The Gulf Coast Center IDD SERVICES HANDBOOK RESPITE ONLY The goal of this book is to provide individuals and their families with information on: 1. The services we offer 2. The responsibilities of a. Individuals and/or families b. Service Providers 3. Required paperwork and timeframes 4. Why services may be stopped 5. What you need to do to keep services 1
IDD PROVIDER SERVICES RESPITE: Respite care is offered to give you a short term break from providing 24 hours a day, seven days a week care for a family member or other individual you are responsible for taking care of on a daily basis. Respite can be used by planning some time away, such as a weekend or an evening, or just to have time to yourself at home. be used in an emergency situation such as illness. be provided in either your home or your provider s home or in another location. be used to help individuals with personal care, assist them with their daily living activities, help keep them safe as well as giving them the opportunity to participate in leisure activities. work directly with your schedule and their schedule on times and dates that best meet your needs Respite cannot. be used to provide supervision and support when you would normally not be providing care to the individual such as when you are at work, attending work conventions, meetings and/or work related trainings. Respite Provider cannot. provide transportation to anyone other than yourself borrow money from you under any circumstances. perform any other trainings or duties that are not a part of your treatment plan 2
Note: your provider cannot live in your home. YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS A RECIPIENT OF SERVICES OR A FAMILY MEMBER RECEIVING SERVICES We are a team: you, your family and/or the important people in your life and your provider staff. We all need to work together and each of us has an important part to play. It is important that we talk with each other, that we meet with each other, and that we keep each other informed. As a participant in services, you have the following responsibilities: Be open about your needs and any barriers that you may have. Be open about specific preference in regards to your expectations concerning your provider (ie: smoking, language, dress etc.) Determine when you want or need Respite. Let us know when you change your mind and/or when things change in your life such as those situations in your life or family life that may affect the services or require a change in your services. Keep us informed of changes to address or phone number We would also like to know emergency contact information should situations arise and we need to get in touch with you immediately Completing Paperwork in a timely manner annually. 3
Maintain good communication by returning phone calls, emails etc to IDD staff at LOR as quickly as possible. Family is responsible for out of pocket payment directly to the Provider for services provided over the allotted hours. Keep scheduled appointments - If you have to cancel or reschedule an appointment, please give your provider as much notice as possible at least 24 hours. Let us know right away if you are having problems or concerns about your provider or with services in general. You are important to us. Do not worry that someone will get mad at you or get in trouble we want to ensure that your plan is working for you and that you are satisfied with your services and we can t do that if you don t tell us what is happening We want you to have as much freedom and flexibility in the process of selecting your personal provider. We hope that by your active participation in interviewing and selecting your provider, you will be able to access the services you need, when you need them and by those individuals you are comfortable with in providing these services to you. Once your provider is selected, you will be responsible for notifying the Gulf Coast Center IDD Services of the personal provider(s) you have chosen, along with their address and phone number, at which point we will contact them and assist in setting them up to begin your services. To notify IDD Provider Services call: 800-615-4763/409-944-4460 1. 4
REQUIRED PAPERWORK AND TIMELINES You or your family member will be responsible for completing documents required for your selected services and for returning the service packets. Within 30 days of receiving your Service Packet you will be asked to return these documents back to the Gulf Coast Center. If the documents are not received within 30 days, you risk having your services terminated. If you are requesting Contract Respite- You will need to return the following documents: 1. IDD Recipient of Services/Family Cover Letter (a checklist of documents to be returned) 2. Individual Assessment 3. IDD Respite Plan 4. Consent Forms: a. Consent for Evaluation of Services b. Complaint Process c. Acknowledgement of Receipt of Notice of Privacy Practices d. Verbal Consent Form e. Acknowledgement Form (stating that you received a copy of your Rights packet) f. Opportunity to Register to Vote (if over 18) 5. Consent for Treatment and Use of Over-the-Counter Meds (Only if Your Provider will be Administering Medications) 5
If you are requesting Day or Weekend Respite at LOR You will need to return the following documents: 1. IDD Recipient of Services/Family Cover Letter (a checklist of documents to be returned) 2. Individual Assessment 3. IDD Respite Plan 4. Authorization of Medication-completed by the prescribing Doctor. (Weekend and/or Day Respite) 5. GCC Release & Waiver of Liability & Assumption of Risk Mgt. 6. Consent for Treatment and Use of Over-the-Counter Meds (Weekend or Day Respite or Your Provider will be Administering Medications) 7. IDD Provider Services Out of Home Respite Program Policies 8. Consent Forms: a. Consent for Evaluation of Services b. Complaint Process c. Acknowledgement of Receipt of Notice of Privacy Practices d. Verbal Consent Form e. Acknowledgement Form (stating that you received a copy of your Rights packet) f. Opportunity to Register to Vote (if over 18) If you are a 1 st time user for Day and/or Weekend, we will require a preservice site visit to the program (if possible) so you and the individual receiving the respite can become familiar with the surroundings prior to the scheduled weekend and so that you can complete some of the required paperwork. If you have received the respite packet prior to your visit, you may bring any or all the completed documents with you at that time. 6
Lone Oak Ranch tours are always welcomed when considering Day and/or Weekend Respite. Please contact us to set up a date and time to visit. (409) 944-4460 or (800) 615-4763. Note: Staff will contact family members if packet is not returned back to re-assess the need for services. CONTRACTED PROVIDER RESPONSIBILITIES TO FAMILIES AND IDD SERVICES 1. The personal provider(s) you have chosen is/are responsible for ensuring you get the services you requested and agreed to in your plan. 2. Your personal providers will be responsible for talking with you so that you can both agree on the days and times that work best for you. 3. Your personal provider will be responsible for documenting on all services delivered and for ensuring that you have had a chance to review that documentation. Your signature on the document will authorize payment to the provider for those services. Under no circumstances should you sign paperwork before a service has been provided. Multiple signed "blank" pages could constitute fraud and therefore be subject to legal action. 4. Contract providers, at all times, should treat you with respect, advocate for your rights and promote a healthy and safe environment for you. 5. Your personal providers are responsible for ensuring that the services that they are providing are not provided at a time while you are at work, attending work conventions, meetings and or work related trainings etc. 7
REASONS YOU CAN BE TERMINATED FROM GCC SERVICES 1. If you do not use Respite service over a 90 day period: (September August, our Fiscal Year) without notifying the Gulf Coast Center and providing a justifiable reason why the services could not be used by you during that time period. (Examples of justifiable reasons: you were in the hospital or you were out of town or if your provider is unavailable) 2. If you do not call and cancel a meeting with your provider when you are not able to be there; it will be considered a no-show. If you have 3 no shows within a year (September August) this will be cause for termination of services. 3. If you falsify any documentation which misleads the Gulf Coast Center into payment for services (including but not limited to falsifying address, insurance, billing data forms, billing for services not provided, covering for your provider etc.) 4. If you fail to complete required documents by designated time frames. 8
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION 1. At NO time will it be acceptable and under NO circumstances for a Contracted Provider to live in the same household/address as the Individual who is receiving the services. 2. Services on your plan are allocated on a monthly basis (with the exception of Weekend Respite) and any services not used in a given month, do not carry over 3. If you want to make changes in your plan, please contact the Lone Oak Ranch staff. Plan changes will be made effective the beginning of the following month, however if there have not been any services provided during the month in which the plan is revised, the revised services can begin in the same month. 4. If you decide to communicate by email, you will need to be aware that the Gulf Coast Center must comply with HIPAA laws that require us to protect and keep confidential each individual s information. The Gulf Coast Center does have access to an encrypted email system which ensures the security of emails. If you would like to use that system, let the IDD Services Staff know and they will assist you in setting that up. 5. Occasionally, those attending respite may be invited to participate in community outings, however any activities requiring funds must be provided by family. 9
DEFINITIONS IDD Services Staff These Lone Oak Ranch Staff will assist you with linking you to your Personal Provider. IDD Service Respite Staff - are all trained in state mandated trainings that include but not limited to CPR, First Aid, Medication Administration, Abuse & Neglect, Rights, HIPAA/Confidentiality, etc.. IDD - Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities - Public Law No:111-256 (also known as Rosa s Law) was signed into law October 5, 2010 and changed references in federal law from mental retardation to intellectual disability, and references to a mentally retarded individual to an individual with an intellectual disability) Personal Provider This is a Contract Provider or Internal Staff that will be paid to deliver you with services of your choice. Annual Respite Packet Must be updated with all signatures and returned as this authorizes services. Weekend Respite is not available to all participants, however private pay is acceptable. Available from Friday at 6:30 through Sunday at 4:30 on set scheduled weekends and are by age/gender, meals provided, (late fees will apply). Transportation will not be available. 10
Contract Respite is Respite provided by a personal provider who is over the age of 18, not living in your household and that agrees to fulfill all requirements of the contract with the Gulf Coast Center. Day Respite is one time a month for 6 hours (9:00am to 3:00pm) at Lone Oak Ranch on set scheduled Saturdays which the family provides a sack lunch. Transportation will not be provided. Friday night out Will be set up on scheduled weekends from 6:30pm - 11:00pm. age/gender will be the same as that weekend. Meal/snack provided. 11
THE GULF COAST CENTER IDD PROVIDER SERVICES FAMILY COMPLAINT PROCESS The Gulf Coast Center desires a successful partnership with the Family to best serve the individuals. The Authority encourages the provider and individuals to call with concerns, problems and complaints regarding the Authorities operations and interaction with the Provider. Every effort will be made to address the issues involved. RESPITE SERVICE STAFF To file a complaint concerning a GCC respite services staff member, Danielle Armknecht/Weekend-Day Respite 7000 Ave B. Santa Fe, Texas 77510 (409) 944-4460 Mon-Fri 8:00 am 5:00 pm IDD PROVIDER SERVICES- Respite Services Program Manager To file a complaint concerning a Staff, call or send complaint in writing to: Barry Kusnerik, Director of IDD Provider Services 7000 Ave B. Santa Fe, Texas 77510 (409) 944-4460 Mon-Fri 8:00 am 5:00 pm DIRECTOR OF IDD PROVIDER SERVICES To file a complaint concerning the Director of IDD Provider Services, call or send complaint in writing to: Mike Winburn, Executive Director 123 Rosenberg Suite 6 Galveston, Texas 77550 409/763-2373 Mon-Fri 8:00 am 5:00 pm THE GULF COAST CENTER To file a complaint concerning The Gulf Coast Center, call toll free number: Texas Department of Aging Gulf Coast Center- And Disability Services Rights Protection Office 1-800-458-9858 1-888-839-3229 Monday Friday Monday Friday 8:00 am 5:00 pm 8:00 am 5:00 pm To file a complaint concerning abuse, neglect or exploitation, call toll free number within 1 hour: Received By 12 Date