion based on the extent to which an organisation is assessed to meet the criterion and a weighting applied to that score which indicates the relative importance of that criterion to meeting the requirements for placement on the Register. Representatives from an organisation submitting an Expression of Interest may be invited to meet with the Evaluation Committee to discuss their application in order to provide further clarification. An organisation will be required to be assessed as at least adequately meeting all criteria to be placed on the PPR. The scores will indicate the relative strengths and weaknesses of organisations and used to assist with further development and in the selection of providers from the PPR which can meet any special requirements relating to Individual Support Plans. All organisations which submit an application will be advised in writing of the outcome and be provided the opportunity to receive feedback. 3.3 How will the Register work? The initial term of appointment to the PPR will be two years. Organisations placed on the Register will be asked to report every six to twelve months on staff training and support activities and client outcomes, where applicable. An evaluation of all Pre-Qualified Providers will occur at least every eighteen months from the anniversary date of their inclusion on the PPR in line with continuous quality improvement principles. The outcome of these evaluations will determine the eligibility of each provider for continuing inclusion on the PPR. Should it be determined that an organisation does not meet requirements for continuing inclusion on the PPR, their status as a Pre-Qualified Provider may be suspended pending remedial action being taken or their inclusion on the PPR may be terminated. Organisations may also elect to withdraw from the PPR at any time, subject to providing at least three months written notice. Organisations which are identified from the information maintained on the PPR as being able to provide the required services for a client in the relevant geographic area will be invited to submit a service proposal and a budget to Disability Services for provision of services to that client in accordance with their individual Support Plan. The support plan will be assessed against a number of relevant criteria together with the submitted budget. The purpose of the assessment is to determine whether or not the organisation can provide a cost effective solution to a client s physical and interpersonal needs in the context of their programmatic environment. Where more than one organisation is invited to submit a proposal, the organisation providing the most cost effective solution will be selected. The details, including reporting requirements, for each service for which funding is provided will be formalised in the form of Service Agreement. Page 5 of 6

6 4. References Further policy, guidelines and protocols in relation to the Intensive Support Service can be sourced via Disability Services by contacting (03) or via at Page 6 of 6