Table of Contents
	> What is an assistant?
	> What are personal assistant services?
	> What are the requirements for an assistant to be employed by a DAC Customer?
	> Are assistants entitled to any benefits?
	> What are the responsibilities of the Customer?
	> What are the responsibilities of an assistant?
	> What are DAC’s responsibilities?
	> What is the pay rate for assistants?
	> What is the DAC-PAS Registry?
	> What is RMS?

WHAT IS AN ASSISTANT?

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An assistant is an individual employed and supervised by the Customer to provide services that are determined to be appropriate and necessary by Regional Medicaid Services (RMS).

 

WHAT ARE PERSONAL ASSISTANT SERVICES?

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Many people with disabilities require assistance with everyday tasks such as cooking, cleaning, dressing, bathing, etc. to live independently in the community. Without this in-home assistance, people are faced with living in nursing homes, assisted care facilities, or other institutional settings.

Many people with disabilities or other health related conditions are still unaware that they may have the option of living in their own homes with in-home assistant/personal assistance services. For people with disabilities to live in their own homes and participate in their communities, personal assistance services are vital.

Assistant services include but are not limited to assisting the Customer with bathing, dressing, toileting, and other related activities of daily living; performing household chores and other activities that assist the Customer to be as independent as possible, as directed by the job description/plan of care/implementation plan as appropriate to the Customer.

Under Idaho law, self-directing individuals who participate in the assistant Program and who are determined by RMS to be capable of providing all necessary supervision and instruction may receive certain services from assistants that otherwise are typically provided by a home health aid, licensed practical nurse, or registered nurse.

 

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR AN ASSISTANT TO BE EMPLOYED BY A DAC CUSTOMER?

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For an assistant to be employed by a DAC customer, he or she must:

• Be at least 18 years of age;
• Have a Social Security number;
• Be interviewed and hired by a DAC Customer;
• Provide all necessary information to the customer to facilitate enrollment in the payroll system;
• Complete all required enrollment documents with the assistance and direction of the Customer and deliver the enrollment documents to the DAC office;
• Complete an annual worker health screen form;
• Pass a criminal background check with the Department of Health & Welfare;
• Demonstrate knowledge of universal precautions; and
• An assistant can be a member of the Customer’s family, with the exception of a spouse or the parent of a minor child.

Are assistants entitled to any benefits?

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Yes, assistants are entitled to the following benefits:

• Workers compensation;
• Unemployment;
• After one year in good standing with DAC Customers, a .25 cent raise; and
• Customer referral program - $20 for each new customer referred by the assistant.

 

What are the responsibilities of the Customer?

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The customer must follow DAC policies and procedures including but not limited to:

• Report to Regional Medicaid Services (RMS) any changes that might affect Medicaid eligibility or need for services as authorized by the RMS;
• Receive training and information assistance from DAC as mutually identified and agreed to receive;
• Participate in a cooperative manner with DAC and RMS Quality Assurance process to ensure customer satisfaction and quality of services received;
• Make available for DAC review, all documents required for the Customer’s continued participation in such services;
• Immediately notify DAC of any changes in status, or other pertinent information that might affect the employment status of any selected assistant;
• Follow accepted employment practices and not discriminate against any assistant based upon race, color, religion, marital status, national origin, age, or political affiliation;
• Assign schedules to the assistant;
• Verify actual hours worked by the assistant and verify that all time cards submitted for payment are accurate (this can be delegated to the assistant). Understand that DAC will only pay for service hours consistent with the Customer’s plan for services as authorized by RMS;
• Be responsible for the completion and delivery of the assistant’s time sheets in a timely manner as established in Section I. How does a customer complete a time sheet? Understand that late arrival of time sheets may result in a delay of payment;
• Pay DAC any calculated co-pay portion of assistant services as determined by Medicaid. If payment is not received from the customer within 14 days from the date of invoice, DAC has the option to discontinue services and refer the bill to collections;
• Ensure that an assistant is enrolled with DAC and that services have been authorized according to the Assessment conducted by RMS;
• Accept full responsibility for any personal injury or loss of property that may result from the action or inaction of the assistant. Understand that DAC may terminate its relationship with the customer if DAC policies and procedures are not followed. If this occurs, we will notify the customer in writing and provide a list of other waiver providers;
• Ensure that the assistant has completed a criminal background check with the Department of Health & Welfare; and
• Follow accepted employment practices regarding sexual harassment of employees: Sexual harassment is a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Equal Opportunity Commission has issued guidelines, which define sexual harassment as:
  • Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when 1) submission to conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment, 2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual or 3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.

     

What are the responsibilities of an assistant?

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An assistant employed by a DAC customer is responsible for:

• Recognizing the authority of the Customer as the assistant’s acting employer and supervisor;s
• Completing all designated assignments in a manner that enhances the Customer’s ability to live independently;
• Respecting the Customer’s person, privacy and property;
• Authorizing DAC to collect and appropriately distribute employment related information;
• Complying with the policies and practices of DAC;
• Undergo and pay for criminal background check. Call first to make an appointment; DAC can provide this service or if staff is not available, we will provide contact information; and
• If an assistant has been convicted of a crime, he/she may request an exemption hearing from the Department of Health & Welfare. An assistant may not continue to receive payment for services rendered if he/she fails to pass the criminal background check.

 

What are DAC’s responsibilities?

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DAC's responsibilities include:

• Process the payroll of each assistant every two weeks;
• Act as employer of record for all matters that affect the assistant’s withholding tax, unemployment and workers compensation;
• Pay the assistant the prevailing wage in the industry for the hours of service indicated on the Customer’s time sheet and authorized by Regional Medicaid Services;
• Ensure that all assistants undergo a criminal history and background check prior to service delivery and maintain documentation in the assistant’s file;
• Maintain a record for each assistant that will include at a minimum, enrollment forms, health screens, and all other information needed for tax and payroll processing. (See Record Keeping in the Customer Program Manual);
• Maintain a customer record that includes RMS authorization for services, service plan, customer agreement, and other documentation as needed. (See Record Keeping in the Policy and Procedure Manual);
• Ensure that no pay is dispersed to any service provider prior to the completion of all required federal or agency paperwork or where the RMS has not authorized services for such care;
• Provide recruitment assistance and information assistance services to assist the customer to live as independently as they desire, including management training and skill development, if requested;
• Maintain a Customer Advisory Committee;
• Conduct a periodic customer satisfaction survey, at a minimum annually; and
• Provide Customers with packets that include:
  • Recruitment assistance information, if requested, including a registry;
  • A copy (when available) of the Plan of Care and or Implementation Plan;
  • Customer back-up plan;
  • Progress Notes;
  • Self addressed envelopes (if appropriate);
  • FI staff business card; and
  • A Client Assistance Program (CAP) brochure.

 

What is the pay rate for assistants?

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The pay rate for assistants, Respite, Homemakers, Chore and PCS (Personal Care) Service Providers is $9.00 per hour. Customers should keep in mind that raises may only occur if and when the state Medicaid reimbursement rate is increased or as announced by DAC Staff. At that time, customers will be notified that they have the ability to increase the pay rate for their assistant.

 

What is the DAC-PAS Registry?

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The DAC-PAS program maintains, and will provide upon request, a registry of potential personal assistants (attendants) designed for individual and independent recruitment of personal assistants (PA) by consumers needing or desiring in-home assistant services. This service is designed to increase or maintain a consumer's independence to enable him/her to reside independently at home in the community with the aid of a personal assistant.

The assistant registry is a listing of applicants interested in PA positions. The database listing can be custom sorted to provide each consumer with a listing of individuals who meet the basic qualifications necessary for each individual, i.e. male/female, CNA certification, etc.

This basic information is obtained by having each registry applicant fill out a PA Application Form, which lists identifying information including experience, hobbies, schedule, etc. These forms follow the same format as the computer database, and information from them are inputted directly into the computer system.

 

WHAT IS RMS?

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RMS stands for Regional Medicaid Services, which is a program under the Idaho State Department of Health and Wellfare that provides services to qualifying customers.