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RESPITE FOR CHILDREN
It is the policy of NLACRC to empower and advocate for consumers and families to access existing personal and community resources, such as Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis,and Treatment (EPSDT), whenever possible to meet their family support needs.
Thus, to the extent that the law requires, NLACRC will encourage families to use these resources before expending the center’s funds. NLACRC will consider the provision of generic resources in the family support planning process when the authorization of the service, or some portion thereof, is for the expressed purpose of providing for the care and/or supervision of the child or for the purpose of providing respite to the child’s caregiver. Additionally, the planning team must give consideration to the ordinary care, support, and supervision that a family must provide to a child of the same age without a disability and to cost-effectiveness. The regional center may only purchase respite services when the care and supervision needs of a consumer exceed that of an individual of the same age without a developmental disability.
As such, regional center-funded services will focus on services required by and resulting from the consumer’s developmental disability. NLACRC will seek to provide effective family support services. This may include using creative and innovative approaches to meet objectives contained in the consumer’s Individual Program Plan (IPP)/Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) and represent a cost-effective use of public funds.
NLACRC will use the most commonly encountered situations to help in determining the typical level of support services for a minor consumer. The situations relate to the increasing care and supervision the minor may need based on his or her age and degree of disability. Finally, NLACRC cannot anticipate all situations, and therefore, individualized planning is essential. NLACRC recognizes that there may be circumstances in which a family needs an exceptional amount of respite services. Exceptional circumstances may include medical or behavioral conditions, either acute or chronic, which require an intense amount of care, supervision and/or treatment or an acute medical or physical condition that impacts the caregiver’s ability to provide appropriate care and supervision to the minor consumer. Therefore, NLACRC’s executive director or his or her designee may approve respite services at an exceptional level. The service coordinator must make a request for an exception, which must be reviewed by the Center’s staffing committee; the committee will make a recommendation regarding the proposed family support plan. The service coordinator will reconvene with the family/caregiver to discuss the committee’s recommendation and complete the individualized program planning process. In the event there is disagreement regarding the amount of respite services to be included in an individual’s IPP, NLACRC will provide a written notice and appeal rights; please see the Fair Hearing Service Standard.
All respite purchase of service (POS) authorizations will be reviewed for Family Cost Participation Program eligibility and all eligible consumers will be subject to requirements of the program.
RESPITE FOR ADULTS
It is the policy of NLACRC to support adult consumers who choose to live in the home of a family member. To this end, NLACRC will provide support services that allow the caregivers periodic relief from the ongoing responsibilities of care and supervision.
The regional center will typically purchase respite services when the care and supervision needs of a consumer exceed that of an individual of the same age without a developmental disability. Furthermore, it is the policy of NLACRC to empower and advocate for consumers and families to access existing personal and community resources, such as generic resources, whenever it is appropriate to meet family support needs. Thus, to the extent that the law requires, NLACRC will consider the provision of generic resources in the family support planning process when the authorization of the services, or some portion thereof, is for the expressed purpose of meeting the care and/or supervision needs of the individual or for the purpose of providing respite to the individual’s caregiver. The need for respite often correlates to the consumer’s increasing need for care and supervision due to the degree of his or her disability. Finally, NLACRC cannot anticipate all situations, and therefore, individualized planning is essential.
NLACRC recognizes that there may be circumstances in which a family needs an exceptional amount of respite services. Exceptional circumstances may include medical or behavioral conditions, either acute or chronic, which require an intense amount of care, supervision and/or treatment or an acute medical or physical condition that impacts the caregiver’s ability to provide appropriate care and supervision to the minor consumer. Therefore, NLACRC’s executive director or his or her designee may approve respite at an exceptional level. The service coordinator must make a request for an exception, which must be reviewed by the Center’s staffing committee; the committee will make a recommendation regarding the proposed family support plan. The service coordinator will reconvene with the family/caregiver to discuss the committee’s recommendation and complete the individualized program planning process. In the event there is disagreement regarding the amount of respite service to be included in an individual’s IPP, NLACRC will provide a written notice and appeal rights; please see the Fair earing Service Standard.
