SPARC RESPITE

SPARC RESPITE
RESPITE PROJECT GUIDELINES

The Suffolk Project for AIDS Resource Coordination (SPARC) has implemented a collaborative respite services project. Through this project, participating SPARC Consortium member agencies share in the use of respite services provided by agencies with expertise in this area. This project is designed to enhance access to services needed by HIV infected/affected families in Suffolk by providing relief from care-taking responsibilities, as well as providing HIV infected/affected caretakers with a much needed break.

During the sixth year of this project, the agencies that are listed are sharing in the use of respite services.

David E. Rogers Center for HIV/AIDS Care
Economic Opportunity Council of Suffolk (EOC)
Federation of Employment Council of Suffolk (FEGS)
Long Island Association for AIDS Care (LIAAC)
Options for Community Living
Pediatric AIDS Center at Stony Brook
Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic
Sanctuary East
Suffolk County Department of Health Services (SCDHS) Bureau of Public Health Nursing (BPHN)
SCDHS COBRA program, and
Town Of Brookhaven Youth Bureau

The subcontract for the provision of respite services during the fifth year of the project is divided among the following agencies:

All Metro Health Care
Recco Home Care
South Shore Home Health Services

PROJECT GUIDELINES

All agencies participating in this project have agreed to abide by the following guidelines:

The SPARC respite project is not intended to duplicate existing respite services. Participating agencies will make every effort to determine if clients in need of this service are eligible for respite through another program, and if so, to assist them with obtaining these services elsewhere. SPARC-funded respite services will be considered the service of last resort.
Respite services provided through this pilot are social rather than medical in nature. Respite workers can provide child care, prepare meals, engage in social or recreational activities with family members in their care, etc., but cannot provide nursing care or give medications. These respite services are in no way designed to take the place of home health care services an HIV infected/affected family may be eligible to receive.
Participating agencies referring clients for respite service will assess whether respite is the appropriate service to meet their long-term needs (as opposed to home health care, homework help provided through school districts, etc.) and if not, to immediately initiate the process of obtaining more appropriate services for the client.
A list of appropriate vs. inappropriate uses of SPARC respite services has been developed by participating agencies. Respite providers will be responsible for asking participating agencies about the reason for each usage of service and then recording the corresponding code numbers on their monthly activity reports.
Respite providers will assist participating agencies with determining whether clients are eligible for other forms of respite service and/or could be better served by another type of service.
Each participating agency will designate a representative who will be responsible for interacting directly with the respite providers and for communicating regularly with SPARC and other participating agencies to resolve problems as they develop. Participating agencies will develop internal procedures for funneling all requests for respite services through their designated representative.
Respite providers will meet with staff from participating agencies as needed to ensure that those staff members who have direct client contact are familiar with the project and are able to appropriately address their clients' concerns about the services to be provided and/or respite worker screening and qualifications.
Calls received by participating agencies and respite providers from other agencies interested in participating in this collaborative project will be referred to the SPARC Project Coordinator.
Participating agencies will be responsible for working with the case managers of each client they refer for respite services to ensure coordination of services.
At least three days advance notice are required in order to fill a request for respite services. The greater the lead time a respite provider has to fill a request, the more likely they are to appropriately match a respite worker with the family receiving services. In emergency situation, respite providers will do their best to fill a request with less than three days notice.
Participating agencies will complete an intake form for each client referred for respite services. It is important that the respite providers be informed of any issues related to the client's household that may impact on the skills and background needed by the respite work (including substance abuse, family violence, mental illness, specials needs, ages and interests of family member, etc.).
Each participating agency will inform the respite providers of their after-hours emergency contact procedures. Additionally, each client receiving respites services will be required to provide an emergency contact number. The respite provider will be informed in advance if the worker will be turning over care of children to someone other than the client at the end of her/his shift. In the event of an emergency (i.e., the respite worker's shift has ended and the client has not returned home to resume care-taking responsibilities), the respite worker will contact the respite provider who will then contact the client-designated emergency contact number. If unable to reach the designated individual, the respite provider will contact the referring agency or client's case manager as per the agency's emergency contact procedures. Except in emergency situations, a respite provider will consult with the referring agency prior to contacting Child Protective Services (CPS).
Respite workers can transport children to locations outside of their homes at distances less than five miles. They are not expected to pay for admission tickets or parking, however. Participating agencies requesting that a respite worker accompany children to an event that requires an admission or parking fee (or requires travel in excess of five miles) must provide tickets or money in advance to cover the costs of the respite worker as well as the children.
Participating agencies will collect feedback from families served through this respite pilot project and will report any problems with respite workers to the respite providers (even if the worker was only assigned to the family on one occasion). Feedback regarding the services provided through this pilot project will also be shared with SPARC

APPROPRIATE USES OF RESPITE SERVICES

Enable caretaker to access medical services (i.e., mom has doctor's appointment, mom needs to bring one child to the doctor and requires care for the others, mom needs to be hospitalized overnight).
Enable caretaker to access counseling or support services.
Enable caretaker to access benefit/entitlement programs.
Enable caretaker to access drug/alcohol treatment services.
Enable caretaker to access legal services or attend a court or probation appointment.
Enable caretaker to attend a specific event/training sponsored by and AIDS service provider.
Provide brief relief from caretaking responsibilities.

INAPPROPRIATE USES OF RESPITE SERVICES

Enable caretaker to return to work.
Enable caretaker to return to school.
Provide assistance with housecleaning/errands.

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