New Member Intake Packet
Respite, Habilitation and Attendant Care Handbook
Stepping Stones Care contracts with the State of Arizona to provide care and learning tools for those with developmental disabilities. Care is provided in your home or in the community and is monitored by the Division of Disabilities (DDD).
OUR PROGRAMS
Respite:
Our respite worker’s primary job is to provide care in your home for your loved ones with special needs. Respite care services provide parents or guardians with a break from caring for the DDD member. These hours are used at the parent’s request. Parents or guardians may also stay in the home while the respite care service is provided.
We assign a respite worker who best matches your particular needs. Some workers may be more experienced with physically handicapped members, while others have strong skills for handling difficult behaviors. Who we assign also depends upon the city you live in and the times during which you need assistance. All of our workers are carefully screened based upon positive employment experience in the caregiving field. Applicant screening also includes criminal background check through the Department of Justice.
Respite care workers, with your consent, are allowed to transport your loved ones in the community to engage in activities outside your home. In many cases, our staff are regularly driving between your home, therapies, educational settings, and other activities in the community.
Respite care workers do not perform medical services such as shots, administering medication, and enemas. However, they are trained in First Aid and CPR, which may be used in an emergency situation.
Respite care is scheduled mutually between the parent/guardians and caregivers, with respect to each of their schedules, but may not exceed hours allocated by DDD. Stepping Stones Care is an Agency with Choice (AWC).
To cover all needed hours, some families use multiple respite workers. Call the Stepping Stones Care office, 602-529-2273, to see how multiple workers can complete your schedule.
Respite care may be billed up to 12 hours per day, as long as the hours don’t exceed the total allocated by DDD for that period.
Habilitation:
Habilitation services are focused on achieving the goals set for each member during their annual planning meeting (ISP/PCSP). These goals are focused on preparing members to live more independently in the future and often include the development of safety skills, communication skills, problem-solving skills and other areas that will increase the member’s independence and quality of life.
Care staff will record progress made for each of the personalized goals every time they are providing habilitation services to the member.
Attendant Care:
The primary purpose of the attendant care service is to help members perform day-to-day tasks that they would normally perform if not for their disability. Examples of what attendant care provides include cleaning, bathing, laundry and cooking. Attendant care also functions to teach the member how to perform day-to-day tasks independently.
OUR STAFF
All staff members at Stepping Stones Care are required by the State of Arizona to possess up-to-date training certification before providing any services to members. Training requirements include CPR, First Aid, Article IV (client rights). For those providing habilitation, a Skill Building certificate is required; or providing attendant care, a Direct Care Worker certificate is required. In addition, providers are screened for criminal records, must obtain a fingerprint clearance card and pass the Arizona Central Registry. Stepping Stones Care, as well as DDD, monitors these qualifications regularly.
Remember when selecting a caregiver for your loved ones, you have a choice and no staff will be authorized to provide care until you have decided it is a good fit for you and your loved one. If you have someone in mind who you would like to provide care for your loved one, Stepping Stones Care can train that person to become a paid employee, as long as they meet the requirements set forth by DDD.
Clients over the age of 18 may also select a qualifying family member to provide care services, as long as they meet the requirements set forth by DDD.
RESPITE, HABILITATION AND ATTENDANT CARE HOURS
Respite, habilitation and attendant care hours are decided by the member’s case manager with input from families and support staff. Any services that are performed by the caregiver must remain within those hours and any overages will not be paid. Therefore, it is important for the guardian, as well as the caregiver, to closely monitor hours of services provided. Keep in mind that respite hours may roll over if not used. However, habilitation and attendant care hours are lost if not used within the allotted time period.
TRACKING HOURS
We pay employees bi-monthly. You will need to sign the caregiver’s time sheets and track your hours. To accurately record the caregiver’s time worked and meet DDD electronic visit verification (EVV) requirements, Stepping Stones Care utilizes SpokeChoice. SpokeChoice allows easy and accurate recording of the hours worked by the caregiver, easily see your remaining authorized hours and approve your caregiver’s time all on your computer or phone web browser.
DDD requires all hours worked by the caregiver to be approved by the parent/guardian for payment. Parents/guardians or the authorized designee must approve hours worked by the caregiver no later than the 1st and 16th of each month for the hours to be processed for payment each pay period. Any hours not authorized will result in the caregiver’s pay being delayed to the pay period following approval of those hours.
Please be sure to not sign off on times containing hours that were not worked by the provider, or is containing hours for future services that have not been provided at the time of signing, as this constitutes fraud and is punishable by law.
ABSENCES OR GAP IN SERVICE
If your caregiver is more than fifteen (15) minutes late to a scheduled visit, call the caregiver to verify that they are coming. If tardiness or absences become a pattern, call the Stepping Stones Care office so we can assist in addressing this situation. We have staff available on call 24 hours to assist you in the event of an emergency. After hours, call (602) 529-2273, ext. 0 or direct at (602) 760-5070.
If you are planning a vacation, please notify your caregiver as well as the office. If your caregiver is planning an absence, they must first approve it with you as well as notify the office. If a substitute caregiver is necessary, please notify the office. Stepping Stones Care will do everything possible to fill the gap while still maintaining the integrity of the training and requirements.
FORMS
In order to meet DDD requirements and make sure all relevant information regarding emergency instructions, medications, and allergies are available to your care provider, please fill out the emergency sheet information.
The forms included in this packet need to be completed and returned to Stepping Stones Care:
Client and Responsible Person Information
Member Preferences
Waiver In-Home Service
Transportation Waiver
Photo Waiver
Statement of Understanding/Responsibility
Authorization for Medical Treatment
Pre-service Provider Information (reviewed and signed by the provider and parent/guardian after provider is selected)
AGENCY WITH CHOICE (AWC)
Stepping Stones Care LLC is proud to be an Agency with Choice (AWC).
Agency With Choice is a model of home care services developed by the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) to encourage participant/member-directed care. Specifically, this model encourages members and their advocates to be directly involved in the planning, scheduling, hiring and maintenance of their support workers.
In the Agency With Choice model, Stepping Stones Care is considered a joint employer with the member or the member’s guardian. Stepping Stones Care’s primary functions are to conduct vetting of employees, monitoring training, payroll and billing tasks while assisting the member or the member’s guardian in the everyday management of their home care services. Our goal is to empower the member and their advocates, giving them more choice and control over their home care services.
Responsibilities of the Members and Members’ Guardians
1. Determining how services are to be provided.
2. Help with recruiting, selecting, hiring, orientating, and training of direct care providers.
3. Performing the scheduling and managing of the desired home care services.
4. Disciplining direct care providers, when needed, up to and including termination.
5. Preparing an emergency back-up schedule for direct care providers.
6. Reviewing and approving EVV times.
7. Notifying the support coordinator of the need for changes to the planning document (ISP/PCSP).
8. Notifying the Agency With Choice office of disciplinary actions and/or dismissals.
9. Notifying the Agency With Choice office of reportable events/incidents.
10. Completing and submitting monthly progress notes.
Responsibilities of Stepping Stones Care (AWC)
1. Assisting members and their guardians in the scheduling and managing of their home care services.
2. Assisting members and their guardians in disciplining or terminating direct care providers.
3. Ensuring that direct care providers and members/guardians meet the qualification criteria for Waiver Services.
4. Completing all payroll and accounts payable responsibilities.
5. Completing all IRS paperwork.
6. Collecting and maintaining all personnel and members files of record.
7. Tracking utilization of the Agency With Choice portion of the planning document (ISP/PCSP) and providing statements to the members.
8. Billing and collecting payments for services.
9. Reporting incidents to the appropriate parties.
10. Assuring compliance with all applicable state, federal, and waiver requirements.
Finding the Right Provider
Stepping Stones Care will use multiple resources to find quality care that is close, reliable, and the best fit for your loved ones.
Stepping Stones Care, an Agency With Choice, is happy to assist families and guardians in the recruitment of new direct care providers. New direct care providers may be found in the social network and professional network of the family, guardian or member. We suggest families and guardians use the following avenues in addition to Stepping Stones Care’s recruitment efforts.
Neighbors
Coworkers
Friends
Social Media
Church
Local Vocational Schools and Colleges
Even a family member can become a paid care provider. In the simplest form, a potential care provider may be introduced to Stepping Stones Care and our agency will complete the necessary paperwork, background checks, and training to certify that person to become a direct care provider.
Stepping Stones Care will not pay for trainings and certifications up front, but in most cases will reimburse that provider for the cost of those certifications after providing services for 90 days. Stepping Stones Care will not retain possession or withhold certification documents from the provider as some agencies do. The certifications belong to the provider, and the provider is free to use them for other employment opportunities. The cost of the fingerprint card will not be reimbursed, and other trainings will be reimbursed at the same cost in which Stepping Stones Care would normally pay for those certifications.
It is recommended that members, guardians, families and agencies work together to find the right provider.
In order for us to find the right caregiver, it is recommended that guardians fill out this packet completely and with as much detail as possible. Completion of this packet does not limit the member to only Stepping Stones Care LLC. Authorization of service hours can be completed once the member or guardian is confident the right care provider has been found.
All direct care providers, whether friend, family or acquaintance, must comply with state regulations and certify at the same level as regular care providers. Stepping Stones Care reserves the right to disqualify any care provider for reasons outlined in the standard operating procedure.
CONTACT AND OFFICE HOURS
You can call the office 24 hours a day for emergencies, but for routine matters please call during our regular hours.
Our office hours are 8:30 am to 12:00 pm (Noon), and 1:00 pm to 5 pm, Monday through Friday.
Please call us immediately if there is a service problem. Do not wait for a little problem to turn into a big one! If for some reason you receive voicemail, please leave a message. The first available agent will return your call.
You should expect your care provider to:
· Care for your loved one in a caring and respectful manner.
· Work with your loved one’s specific needs.
· Be available for care during the times you have told the office.
· Be on time.
· Dress appropriately.
· Call in advance if they are late or cannot come at the scheduled time.
· Clock in and out in real time using the EVV system, SpokeChoice
· Maintain required progress reporting at time of the service.
· Maintain a clean, safe environment.
· Assist in case of emergency.
If your care provider is not delivering the service you need, a call to the office can help. The conversation will be kept in confidence, and we will work with you in developing a plan of action to improve your service.
OFFICE INFORMATION
Office Phone: 602-529- CARE (2273) General Office, Ext. 1 or Spanish Outreach Ext. 2
Fax: 480-304-3752
24-hour On-Call Staff: 602-529-2273, Ext 0 or Direct, 602-760-5070
Kevin Kadel: 303-588-8279, cell
COMPLAINT AND GRIEVANCE PROCESS
Stepping Stones Care is committed to providing a personalized, safe and satisfying experience for people with disabilities in Maricopa County. As a small, community-based provider, we pride ourselves on our personalized customer service. We welcome all customer comments, complaints, suggestions and concerns as a way to improve their experience and improve our service delivery.
Stepping Stones Care Customer Complaint Policy has been established to ensure that our customers have an easy and accessible way to provide feedback to us. In the event that a customer has a complaint against service delivery or against an employee of the Program or alleging discrimination based on race, color or national origin, the following procedures will be utilized:
Contact Information
Customers may contact us in the following ways:
US Mail: Stepping Stones Care
15255 N Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd #2123
Scottsdale, AZ. 85260
Email: info@steppingstonescareaz.com
Phone: 602-529-2273