A.
Definition and
Purpose
Caregiver counseling is defined as
that service that provides an opportunity for the caregiver to receive one to
one provision of guidance and instruction about options and methods for
providing support to caregivers in an individual or group setting. The
caregiver and professional develop a treatment plan to work through issues
related to caregiver stress, burnout, role overload, grief and many other
caregiving related issues.
Support Group is defined as a group
of caregivers with same or similar need(s) meeting with each other or
professionals to discuss, for guidance, advice and best practices to work
through issues related to caregiver stress, burnout, role overload, grief and
many other caregiving related issues.
The purpose of Caregiver counseling/support group is
to:
1. assist in assessing the
caregiver's need(s)
2. provide one
to one or group advice, guidance, instruction and support;
3. help grandparents and other relatives deal
with their new, unexpected responsibilities;
4. secure basic services the children need,
such as health care or education, if caregivers are not the legal guardians or
custodians;
5. help work through
burnout, role overload and issues related to caregiver stress;
6. help work through grief and many other
care giving related issues;
4.
help link caregivers to resources and information; and
5. provide group or individual counseling in
the form of support groups and respite care.
B.
Eligibility
A grandparent or relative caregiver who is 60 years of
age or older caring for a child eighteen (18) or younger. Priority will be
given to older individuals with greatest social and economic need. Particular
attention will be given to low-income older individuals and to older
individuals providing care and support to persons with mental retardation and
related developmental disabilities.
C.
Unit of Service:
One unit of service equals one hour of services provided to
caregiver or older relative and/or their dependents.
D.
Minimum Program
Requirements:
Each service provider of the Family Caregiver Support Program
must comply with the Minimum Program Requirements developed by the Division of
Aging and Adult Services.
1.
Service Activities
The service provider for the FCSP will:
a. Assess the caregiver's strengths and needs
creating a caregiver care plan that includes a series of workshops and
counseling sessions.
b. Provide a
series of workshops to help orientate the family to new, and often unexpected,
responsibilities. Topics may include:
1.
crisis intervention (family tragedy);
2. the changing family structure/non
traditional family
3. evaluating
the children of the 21st century
4. communicating with children;
5. goal setting for adult and children
c. Provide or develop
support groups to address the multiple needs of caregivers and their
families.
d. Make appropriate
referrals to community resources;
e. Maintain current reference and resource
files for the caregivers and family.
2.
Location of
Service
Services shall be located in a centralized area accessible to
the caregiver in the Agency's service delivery area.
3.
Access to Service
The client may enter the service system at any point, through
an appropriate referral.
4.
Delivery Characteristics
a. Each caregiver's record shall include
documentation of services requested/provided.
(1) Screening/contact;
(2) A care plan;
(3) Authorization releases, where
appropriate; and
(4) Documentation
of training sessions.
b.
Services must be available to persons seeking assistance, by phone or on
a walk-in basis during normal working hours, Monday through Friday and any
other times that are convenient for caregiver and services
provider.
c. The Provider
Agency must have satisfactory arrangements to ensure that caregivers' files are
kept in a locked file cabinet and inaccessible to the general public.
d.
Provider Agency must have
satisfactory procedures established to provide or obtain services for the
non-English speaking caregiver, where appropriate.
5.
Staffing
a. There shall be a person responsible for
the day-to-day operation of the program.
b.
There must be an appropriate
adult/child ratio when respite, group activities and/or counseling sessions are
provided. Some suggested ratios are as follows: ages infant-2, 1:3; ages 3-4,
1:4; ages 5-7, 1:5; ages 7-12, 1:6; and ages 13-18, 1:10. Levels of disability
may require ratios smaller than those suggested.
c. Staff must be knowledgeable of the
available services and resources in the community.
d. All staff must be able to communicate with
caregivers who have speech, visual or hearing impairment.
e. In-service training is required of all
staff and is the responsibility of the contracting agency. Training must
consist of:
(1) information on available
community service providers and resources;
(2) the agency's operational policies and
procedures;
(3) completing
screening/intake, referral and assessment form
(4) telephone techniques and
procedures;
(5) the interviewing
process;
(6) counseling
skills;
(7) the Aging
process;
(8) active listening
skills; and
(9) use of the resource
directory (to be able to collect, organize, update and retrieve resource
information on a continuous basis).
6.
Monitoring
The Bureau of Audit and Evaluation, Department of Human
Services, shall monitor at least annually.
