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Extraído del Informe Consolidado
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Mendocino County Grand Jury
• 1999-2000
Mendocino County In-home Support Services Program The In-Home Support Services Program (ihss) provides services to
⚠️ Aviso de traducción: Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings 14 findings
F1
Providers usually work for more than one client. 1999-2000 Mendocino County Grand Jury Final Report 121 Response (Social Services): Agree. Response (Board of Supervisors): The Department and Board of Supervisors agree.
F2
Page 122
Time sheets are signed by the client and given to the provider. Currently, there is no provision to cross-check with the client the number of hours submitted by the provider unless a gross irregularity is noted. Currently, there is no validation of the client's signature. Response (Social Services): Agree in part. Blank timesheets are given initially to the provider. They are to be completed and signed by the provider before being given to the client. Response (Board of Supervisors): Agree in part. According to the Department, blank timesheets are given to the provider who is responsible for filling them out and signing them prior to giving the time sheet to the client.
F3
Page 123
Eligibility for services is determined annually. Home Care Coordinators visit the client every six months unless they are notified of a change in his or her medical condition or needs. Response (Social Services): Agree in part. Home Care Coordinators deal with situations that come up regarding provider issues on as needed basis. However, if there is a change in a client’s medical condition or needs, it is the social worker who will be contacted and who will contact the client, complete a home visit, contact other agencies, etc. Response (Board of Supervisors): The Board agrees with the Department’s response. Home Care Coordinators deal with situations that come up on an as needed basis. However, it is social workers who contact the client and conduct a home visit if there is a change in a client’s needs or medical condition.
F4
Page 123
It often takes up to five weeks to obtain approval for a client to get any change in hours of service. Response (Social Services): Disagree. Reassessments are done on an ‘as needed basis.’ It does not take five weeks for changes to occur. If hours need to be readjusted, regulations allow the social worker to a phone reassessment if it is an immediate need, to be followed up by a home visit. The usual time to do a change, if it is not an emergency, would be a week to ten days. Response (Board of Supervisors): The Board disagrees based on information submitted by the Department. Reassessments are done on an as needed basis. Emergencies can be handled by a social worker over the phone, followed up with a home visit. Non-emergency reassessments normally take a week to 10 days.
F5
Page 124
Fingerprinting is not currently required for providers to be placed on the IHSS Registry. If a client requests that the provider be fingerprinted, the client must pay for the service. Response (Social Services): Agree. Response (Board of Supervisors): The Board agrees that this accurately reflects State regulations, however the Board has directed the Department to implement more stringent standards. (See response to recommendation 124 1999-2000 Mendocino County Grand Jury Final Report
F6
Page 125
Currently, in Mendocino County only the HCC does a background check when the provider discloses a past criminal history. Response (Social Services): Disagree in part. Background checks are a standard part of the process of screening and orientation for providers going on the registry. This includes checking references, a face-to-face interview and completion of an application. Response (Board of Supervisors): Based on information from the Department, we disagree in part. Background checks, which include checking references, a face-to-face interview, and review of an application, are a standard. However, clients do have the option to hire persons, frequently family members or acquaintances, who are not on the Registry.
F7
Page 126
Clients can hire any provider they choose and this person is not required to fill out an application nor have a background check. Response (Social Services): Agree. Response (Board of Supervisors): The Board and Department agree with this finding.
F8
Page 126
Orientation, which covers services and time sheets, is usually done when providers are first employed or listed on the IHSS Registry. Response (Social Services): Agree. Response (Board of Supervisors): The Board and Department agree with this finding.
F9
Page 126
IHSS recruits providers to be placed on the registry from the general public by means of advertisement in newspapers and flyers. They also recruit through Job Alliance and Welfare to Work. Response (Social Services): Agree. 126 1999-2000 Mendocino County Grand Jury Final Report Response (Board of Supervisors): The Board and Department agree with this finding.
F10
Page 127
No training of providers is given or required by the IHSS Program. IHSS has no follow-up monitoring procedures for new providers. Response (Social Services): Disagree. Response (Board of Supervisors): Based on information supplied by the Department, the Board disagrees with this finding. (See answer to
F11
Page 128
The handbook, published by the Adult Services unit of Mendocino County DSS, is given to the clients and providers outlining their rights, responsibilities and duties. Response (Social Services): Agree. Response (Board of Supervisors): The Board and Department agree with this finding.
F12
Page 128
The current handbook does not contain a publication date. Response (Social Services): Agree. Response (Board of Supervisors): The Board and Department agree with this finding.
F13
Page 129
Providers are covered under State Workers Compensation. Response (Social Services): Agree. Response (Board of Supervisors): The Board and Department agree with this finding.
F14
Providers are paid minimum wage. Response (Social Services): Agree. 1999-2000 Mendocino County Grand Jury Final Report 129 Response (Board of Supervisors): The Board and Department agree with this finding, although a 3% raise was approved by the Board effective January 1, 2001.
Recommendations 4
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R1Page 121The processing time for obtaining approval for a change in hours of service should be within two weeks. Response (Social Services): Agree. Response (Board of Supervisors): The Board agrees with this recommendation and believes it is already the standard practice. Time Frame for Implementation: Already implemented.
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R2Page 121The client should be seen as often as the situation warrants. Response (Social Services): Agree. It is agreed that clients should be seen as often as the situation warrants. However, with caseloads of 150 to 200 clients each, case managers are not always able to perform home visits as often as they would like to. We do meet the requirements of the regulations in terms of home visits annually and then Social Workers prioritize the needs of their clients and perform additional home visits as permitted, due to workload. When additional home visits would be beneficial to a client the case manager often times refers the Home Care Coordinator or Vocational Assistant as part of the IHSS Supported Individual Provider Program (SIPP) to check on the condition of the client in the home. Response (Board of Supervisors): The Board agrees that this should be the goal. While the regulations only require annual visits by a social worker, the Department often sends Home Care Coordinators or Vocational Assistants to check on the condition of clients. The Board approved an additional Home Care Coordinator position in the Fiscal Year 2000-01 budget. Time Frame for Implementation: Compliance with regulations already implemented.
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R6Page 121Currently, in Mendocino County only the HCC does a background check when the provider discloses a past criminal history. Response (Social Services): Disagree in part. Background checks are a standard part of the process of screening and orientation for providers going on the registry. This includes checking references, a face-to-face interview and completion of an application. Response (Board of Supervisors): Based on information from the Department, we disagree in part. Background checks, which include checking references, a face-to-face interview, and review of an application, are a standard. However, clients do have the option to hire persons, frequently family members or acquaintances, who are not on the Registry. Recommendation The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors should make fingerprinting and
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R7Page 122Clients can hire any provider they choose and this person is not required to fill out an application nor have a background check. Response (Social Services): Agree. Response (Board of Supervisors): The Board and Department agree with this finding. Recommendation If a client wants to hire a provider with a criminal background, the client should be requested to sign a waiver stating that he/she has received the background information and wishes to hire the person anyway. Response (Social Services): Agree. Response (Board of Supervisors): The Board and Department agree with this recommendation. Time Frame for Implementation: Revision of current procedures to be implemented by April 2001.
Comments 2
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CO1 Page 130The Grand Jury would like IHSS to inform clients about the Ukiah Police Department's "Are You Okay"(RUOK) Program. This program is set up so that if the client registers, and meets the requirements, the police department will check on his/her welfare at designated intervals. This is a program that would be beneficial to all communities. Response (Social Services): Agree. Social Workers and Home Care Coordinators can hand out pamphlets/brochures at home visits if the materials are provided for them. This would only be appropriate in 130 1999-2000 Mendocino County Grand Jury Final Report
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CO2 Page 131communities where the “Are You Okay?” program is offered. It is not a countywide program. Time Frame for Implementation: Distribution of material is to be implemented by April 2001. Response Required Mendocino County Board of Supervisors Response Requested Mendocino County Department of Social Services 1999-2000 Mendocino County Grand Jury Final Report 131
No Responses Found 1
Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.
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