Civitan Services will be CLOSED November 26-28 for Thanksgiving.  Due to this closing, remember that all Waiver paperwork is due on Monday, November 24th by 10AM sharp!

Payroll checks will be handed out at The Civitan Center after 2 PM on Tuesday, November 25th.  Any checks not pick up by 5 PM will be placed in the mail.

Next Tuesday will be our annual Thanksgiving Lunch to say Thank You! to all in our community who have supported us this past year.  We invite all of our clients and their families/staff to join us for lunch.  If you want to eat with a particular client, please call Becky and let her know which client and what time you plan to arrive.  

Need a Flu Shot?

If you want a Flu Shot, you need to text Darrell before Monday evening (September 22nd) to be added to the list.  Flu Shots are free to Civitan Services' employees.  This will be the last call for Flu Shots.

Parking Rules for The Civitan Center and Payroll Days

When you come to The Civitan Center on Payroll Fridays to pick up your check, please be very careful about where you park and when.

If you arrive between 2:10 and 3:15 PM, do NOT pull into or park in The Civitan Center Parking Lot.  You must park either on the street or next door at the Boys and Girls Club.

If you park on the street, remember to park WITH the flow of traffic.  The Benton Police patrol this area and can/will give you a ticket if you park facing the wrong direction.

Never PARK in the bus lane. (The bus lane is between the awning and the fountain.)  The large buses need all the room available and they are in and out from 2:10 - 3:15.

If you are checking out a client on a Payroll day, you must park and pick up your check first.  Then you can pull your vehicle up to the front to load your client. Alternatively, you can return to The Civitan Center later to pick up your check after 3:15.

Remember that the circle drive is One Direction!  (Enter from the Boys and Girls Club side and exit toward the church.)

Do NOT mark more than 1 letter per objective!

Please do not mark more than one letter (I,V,P) for each objective. If you have to verbally remind the client to take a shower, but they were able to shower on their own, they will receive a “V” for the objective. The narrative is where it should be indicated that you verbally prompted however, the client was able to complete task independently. If you start the water or measure out soap and shampoo, they will receive a “P” for the objective. Likewise, indicate in the narrative what assistance was given. As case managers, we review documentation quarterly and if the client is able to complete the objective successfully 80% of time we will remove the objective.

Curly the Bear fundraiser

Ms. Rita will be at The Civitan Center this Friday (September 12^th) at 10 AM selling AVON Teddy bears.  The bears are $21.69 each and you should pay Rita directly for them.  She’s got several in stock so you will get to take home your teddy bear on Friday.  All proceeds from the bears goes toward our Building Campaign!  So, here is your chance to get a jump start on your holiday shopping and support a great cause.

New Documentation Instructions

We are currently reviewing documentation and making changes. If you have not already received new documentation for your clients, you will soon.  

First, the number of goals has been shortened and the criteria to meet the objective has been stated in more detail. 

Secondly, the number rating system to indicate performance on the objective has been replaced with the I, V, P system.  Each goal that you work on during the day will be assigned a letter:

I= independently (client completed the objective without any prompts or assistance at all)

V=verbal prompts (client completed the objective with verbal prompts given)

P=Physical prompts (client required physical prompts to complete the objective. These can range from pointing him in the right direction, pointing to the spot to begin the activity or leading client to the place needed up to actually physically assisting him to complete the task, up to and including hand-over hand assistance)

The third thing is not new, but is being restated now.  For every goal marked as worked on as now indicated by an I, V, or P, there MUST be a corresponding note pertaining to that objective.  This is where you can indicate what assistance was needed and how you assisted with the activity.  If verbal prompts were indicated, for example, did you prompt once and the task was then completed by the client? Or were multiple prompts required?  The narrative note portion MUST MATCH the top portion where a letter was assigned.  Do not mark, for example, that you worked on community activities, yet say nothing about going anywhere in your notes.

If you have any questions, please call the case manager assigned to your client, 501-847-5901.

State Fair Trip

We will be attending the Arkansas State Fair on Wednesday, October 15th  from 11 AM - 4 PM.  We will caravan/carpool and leave the Group Home together at 9:30 AM.

RVSP to Darrell (501-951-3179) so he can get a headcount and get your fair tickets.

Training Calendar August 2014

All classes will be held at the Civitan Group Home. To register for any of the classes on this schedule, please contact the HR Department (Steve) by email or phone. Registration will close at noon the Friday before a scheduled training.

Training Questions? One Phone Call Does It All

Q & A Regarding Training:

Q:  Who do I call if I want to sign up for a class on the training schedule?

A:  Steve in HR.

Q:  Who do I call if I need to cancel or reschedule training?

A:  Steve in HR.

Q:  Who do I call if I think my CPR, TB skin test, or First Aid training has expired?

A:  Steve in HR.

Q:  Who do I call if I've been contacted about it but I've already renewed my CPR or TB skin test?

A:  Steve in HR.

Q:  Who do I call if I get a voice mail, memo in my paycheck, or read a blog post about training?

A:  Steve in HR.

Q:  Who do I call if I'm unsure how many training hours I've logged this year?

A:  Steve in HR.

Q:  Who do I call if I have questions about classes on the training schedule?

A:  Steve in HR.

Q:  Who do I call if I received training through another job and want to know if those training hours will count toward my annual quota?

A:  Steve in HR.

Q:  If I call Steve and he doesn't answer the phone, can Angela answer my questions?

A:  No. Steve in HR.

Q:  If I call Steve and he doesn't answer the phone, can Darrell answer my questions?

A:  No. Steve in HR.

Q:  If I call Steve and he doesn't answer the phone, should I just hang up and ignore the deadline?

A:  No. Leave a voice mail. Send an email. Call back later. Do not ignore training reminders from Steve in HR.

Q:  Who should I call if I receive a notice saying I've been suspended from work because I've missed mandatory annual training?

A:  Steve in HR.

Q:  Who should I call if I need to turn in training certificates or other proof of training?

A:  Steve in HR.

Q:  If I let Angela or Darrell know my intentions regarding training, isn't that just as good as contacting Steve?

A:  No. Steve in HR.

If your question is about training--the answer is always Steve in HR.

Reminder Regarding Faxed Paperwork

Darrell wishes to remind everyone that it is perfectly okay to fax or email your weekly Waiver paperwork in order to meet the payroll deadline. However, the original paperwork must also be submitted to the Waiver office. 

Reminder--Include the Year On All Dates

Please be reminded that we need full dates on all Waiver paperwork. We need the year included on every entry. Many staff members turn in paperwork with entries dated with only the month and day (4/8, 4/9, 4/10, etc.). Our auditors require the full date (4/8/14, 4/9/14, 4/10/14, etc.) on your paperwork. An audit can take place months or even years after the paperwork was completed and an auditor can/will reject any document that is not completely dated. 

It's seems like a small detail but the YEAR on every document is crucial to our pass or fail when an auditor pulls your paperwork out of our archives for review. Please help us pass. Use the full date every time.

Thank you again.

End of Fiscal Year June 30th

A reminder to all Waiver staff that June 30th is the end of the fiscal year and the accounting department will be closing the books for the year. Please make sure you have all outstanding timesheets and mileage forms turned no later than June 30th.  

Training Calender July 2014

All classes will be held at the Civitan Group Home. To register for any of the classes on this schedule, please contact the HR Department (Steve) by email or phone. Registration will close at noon the Friday before a scheduled training.

July 2  10 am  Is This Abuse?  

• Taught by Leah Henderson, 
• 1.5 credit hours

July 8  12pm  New Hire Orientation  

• Taught by Leah Henderson, 
• 2 credit hours

July 9  10 am  Understanding Developmental Disabilities

• Taught by Carrie Schatz, 
• 1 credit hours

July 10   10 am  Practical Strategies for Working with Individuals with ID & Alzheimer's  

• Taught by Mariessa Bearden, 
• 1.5 credit hours

July 11  10 am  Ethics of Touch 

• Taught by Zack Lyons, 
• 4 credit hours

July 15 9 am  CPR/First Aid

• Taught by Zack Lyons, 
• 5 credit hours

July 16  10 am  Whights Law: Understanding Your Child's Test Scores

• Taught by Julie Jester, 
• 2 credit hours

July 17  10 am  How To Teach People With Profound Developmental Disabilities  

• Taught by Amber White, 
• 2 credit hours

July 18  10 am  Safety Matters  

• Taught by Shannon Loftis, 
• 2 credit hours

July 21  10 am  Make A Difference: Blind or Low Vision 

• Taught by Stacy Cornwell, 
• 1 credit hour

July 22  10 am  A Little History Worth Knowing  

• Taught by Leigha Jones, 
• 1 credit hour

July 23  10 am  Ten Performance Standards for Staff Working in Developmental Disabilities

• Taught by Julie Jester, 
• 2 credit hours

July 24  10 am  Press & Hold TwinJet Epinephrine Injection

• Taught by Shannon Loftis
• 1 credit hour

July 29  10 am  Client Rights are Human Rights

• Taught by Amy Ford
• 1 credit hour

Steve:  steve@civitanservices.com
           Phone:  501-847-5901
           Fax:  501-847-8304

All Deadlines Apply for Memorial Day

All Waiver Staff please be reminded that although the Civitan Center in Benton and the Waiver Office in Bryant will be closed on Monday, May 26th, all regular deadlines apply for Waiver paperwork. Angela will be collecting paperwork from the designated drop-off locations as usual and processing them before her vacation. Angela will be on vacation May 27th - May 30th so if your paperwork is not turned in on time Monday morning, there will be no one with whom you may negotiate. 

Your deadline is 10 a.m. for clients who live in the Community. Your deadline is 9 a.m. for clients who live in the Civitan Group Home.

You may turn in your paperwork the following ways:

• Drop it in the WHITE drop box at the Civitan Center in Benton (not the mailbox!) It is a locked box that says Waiver Paperwork on it. (No later than 10 a.m.)
• Drop it through the mail slot in the back door to the Waiver Office in Bryant (the office will be closed).
• Fax it to the Waiver Office:  501-847-8304
• Email it to Angela at agattin@civitanservices.com (make sure everything is signed).
• Drop it off at the Civitan Group Home with Elaine (and only Elaine). (No later than 9 a.m.)

You may not call or text Darrell with a request to be late--there will be no one available to process late paperwork so the best thing to do is to hang on to it until the next Monday. Please don't risk a delay in your pay--get it turned in on time and then enjoy your Memorial Day.

Once again, thank you for all you do to serve our clients and their families.

Clarification of Mileage Procedures

After meeting with our Auditor this week we still have too many instances in which the distances between mileage entries cannot be verified.  Mileage entries that are not specific locations continue to be a problem. Vague mileage entries cannot be checked by our auditor and are being returned to the Waiver Department for correction, as well as distances that appear to be inflated, or miles traveled for the benefit of the staff (personal errands) rather than the client.

Effective immediately, vague mileage entries or mileage that cannot be verified will be held for correction for one pay period.  Staff will be notified when this happens and will be given two weeks to correct the mileage entries. After two weeks, any uncorrected mileage forms will be filed as non-payable.

Examples of unacceptable mileage entries:

My house--Auditors do not know where you live.  Give an address.

Client's house--Auditors do not know where the client lives.  Give an address.

Friend's house--Auditors do not know your friends.  Give an address.

Amber's house--Auditors do not know Amber or where she lives.  Give an address.

Church--Where is the church?  Give the name of the church and the city if you don't know the address.

Yard Sale--Really?  Give an address or at least a street name and city.

Doctor--Give the name of the office or clinic and a general location if you do not have an address.

Wendy's--Which Wendy's?  Give a location--at the very least give the street name and city.

Walmart--Which Walmart?  Auditors can't track mileage if they don't know where you stopped.

Ball game--This tells the auditors nothing.  Give a location.

Arkadelphia--Where in Arkadelphia?  Give an address or location.

Birthday party--How would an auditor know the location of the party?  Be specific.

Civitan--The Civitan Center or the Group Home?  The Civitan Shoppe or the Donation Center?  Be specific; auditors cannot read your mind.  Do not assume they know what you meant.  Be clear.

When auditors question your mileage we turn to your documentation.  If your travels are supported by good notes in your documentation, we stand a better chance of proving what you were doing when the auditors question it.  Without good documentation we have nothing with which to defend your claims.  The best way to protect yourself is to provide information that helps us answer questions about your activities when or if someone suspects a problem.

Please remember that it is NEVER acceptable to perform personal errands on Waiver time.  Waiver hours belong to the client and the client may not simply tag along with staff for personal errands, appointments, or to retrieve family members to or from school or sporting events.  It is certainly never acceptable to claim mileage for personal errands simply because the client was in the car with you at the time. 

Examples of unacceptable mileage claims:

You may not drop off or pick up your children from school or any activities while working with your client. All mileage claims must be for the direct benefit of your client.

You may not pick up or drop off your spouse from work while working with your client.

You may not take your client along to a personal doctor's appointment for yourself or an appointment for your children or family members.

You may not do your personal grocery shopping or pay bills while working with your client.

You may not claim mileage for attending social activities that are not for the direct benefit of your client, including sporting events for your children.

You may not take your client along for Avon deliveries or for any other activity related to a second job or home-based employment.

You may not claim mileage for driving around looking for a new house or to meet a realtor.  Waiver time belongs to the client and may not be used for the personal interests of staff.

Please also remember that every client has a monthly mileage allowance that is limited to a certain number of miles.  This allowance should never be abused for the benefit of staff; it belongs to the client.  Stealing miles (or inflating distances) for personal errands is the same as stealing from your client.  Once a client's limit is exhausted, additional mileage cannot be reimbursed.  All Waiver staff who work with your client use mileage from that allowance so it is possible to reach the end of the month and find that your client has run out of miles.  When this happens we cannot reimburse any mileage until the first of the next month comes around again.  If you turn in vague mileage or entries that cannot be verified and that mileage is held for corrections, it is possible that your client may run out of miles before you make those corrections.  If or when that happens, the mileage will not be reimbursed.  Help us avoid this unpleasant scenario by giving specific mileage entries every time!

Open Enrollment for Benefits

A note from the HR Department:

For those of you eligible for benefits, the Hatcher Agency will be back on Monday April 28^th to complete open enrollment. If you did not meet with them last week, you will need to be sure to meet with them this time. They will be at my office in Suite 5 of the Civitan Plaza at 9am on Monday April 28^th. 

Steve

501-847-5901

.

Training Calendar June 2014

All classes will be held at the Civitan Group Home. To register for any of the classes on this schedule, please contact the HR Department (Steve) by email or phone. Registration will close at noon the Friday before a scheduled training.

June 10  12 pm  New Employee Orientation  

• Taught by Leah Henderson, 
• 2 credit hours

June 11  10 am  Safety Matters  

• Taught by Shannon Loftis, 
• 2 credit hours

June 12  10 am  How To Improve the Thinking Strategies for People with Dev. Disabilities

• Taught by Carrie Schatz, 
• 2 credit hours

June 17   9 am  First Aid/CPR  

• Taught by Zach Lyons, 
• 5 credit hours

June 18  10 am  Creating a Classroom for Children with Autism  

• Taught by Stacy Cornwell, 
• 1.5 credit hours

June 19 10 am  The Ten Commandments of Communication

• Taught by Leah Henderson, 
• 1 credit hour

June 23  10 am  Is This Abuse?  

• Taught by Leah Henderson, 
• 1.5 credit hours

June 24  10 am  Unlocking The Keys to Creative Thinking  

• Taught by Amy Ford, 
• 2 credit hours

June 25  10 am  Navigating the World of Adults with Autism  

• Taught by Amber White, 
• 2 credit hours

June 26  10 am  Understanding Developmental Disabilities  

• Taught by Carrie Schatz, 
• 1 credit hour

June 27  10 am  Dealing With Difficult People  

• Taught by Steve Bohannon, 
• 2 credit hours

Steve:  steve@civitanservices.com
           Phone:  501-847-5901
           Fax:  501-847-8304

Training Calendar May 2014

All classes will be held at the Civitan Group Home. To register for any of the classes on this schedule, please contact the HR Department (Steve) by email or phone. Registration will close at noon the Friday before a scheduled training.

May  1   10 am  Departing Rosewood  Taught by Darrell Peters, 1 credit hour

May  5   10 am  Make A Difference:  Psychiatric Disorders
                          Taught by Britany Calaway, 1 credit hour

May  7   10 am  Healthy Habits for a Healthy Life  Taught by Shannon Loftis, 1 credit hour

May  8   10 am  Ten Performance Standards for Staff Working in Development Disabilities
                          Taught by Julie Jester, 2 credit hours

May  9   9   am  DDS/DHS Transportation Training  Taught by Steve Bohannon, 4 credit hours

May 12  10 am  Safety Matters  Taught by Shannon Loftis, 2 credit hours

May 13  9   am  Open Futures: People With Disabilities At Work
                          Taught by Amy Ford, 2 credit hours

May 13  12 pm  New Employee Orientation  Taught by Leah Henderson, 2 credit hours

May 14  10 am  Understanding Developmental Disabilities
                          Taught by Carrie Schatz, 2 credit hours

May 15  10 am  Practical Strategies for Working with Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities 
                          and Alzheimers  Taught by Mariessa Bearden, 1.5 credit hours

May 16  9   am  First Aid/CPR  Taught by Zach Lyons, 5 credit hours

May 16  10 am  How to Teach People with Profound Developmental Disabilities
                          Taughty by Amber White, 2 credit hours

May 22  10 am  Help America Vote  Taught by Amy Ford

May 29  10 am  Is This Abuse?  Taught by Leah Henderson, 1.5 credit hours



Steve:  steve@civitanservices.com
           Phone:  501-847-5901
           Fax:  501-847-8304

Training Calendar April 2014

All classes will be held at the Civitan Group Home. To register for any of the classes on this schedule, please contact the HR Department (Steve) by email or phone. Registration will close at noon the Friday before a scheduled training.

April 22  10 am  Is This Abuse?  Taught by Leah Henderson, 1.5 credit hours
April 23  10 am  Press & Hold TwinJect Epinephrine Injection  Taught by Shannon Loftis
April 24  10 am  Navigating the World of Adults with Autism
                          Taught by Amber White, 2 credit hours
April 25  10 am  A Little History Worth Knowing  Taught by Leigha Jones, 1 credit hour
April 29  10 am  Client Rights Are Human Rights  Taught by Amy Ford, 1 credit hour
April 30  10 am  How to Improve Thinking Strategies for People with Development Disabilities
                          Taught by Carrie Schatz, 2 credit hours






Steve:  steve@civitanservices.com
           Phone:  501-847-5901
           Fax:  501-847-8304

Free Football Tickets Available in the Waiver Office

The Waiver Office has received a generous supply of free passes to the home games of the Arkansas Banshees Semi-Pro Football Team good for:

April 12th

May 10th

May 31st

June 21st

Waiver clients and staff are welcome to come by the Waiver office and pick up free tickets at their convenience. Information about the Arkansas Banshees can be found on Facebook or at www.wsflarkansasbanshees.com. 

Optional Training Workshop in Little Rock--May 1st

Join us for a culture change workshop: “Demystifying Resistance-Addressing Unmet Needs”

Featured Speaker: Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA

Thursday, May 1, 2014/ 8:30 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Embassy Suites, Little Rock

This session delivers strategies and methods of providing care to people with dementia that recognizes losses and uses retained abilities to promote optimal care and positive outcomes in interactions. Attendees will learn how to approach people with dementia safely and consistently, and how to provide verbal support and responses that reduce distress and improve social engagement. They will discuss behaviors and habits that promote well-being and reduce the risk of negative interactions with people who have a dementing illness. This interactive session will help attendees develop knowledge, skills and attitudes that will change daily outcomes of care. See attached flyer more information.

Click on the link to register online. http://events.afmc.org/home/tabid/424/ctl/viewdetail/mid/1078/itemid/344/d/20140501/AIPP-Culture-Change-Workshop-with-Teepa-Snow.aspx

Becky Perez

Program Coordinator

Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care

Arkansas Innovative Performance Program

1020 W 4^th Street, Suite 430

Little Rock, AR 72201

Main: 501.212.8602

Fax: 501.372.5926

http://aipp.afmc.org/

http://arkansasculturechange.com/

“Enhancing person centered care in Arkansas' nursing homes through training, education and evaluation”

Annual Training Retreat (Charge) and Waiver Meeting

It's that time again. The Annual Training Retreat (known as the Charge) is scheduled for Saturday, April 5th from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Holland Chapel Baptist Church. Everyone received a note about this event with his/her paycheck last week. Lunch is provided.

We know this causes a lot of grumbling--no one likes to work on Saturday, but if we have to be there, you have to be there. Your attendance is MANDATORY even if you are scheduled to work that day. Your attendance is MANDATORY even if you already have plans that day. Your attendance is MANDATORY even if you have another job. Get a babysitter now. Make arrangements now. If there is a client conflict, don't wait--get in touch with Darrell NOW to make arrangements. 

Why do we have to be there? The State will come to inspect us in June before renewing our license. We will be required to show a minimum 12 hours of training  for every employee (including you) before we can pass that inspection. Most of us do not get 12 hours of training during the course of the normal year, so our annual retreat is the best way to complete a big chunk of those hours for everyone all at the same time. Plus, it's the only time of year we gather to discuss policy changes, solve problems, and discuss changes to Medicaid or Waiver that affect the way we do our jobs and meet the many, many regulations of this field.  

Any inspection that puts our license at risk can put your job at risk. Please don't risk either one. Show up for the retreat and get your training hours so that we can all continue serving our clients. It's one Saturday a year. It's a small sacrifice to make to keep our doors open and services available to the clients who depend on us. 

Please, please, please talk to Darrell now if there's a problem. Don't just blow off the meeting and explain later--speak up now so that we can solve it in advance. 

Thanks for everything you do to make this easier every year--we appreciate your cheerfulness and cooperation more than you probably realize. 

Orientation for New Hires April 8th

Orientation class for new hires will be held on Tuesday, April 8th at the Civitan Group Home on Hudson Street from 12 - 2pm.  Orientation is mandatory for all employees of Civitan Services.  This class represents a significant portion of the annual training hours we are required to maintain for each employee on staff and helps to orient new hires to our organization and the population we serve.

Scheduling for Orientation is done through the Human Resources Department.  New employees are notified to attend Orientation through Steve in HR during the hiring process.  However, if you were recently hired and have not already been scheduled for the upcoming class, please contact Steve as soon as possible.

Thanks for your cooperation and welcome to Civitan Services.

CPR & First Aid Class April 15th

The next CPR and First Aid class for staff of Civitan Services will be held on Tuesday, April 15th at 9 a.m. at the Civitan Group Home.  CPR certification and First Aid training are mandatory requirements for all Waiver staff members.  To attend this class please contact Steve in Human Resources to reserve your seat.  Space is limited.  Be advised that late arrivals are generally not admitted because there is no portion of life-saving training that can be missed and still qualify for certification. 

This class is free to all staff members providing you show up for class as scheduled.  No-shows are rescheduled for a fee of $35 so you will want to make every effort to get there on your scheduled date to avoid this fee.  In the event you are unavoidably delayed on your scheduled class day or know in advance that you won't make it on time, please contact Steve to cancel as soon as possible.

If you have not taken CPR and/or First Aid since your date of hire, you should get scheduled as soon as possible.  If you are not sure whether or not you need to re-certify in CPR or renew your First Aid training, you can always check with Steve in Human Resources to confirm.

We appreciate all you do to keep your training up-to-date.  While we always hope you'll never need to use them, you never know when those skills might save a life.

Save The Dates For Upcoming Events

Mark your calendars for our upcoming community events. 

More information will follow but you'll want to save the dates!

18th Annual Civitan Services Golf Tournament

When Friday April 11, 2014 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM CDT Add to Calendar   Where Eagle Hill Golf Course 3 Eagle Hill Ct Little Rock, AR 72210

The 18th Annual Tournament is a 4-man scramble to benefit Civitan Services and the men, women and children with developmental disabilities we serve. This year we are moving to Eagle Hill Golf Course in Otter Creek. We are having just one flight with a shotgun start at 1:00 after lunch. Registration is limited to the first 30 teams! Golfers will be treated to a FREE lunch from Riverside Grocery and Catering at Noon!  Drinks and snacks will be provided throughout the day. Goodie bags will be given to all golfers. Prizes will be awarded and door prizes drawn after the last team returns their score card to the clubhouse. The cost is $300 per team or $75 per player. Please make all checks payable to "Civitan Services." Be sure to bring extra cash along with you for those Mulligans ($5 each), the Putting Contest and chances to win some great prizes on select holes.     Ashley Copple Civitan Services 501-776-0691

May 3- Peace, Love & 5K and 1-Mile Family Fun Run

                  May 9- Next Step (new event taking the place of Turkey Jam)

May 22-23- Drive Through BBQ

August 15- Preschool Graduation at 10 am at Angie Grant 

Mandatory Staff Meeting For Group Home Personnel

Darrell has called a MANDATORY meeting for all Waiver Staff who work at the Group Home. This includes part-time and fill-in staff who serve at the Group Home. The meeting will be held Thursday, February 20th at 4:30 p.m. There will be zero tolerance for missing this meeting so please don't risk it. Follow up with Darrell if you have questions.

Lunch & Learn at Rivendell

For anyone interested in a Lunch and Learn class or needs extra training hours:

Lunch & Learn

Please welcome special guest speaker, Dr. Gary Tharp, board certified child and adolescent psychiatrist and Rivendell’s own Medical Director…

Friday, February 28th, 11:30 to 1:00
“Psychological Development”

Gary Tharp, MD Psychiatry
Rivendell Gymnasium
100 Rivendell Dr. - Benton, AR 72019

1 Hour Continuing Education Unit (CEU), a fresh boxed lunch, and door prize drawings all at no charge to our guests! We hope to see you then…

Space is limited, so please register!

RSVP to 501-316-2138
or Text 501-672-8519

(Need: Name, Email/Ph#, Company)

Sara.mcclain@uhsinc.com
1-800-264-5640
www.rivendellofarkansas.com

Call us today to schedule a confidential assessment or in-service at no charge.

Deon Aaron (501) 804-2503
Liz Carter-Baker (501) 804-1493
Erin Carter (501) 804-1491
Holli Courson (870) 500-0405
John Norris (501) 804-1489
Melanie Paulman (501) 804-1494
Kellie Snellings (501) 804-1488
Amy Aukes (501) 529-7485

Drop Box Now Available in Bryant

For those of you who prefer to drop off your timesheets in Bryant there is now an after-hours drop box on the rear door to the Waiver office (Suite 5, directly across from the dumpster). 

Please remember NOT to drop your timesheets through the back door to the Civitan Shoppe--there are no longer any Waiver personnel working in the Shoppe. Use the Waiver door or the Waiver drive-through window during business hours.

You may still continue to use the drop box in Benton at the Civitan Center as well.

Thank you for your patience. We are so relieved to finally get this move complete!

Drive Through Window At The Waiver Office

Those of you who have ventured over to the new Waiver Office in Bryant may have noticed a drive-through window on the side of the building. Be advised that our Facilities Manager has authorized us to use this window so you may feel free to pull up to the window if you are picking up or dropping off paperwork during business hours. Angela's desk is located near the window so it should be easy to hand off paperwork through the window providing the transaction is a simple one. 

This means however that you should not use the window for anything other than dropping off or picking up papers. If you need to correct Waiver paperwork, sign forms, meet with a Case Manager, speak to Darrell, etc., you should park and come inside. 

Also keep in mind that Angela may be on the phone, training someone, in a meeting, out of the office, or away from her desk if or when you pull up to the window. Please be patient and understand there will still be times you will need to park and come inside. There are six people working inside so please do not develop the habit of blowing your horn. You are always welcome to call ahead and let us know you're coming.

Thanks, and we hope you enjoy this perk.

Sweetheart Dance February 21st

The Adult Services Department is hosting a Sweetheart Dance for our clients on Friday, February 21st from 5:30 to 8:30 pm at the Civitan Center. This event is sponsored by the Bryant Junior Civitan Club and the Teachers of Tomorrow. Waiver staff may accompany clients to the dance as a recreation and socialization activity.  Remember your documentation and remember to have fun!

Thank you for everything you do to make our clients feel valued.  We appreciate you!

Training Booklets Available For Extra Hours

For those of you who typically find yourself short when tallying up annual training hours each June, we have created a way for you to supplement your regular training hours with some optional reading material. A training booklet will appear at the pay check table each pay day for you to pick up and complete on your own time. You may read the booklet, complete the worksheet, and return it to Darrell or Angela in the Waiver Office for one hour of extra training. For those of you who do not pick up your pay checks in person, you may email Angela and request to have the booklet sent to you electronically or pick up a copy in the Waiver Office. 

This training is completely optional and voluntary. However, remember that all Waiver employees must complete a minimum number of training hours each year and these hours are not optional. If you are unsure how many hours you have accumulated over the year you may check with Steve in Human Resources. 

We hope you find material helpful. As always, thank you for helping us stay in compliance with our many training requirements.

Periodic Reminders: Time and Mileage Procedures

We are starting to see an influx of our most common paperwork errors again. This happens from time to time so please take a moment and read over these guidelines as a quick refresher on paperwork procedures.

Mileage

Just a reminder that if you work with a Waiver client more than one day per week you should use ONE mileage form for the entire week. We continue to receive timesheets for three or four days of work with the same client listed and then an individual mileage form for each one of those days. There is no need to use a separate mileage form for each day. Please use ONE mileage form per week per client.

The auditor is still finding mileage sheets without specific locations listed and deducting that mileage from paychecks. Don't let this happen to you! Use addresses whenever possible. At the very least, list the location and the CITY next to your destinations. Do not use "my house," "client's house," or "waiver's house." Do not give a common destination like a bank or restaurant without giving the location--street name and city whenever possible.

Correct Timesheets

Use the correct timesheet for your client. Clients who live in the Group Home have specific timesheets that say GROUP HOME at the top. All other clients have timesheets that say COMMUNITY at the top. Please do not mix and match. Always use the correct timesheet for your client.

Notes on Timesheets

Please be aware that the Case Managers never see your timesheets. Some of you have developed the habit of making notes about your client's progress or activities on the timesheet without realizing that timesheets are forwarded to payroll and not the Case Managers. The Case Managers receive copies of your documentation only. Please do not write progress notes regarding your client on the timesheet--that information should always be placed in your documentation. 

So what is the "Comments" section for on the timesheet? Good question. If you miss a day of work for any reason we need you to make a note of the reason on your timesheet. This includes time off that is approved, sick days, holidays, car trouble, days your client might be hospitalized; whatever. Elaine and Angela must submit reports that track the reasons we do not provide service to each client and they can only give accurate reports if they have accurate data. Please don't make us guess why you didn't work. Write a short note on the timesheet indicating why you missed a day of work.

Emailing Paperwork

Please also be reminded that turning in an unsigned timesheet or documentation sheet is the same as turning in no paperwork at all. We cannot process unsigned paperwork, including copies that have been emailed with no signatures on them. Some folks have developed the habit of emailing unsigned paperwork in order to beat the Monday morning deadline and then sending in the signed originals later in the week. Be advised that we cannot process the unsigned paperwork no matter how early you turn it in. If you want to email your paperwork this is perfectly fine, but it must be signed before it is emailed, faxed, scanned, or submitted by hand delivery.

Reading This Blog

Please remember to check this blog at least once per work to stay current on changes in the Waiver Department. We are amazed that almost a month has passed and many Waiver employees still don't know that the Waiver Office has moved to Bryant. Many others who have been suspended from work for failure to attend mandatory training claim to know nothing about the training. This is so easy to prevent folks--read the Waiver blog once a week. That's all it takes.

Thanks again for your cooperation and teamwork. We appreciate all you do for our clients--especially all the little things that help the Waiver Department function well and run as smoothly as possible. Your contribution really does matter.

Fax Number at the New Waiver Office

The fax line has been installed at the new Waiver Office in Bryant so you may begin faxing your paperwork to Angela at the new number immediately:

Phone: 501-847-5901

Fax: 501-847-8304

Email is still the same: agattin@civitanservices.com. Please remember not to email your paperwork to Darrell.

Thanks for your patience during the move. We appreciate you.

Move To Bryant--Update

Just a final heads up that Angela and Darrell have now moved out of the old Waiver office at the Civitan Center. We are now located at the Civitan Plaza on Reynolds Road in Bryant, in Suite #5. Our new office number is 501-847-5901. 

You may drop off your Waiver paperwork at the new office starting Monday, Jan. 20th or you may drop it in the white drop box outside the Civitan Center. (If you work at the Group Home you will continue to turn in your paperwork to Elaine.) Please remember NOT to leave your paperwork anywhere inside the Center.  DO NOT leave your paperwork at the front desk or hand it off to anyone. The white drop box is the ONLY place you may leave it in Benton. Until the fax line is working here you may continue to fax to the Center as usual. Email is okay as well, as long as everything is signed.

Thanks for your help--moving is a big adjustment and we appreciate your patience as we get settled.

Picking Up Pay Checks and Clients At The Same Time

For those of you who pick up your clients and your pay check at the same time on pay days, we have been asked to insist that you pick up your pay check before you ask to have your client paged to the front desk. Please do not approach the front desk and sign your client out before you've made it through the pay check line. There are two reasons for this:

1. This causes clients to congregate in the dining room to wait on you unattended by an instructor, which compromises their care. The receptionist cannot be responsible for watching the clients and still perform her duties at the front desk. In addition, the congestion in the dining room in the afternoons is already bad enough with extra staff in the building and buses loading at the same time. Your client should not be paged or signed out until you are ready to walk out the door with him or her.

2. This causes an overlap in billing that can potentially be viewed as fraudulent. The moment a Waiver employee signs a client out of the Civitan Center billing through Adult Services stops and Waiver billing starts. If you enter the Civitan Center, have your client paged, and then immediately get into the pay check line while your client waits for you, we are technically falsifying Waiver billing because you are not working with your client during that time. 

On the other hand, if you don't sign them out yet still leave them sitting at the front waiting for you to make it through the pay check line, Adult Services is still billing Medicaid for that time even though the client is not in class. It doesn't matter if this only represents a few minutes--fraud is fraud whether it's 5 minutes or a full hour. Once again, your client should not leave his or her classroom until you are ready to walk out the door. If in doubt please remember that if someone must wait it must be you and never your client.

Effective immediately, the receptionist will be fully empowered to insist that you pick up your check before she agrees to page your client from the classroom. Please remember that she is following orders and do not complain or verbally abuse her for following this procedure.

Thank you for complying with this request--it serves to keep us all out of trouble with our auditors!

Transportation Safety Training--LAST WARNING

Be advised that this notice was published the first time on December 5, 2013 and this will be your third and FINAL WARNING that if you do not attend Transportation Training this month, we have no choice but to suspend you from work. Because this is a DDS requirement, you MAY NOT transport clients without this training, therefore we cannot pay any timesheets or mileage for Waiver services if you do not attend. Time and mileage that includes transportation of clients will be returned to you as unpayable if you do not fulfill your training requirements. We realize this sounds harsh but mandatory with the State of Arkansas really means mandatory.

Due to DDS requirements, each employee that transports clients, whether it be in a Civitan Services’ vehicle or your personal vehicle, must complete a DDS Transportation class.

 **This includes ALL Waiver employees.**

Each employee who has attended this class is also required to have a refresher course every three years. With this being the case, I am sure that most everyone is due for this training. I have schedule three classes in January to hopefully get everyone current on this requirement. Classes held in the Transition Classroom in Bryant will have a cutoff of 30 employees due to limited space. Classes held at the Benton campus will not have a cutoff. Please register early so that you can make arrangements to be available for one of these classes. Employees who have not attended one of these classes or been scheduled to attend a class outside of Civitan Services by Jan 24, 2014 will not be able to work until they have received this training. Employee receiving this training outside of Civitan may be required to pay for this training which is offered once a month in North Little Rock at a cost of $40.00 . The training dates and locations are listed below. Please contact me (Steve) to register for one of these classes.

Friday Jan 10^th  9am – 4pm Transition Classroom @ Civitan Plaza in Bryant (This class is now FULL!)

Saturday Jan 11^th  9am – 4pm  Civitan Services Campus in Benton

Friday Jan 24^th  9am – 4pm  Transition Classroom @ Civitan Plaza in Bryant

(Saturday Jan 25^th will be an alternate date if the Jan 11^th class is cancelled due to weather.)

Steve

Transportation Training--January 10th

Transportation Training is mandatory for all Waiver employees. The next training will be held on Friday, January 10, 2014 from 9 am to 4 pm at the Civitan Plaza in Bryant.

 409 S. Reynolds Rd. in Bryant, AR 72022.

Once the parking lot is full you may park at the church across the street from the Plaza. Please contact Steve (not Darrell or Angela) if have questions or cannot attend training. Please note that staff members who do not complete this training will be suspended from work until training is complete.  Don't risk it--get trained and help us all stay in compliance with our many regulations!

Waiver Office Is Moving To Bryant

Just a heads up that the Waiver Office will be moving next week. The Civitan Center will remain open and function as usual but Angela and Darrell will be relocated to office space next door to the Civitan Shoppe on Reynolds Road in Bryant.  This will mean several changes for staff who have gotten used to stopping in while at the Civitan Center. Here are a few of the changes we foresee to help prepare you for the move and how it will impact you:

When is paperwork due?

Waiver deadlines will remain the same--Community paperwork will still be due every Monday morning by 10 a.m. and Group Home paperwork will still be due every Monday morning by 9 a.m.  

Where do I turn in my paperwork?

You may drop off your paperwork at the new office in Bryant or you may continue to drop off your paperwork in the white drop box outside the Civitan Center. However, you should not leave paperwork in Angela or Darrell's old office at the Center. The bin has removed from the door to the office to discourage anyone from trying to leave paperwork there. The old office will be immediately taken over by another department and the new staff will NOT be responsible for your paperwork. 

You also should not leave your paperwork at the front desk or anywhere inside the Civitan Center. The only place at the Center that you can leave your paperwork is the white drop box on the outside of the building. You may continue to fax or email your paperwork as usual if you are already doing this.

Group Home staff will continue to turn in paperwork to Elaine at the Group Home as usual.

How will I get extra copies of forms?

Timesheets, mileage forms, and documentation forms will no longer be available at the Civitan Center. You may either stop by the new Waiver Office in Bryant for forms or you can email Angela at agattin@civitanservices.com to have them sent to you electronically. 

What about the Case Managers?

Case Managers will also be moving into the new office with us so all the admin staff of the Waiver Department will now be under one roof.

Will you have a new phone number and fax number?

Yes. As soon as we have the new numbers up and running we will make them available to you. Remember that you can always contact Darrell or the Case Managers by cell phone in an emergency. 

What about training?

All training will still be coordinated through Steve in Human Resources so you will continue to contact him to schedule training. 

What about paychecks?

No changes--everything will continue to work the same as always until further notice.

Can you give me directions to the new office?

Click the link below:

409 S. Reynolds Rd. in Bryant, AR 72022.

When will you move in?

Sometime in the next week, as soon as the computers and phone lines are installed. This is just a notice to keep you informed and keep you prepared. You can continue to contact us at the Civitan Center until the day we move. We will follow up with another post when the move is complete. 

Thanks in advance for your attention. We think the move is going to be great and you are welcome to come by and visit the new office as soon as we get settled.