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VF/EA FMS Employer Handbook

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Participant-Directed Services Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent Financial Management Service

Option


Version 1.0 April, 2014


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Table of Contents Section One: The Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent Service option Glossary of Terms 3 Employer Trainings 4 Contact and Quick Reference Information 5

Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent (VF/EA) FMS Service Option Overview 6 Role of the VF/EA 7 Enrolling in the Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent FMS service option 8 Required Enrollment Forms 9 Ending the VF/EA FMS Service option 11 Section Two: The Common Law Employer

Role and Responsibilities of a Common Law Employer 12 Creating the PDS Back-up Plan 13 The Authorized Representative 14

Section Three: Managing a Support Service Worker

Writing a Job Description 15 Recruiting Support Service Workers 15 Screening and Interviewing 16 Checking References 18 Hiring a Support Service Worker 20 Creating a Work Schedule 24 Supervising and Evaluating 26 Dismissing a Support Service Worker 28 Section Four: Managing the Participant-Directed Services

Understanding your Individual Support Plan 31 ISP Units and Dollars 32 Frequency and Scheduling 33 Service Utilization 34 Reading your Monthly Budget report 36

Section Five: Progress Notes What are Progress Notes? 37 Completing Progress Notes 38 Other Information 40


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Glossary of Participant-Directed Terms

Administrative Entity (AE): The County office in which the Participant resides.

Monitors the SC Organization and assists with VF/EA ongoing functions.

Common Law Employer (CLE): The Individual responsible for managing the participant

directed services authorized in the Individual Supports Plan, including all hiring of

Support Service Workers and supervision of performance.

Individual Supports Plan (ISP): The comprehensive plan for each participant that

includes HCBS, risks, mitigation of risks and individual outcomes for a participant.

Individual Supports Plan (ISP) Team: The group of people designated by the participant

in supporting the participant’s outcomes. Generally consists of the waiver Participant,

the Participant’s Surrogate, Supports Coordinator and Administrative Entity

representative (although other social supports may be involved).

Supports Coordinator (SC): The social service professional that provides input on the

most appropriate service delivery service option to meet the Participant’s needs.

Public Partnerships, LLC (PPL): Public Partnerships is the Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent

responsible for enrollment processing, making payments to Support Service Workers,

withholding and filing employer taxes and other administrative functions.

PPL Customer Service: The PPL Customer Service Team is based in Phoenix, AZ and is

responsible for handling all inbound and outbound calls to Common Law Employers.

The Team operates off Eastern Time, and is open 8:30am – 5 pm.

Rate Sheet: A Rate Sheet must be completed by the Common Law Employer and

Support Service Worker during the enrollment process.

Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent (VF/EA) Financial Management Service (FMS) service

option: The VF/EA FMS service option is a Participant Directed Service (PDS) delivery

approach designed to give Participants maximum control over the PDS they receive.

Under VF/EA FMS, the Participant may serve as their own common law employer (CLE),

or designated another trusted individual to serve in this role.


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Public Partnerships (PPL) is proud to serve as your Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent for the Office

of Developmental Programs (ODP) self-directed service option. We understand you have

choices in regard to managing the participant’s services, and want to make certain your

experience in the Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent is successful. Therefore, we want to make you

aware of monthly training sessions we will now be offering the second and fourth Tuesday of

each month. Whether you are newly enrolling, or have been self-directing for years, we

strongly encourage you to call into a session at your convenience.

In general, the trainings will provide an in depth review of the VF/EA Employer Handbook. If

newly enrolling, you should have received a copy with your enrollment packet. If you are an

existing employer you can either download the Handbook from our website or call customer

service and request a copy. Either way, you should definitely have a copy of this handbook in

front of you for the call.

The topics we will cover include:

Employer Training Sessions

Call into the toll free conference line: 1.888.866.0650

Enter ID: 98449164#

Session Days & Start Times

Second and Fourth Tuesday of every month starting at 6:00pm

There is no defined end time as we want to make sure everyone leaves the call with all

their questions answered, but generally the calls last until 7:00.

The Second Tuesday will be for New Employers; the Fourth Tuesday will be for Current.

Please see the enclosed schedule for the next three months of training dates.

We think evenings are best for most people, however, if you will never be able to attend a

Tuesday evening session, please call us or email us and we can set up a time to meet.

Newly Enrolling Employers Existing Employers Your Role as the Employer Managing the Participant’s Services

Our Role as Your Agent Hiring and Supervising SSWs Critical Rules of the VF/EA FMS Model Maintaining Progress Notes

Call Customer Service to registers for a training: 1.877.634.6805 or email us at: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


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Contact & Quick Reference Information

Customer Service: Customer Service Hours:

Toll Free Phone: 1-877-634-6805 Monday - Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. TTY: 1-800-360-5899 Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. E-mail: [email protected]

Please not that PPL Customer Service will only discuss participant information with the participant, the CLE, the Designated Representative, the Service Coordinator, other PPL staff who can assist you, and the Department of Public Welfare.

Requesting Forms: Mailing Completed Enrollment Forms

Toll Free Phone: 1-877-634-6805 Address: Public Partnerships, LLC TTY: 1-800-360-5899 PA ODP Program E-mail: [email protected] 7776 S Pointe Pkwy W, Suite 150

Phoenix, AZ 85044

*PPL can provide program materials in alternate formats and languages. Please contact Customer

Service to request information.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Timesheet Submission

Please remember that timesheets cannot be submitted for any worked days prior to

notification from PPL that the Support Service Worker enrollment process is complete. Paper Timesheet Fax Number: 1-855-838-6850 Electronic Timesheet Submission: https://fms.publicpartnerships.com

Before you can submit and/or approve timesheets online you and your Support Service Worker must register in the Web Portal. Upon selecting the web address above, select Online Registration and follow the instructions.

Faxed Timesheet Verification: 1-877-634-6805 Option 1



https://fms.publicpartnerships.com/


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The primary goal of Participant Directed Services is to enhance people’s ability to live the

lives they wish to lead in their communities.

The Office of Development Programs (ODP) offers two service options for participants who want to self-direct on either the Consolidated or Person/Family Directed Services Waiver: Agency with Choice and Vendor/Fiscal Employer Agent. The Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent Financial Management Services Service option (VF/EA FMS) is a self-directed service option that maximizes the participant’s choice and control over their long-term services and supports. The hallmark of the VF/EA FMS service option is the designation of a Common Law Employer (CLE) who will be responsible for hiring and supervising the Support Service Workers (SSW) providing care to the participant. The CLE is also responsible for managing the authorized services and ensuring the services are provided on the agreed upon frequency. The participant may serve as their own Common Law Employer, or designate a trusted individual to serve in this role. In the VF/EA FMS service option, Participants may:

Use their individualized budget to recruit and directly hire SSWs to provide services. Purchase authorized goods, supplies, or items to meet their health care needs as

defined in the Individual Supports Plan. Work with their Supports Coordinator to allocate their funds between hiring SSWs

and purchasing other goods and services.

Given the complexities of issuing checks and withholding and filing taxes the VF/EA service option requires the participant/CLE to appoint an Agent. Public Partnerships, LLC (PPL) is the designated VF/EA FMS for the ODP VF/EA FMS service option and will act as the “employer’s agent” for the limited purposes of handling enrollment, payroll and tax filing functions.

Services Offered Under the VF/EA FMS Service option

Direct Care Services Vendor Services Homemaker/Chore Transportation

Supports Broker Respite Camp

Companion Services Home and Vehicle Accessibility Adaptations

Supported Employment Assistive Technology

Home and Community Habilitation Specialized Supplies

Respite Education Support

Section One: Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent Service option


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To learn more about all Participant Directed Service options, you can read The PA Guide to Participant Directed Services on the ODPconsulting.net website:

http://www.odpconsulting.net/topic-info/participant-directed-services/

Role of the VF/EA

PPL serves as the statewide Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent for the Office of Developmental

Programs VF/EA FMS service option. During the enrollment process, the designated

Common Law Employer will sign several IRS forms, including Form 2678 that appoints PPL

as their payroll agent. Our primary roles as payment agent include processing all

paperwork and timesheets, issuing payments to SSWs, withholding, filing and paying all

employee and employer taxes and providing customer service. Additional duties include:

Processing Support Service Worker (SSW) enrollment forms and completing criminal background checks

Obtaining a workman’s compensation policy for the Common Law Employer Processing Rate Sheets submitted by the Supports Coordinator Processing Support Service Worker’s Timesheets Processing invoices for self-directed goods and services Processing payroll - Mail checks/ Make Direct Deposit Transactions File and depositing all Common Law Employer taxes Withholding taxes from the Support Service Worker payments Providing Monthly Budget Reports Mailing W-2s to Support Service Workers Addressing any employer related questions by taxing authority Providing Customer Service M-F 8:30 – 5:00 (ET) Providing access to a Web Portal that has real time spending information

PPL Customer Service: 1.877.634.6805 Email: [email protected] Administrative Fax (Referral Forms): 1.855.405.7037

PPL Web Site:

You can access Program Forms, a complete Enrollment Process Flow reference

and other VF/EA FMS information. Go to: www.publicpartnerships.com

Select: Who We Serve>Pennsylvania>ODP

http://www.odpconsulting.net/topic-info/participant-directed-services/

http://www.publicpartnerships.com/


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Enrolling in the VF/EA FMS Service option Please Note: If you are already enrolled in the VF/EA Service option, you can skip this section

and start reading again on page 9!

ENROLLING IN THE VF/EA FMS SERVICE OPTION

STEP ONE a. The decision to select the VF/EA FMS Service option of service delivery should

be discussed by the Participant’s ISP team and is part of the options counseling process that occurs after waiver placement.

b. If the Participant selects the VF/EA FMS service option, the Supports Coordinator will fax a New Participant Enrollment Form to Public Partnerships.

STEP TWO a. Upon receipt of the New Participant Enrollment Form, Public Partnerships will

pre-fill the employer tax documentation to ease completion. b. PPL will mail the Common Law Employer (CLE) Enrollment Packet, as well as two

blank Support Service Worker Enrollment packets to the designated CLE

STEP THREE a. The CLE will review the Enrollment Packets and complete with their potential

Support Service Worker (s). PPL Customer Service is available to answer questions and assist

with the completion of the enrollment forms.

STEP FOUR a. PPL will process enrollment paperwork by verifying each form is signed, dated

and properly completed per the program rules. If documentation is missing or incomplete, a PPL Customer Service Representative will contact the CLE to inform them of what is needed.

b. Upon accurate completion of all paper work and criminal background checks on potential Support Services Workers (PPL does these for you) we will notify the Common Law Employer of the Good-to-Serve date which means the Participant can begin receiving service through the VF/EA FMS service option!

A complete Good To Serve Process Flow can be found on the Public Partnerships Website.


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VF/EA FMS Enrollment Forms

As part of the process of becoming a common law employer (CLE) in the state of Pennsylvania, there are several IRS tax forms that must be signed and dated. All three employer tax forms come pre-filled in the Enrollment Forms Packet so the CLE simply needs to sign and date. Each of the three tax forms grants PPL very limited authority to handle employer fiscal duties on the CLE’s behalf. None of these forms grants PPL access to any personal information for either the CLE or the SSW.

Common Law Employer Enrollment Forms:

Form SS-4: IRS Form SS-4 allows PPL to obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN). An EIN is also known as a Federal Tax Identification Number, and is used to identify a business entity. All financial transactions performed by PPL on behalf of the CLE will be associated to this ID. Form 2678: Internal Revenue Code section 3504 authorizes a fiduciary agent (in this case PPL) to perform acts of an employer for purposes of employment taxes. Form 2678 is used to empower an agent with the responsibility and liability of collecting and paying the employment taxes including backup withholding and filing the appropriate tax return. Form 8821: Form 8821 authorizes an individual other than the taxpayer (in this case PPL) to

receive and discuss the taxpayer's tax account information (in this case the CLE). The form

allows the IRS to disclose information to any third party such as PPL.

In addition to the three IRS Tax forms, there are three ODP VF/EA FMS program forms required for enrollment.

1. Common Law Employer Designation: The document that establishes the common law employer for the participant. The Participant can either serve as their own common


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law employer or select another individual as their common law employer if the participant is unable to serve as their own.

2. Common Law Employer Agreement: A common law employer takes on additional responsibilities when they choose to use the participant-directed services option. This form informs the common law employer of their job functions and duties. The common law employer signs indicating they agree to abide by the terms and conditions described in the agreement.

3. Participant Directed Services Back-Up Plan: The plan that the CLE is required to develop to ensure services and supports are rendered when regularly scheduled SSWs are not available to provide services. Emergency back-up plans can involve the use of paid staff and natural or community supports. Your Support Coordinator, and Supports Broker if you choose to use one, can assist with finding back-up supports.

Support Service Worker Enrollment Forms The following forms are required for Good To Serve Status for an SSW:

SSW Criminal Background Check Process

1. Support Service Worker Agreement: Establishes the

baseline expectations between the employer and

employee as well as highlighting ODP’s program

requirements.

2. Support Service Worker Qualification Form: Ensures

the employer has confirmed the SSW meets the ODP

program requirements.

3. IRS Form W-4: Establishes withholding status,

allowances and extra tax withholding (as applicable).

4. Application for Tax Exemptions Form: Used to

determine whether the Common Law Employer and/or

Support Service Worker are eligible for any tax

exemptions based on their relationship status.

5. IRS Form I-9: The federal verification of United States

Residency.

6. CLGS-32-6 Residency Certification Form: Confirmation

that the SSW has resided in Pennsylvania for at least

two years.


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Public Partnerships will complete, and make payment for all required Criminal Background Checks per the following guidelines:

State Criminal Background Check: Required on all potential SSWs. This is an online

registry check that returns results within 24hrs. The authorization to complete this check is included in the SSW Enrollment Packet.

Child Abuse Clearances Check: Required when the SSW will provide services to a Participant under the age of 18. The authorization to complete this check is included in the SSW Enrollment Packet.

Federal Bureau of Investigation: Required when the SSW has not lived in Pennsylvania for at least two years and when the SSW will provide services to a Participant under the age of eighteen (18).

Ending the VF/EA FMS Service option A participant may voluntarily discontinue participant direction of waiver services at any time. A Voluntary Participant Termination Form must be completed by the participant and Supports Coordinator when the participant has expressed their decision to stop directing their waiver services. The AE/SC should retain a copy of the form and submit to Public Partnerships (PPL) to notify us of the end date of the VF/EA FMS service option.

PLEASE REMEMBER: It is important for this form to be completed so PPL can make certain all the Common Law Employer tax account is properly closed.

Involuntary Termination from the VF/EA FMS Service option Involuntary termination will occur if the participant or their designated common law employer is suspected or convicted of Medicaid fraud, or if the participant fails to meet the conditions of their signed agreement. Involuntary termination will also occur if there is sufficient evidence through supports coordination monitoring that the participant’s assessed needs are not being met as a result of the performance by the common law employer. – Appendix E - Consolidated and Person/Family Directed Supports waivers


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Role and Responsibilities of the Common Law Employer In the VF/EA FMS service option, the participant can serve as their own common law employer (CLE), or may designate a trusted individual to serve in this role. The CLE will have a number of responsibilities all intended to ensure the participant receives quality services from qualified Support Service Workers (SSW). Fulfilling these responsibilities will protect the Participant, make the role as the CLE easier and improve the relationships with the SSW(s).

CLE Key Responsibilities:

Develop a job description, recruit, hire, and train all Support Service Workers (SSW) Create a backup plan with the Supports Coordinator Assist the SSW in completion of their enrollment forms packet Negotiate wage rates for qualified SSWs within ODP established wage ranges and in

accordance with Federal and State labor laws Develop the SSWs’ work schedule and emergency back-up plan Review, approve, sign and submit qualified SSW timesheets to the VF/EA FMS

organization for processing Use monthly spending reports from PPL to manage service utilizations Ensure Progress Notes are completed and available for review

Please review the Common Law Employer Agreement for additional Common Law

Employer Responsibilities.

Developing the Participant-Directed Services Back Up Plan

Becoming a CLE increases the responsibility for ensuring the health, safety and well-being for the participant. In traditional provider care, a home health agency makes sure that a Support Service Worker (SSW) comes to the home to provide services to the Participant; in the VF/EA service option, the CLE will have that responsibility. Even if the SSW is a very reliable employee, there will be days when they are sick and cannot come to work. When the scheduled SSW in unavailable, the CLE will need someone to provide care for the participant.

Section Two: The Common Law Employer


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In the VF/EA service option, the CLE will need to submit a completed back-up plan that outlines how they will manage emergencies. No matter how carefully you plan and no matter how good your employee(s) are, you are likely to have some emergencies. Be prepared for this! The Supports Coordinator, and Supports Broker if the Participant has one, is available to work with the CLE to complete the back-up plan. Here are some ideas for covering employee emergencies

Hire more than one SSW to work for you. If one SSW is sick, or an emergency arises, you have a second option.

Ask family, friends, or neighbors if they would fill in if you have an emergency. Keep an updated list of people you liked when hiring your Support Service Worker, but

could not or did not hire. Check with them from time to time to see if they are still able to work for you as a back-up employee.

As you train your SSW and your emergency back-up staff, make sure they know what to do in case of emergencies. After all, if you have a medical emergency, you may not be able to tell your employees what to do. Provide all your employees with a list of emergency contacts and procedures.

Can I use provider-managed services in an emergency if my back-up SSW Is not available?

Yes. If your back-up SSW and natural supports cannot provide the emergency coverage you

can use provider-managed services to provide services. Arrangements will need to be made

ahead of time so that the agency can be ready if you need to use its services as part of your

emergency back-up plan. Agencies may provide emergency back-up coverage in order to meet

your immediate needs in a timely manner as well as to ensure your health and welfare. The

agency must be included on the Individual Supports Plan. Your Supports Coordinator is

responsible for monitoring your services and for confirming that your services are provided at

the amount, frequency and duration authorized in your ISP. Your Supports Broker, if you

select to have one, is also responsible for supporting you in managing your services.

Note: If you want to pay your back up staff, you need to complete a Support Service Worker packet with PPL and have all background checks cleared before

they can begin working.


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In order to ensure the health and safety of the Participant, it is recommended that the

Participant/Family contact the Supports Coordinator to report any disruptions in the

emergency back-up plan or strategies.

GOOD TO SERVE STATUS

A Good to Serve status for a Common Law Employer, means that the CLE has:

Completed, submitted and has been notified by PPL that all required documents associated with becoming a Common Law Employer have been successfully completed and processed; and Successfully hired an SSW by completing and submitting all required forms (including PPL obtaining verification of all required criminal background checks) and receiving notification that the SSW is Good To Serve.

Authorized Representatives A Common Law Employer may designate an Authorized Representative to assist them in their responsibilities; however, there are a number of important restrictions. The Authorized Representative may have limited access to Participant information as it applies to self-directing their services and must understand that the Common Law Employer is not giving up any of their decision-making or budget authority. The Authorized Representative may only access information related to Support Service Worker enrollment and the status of payment processing (PPL will not release the social security number or any banking information of the Support Service Worker). The Authorized Representative will assist with monitoring the participant’s budget and ensuring that employees are not scheduled for over authorized hours. An Authorized Representative form must be completed and on file with Public Partnerships. The form is available on our website or can be mailed by contacting Customer Service.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The Authorized Representative may not act as either a qualified

Support Service Worker, qualified Vendor, nor be paid to provide any self-directed

services. The Authorized Representative may sign qualified Support Service Worker

timesheets, and understands the implications of approving fraudulent time, including

but not limited to time not worked, work not performed, and/or submitting time while

the Participant is in the Hospital.


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Writing a Job Description A job description is necessary so the Support Service Worker knows what is expected of them

while providing service. The Common Law Employer is responsible for writing the job

description for every service the participant receives. When writing a description of the tasks

for which the participant will require assistance, describe the level of assistance required, skill

and physical requirements, frequency, day, and time(s) of days, and approximate length of

time for the tasks or activity.

A well-written job description will help when screening and interviewing potential Support Service Workers (SSW). You want to know beforehand if a person is uncomfortable with anything you need done.

In the job description, list the skills and experience you want the SSWs to have. State other capabilities you want in an SSW such as physical strength, personal care needs, transportation, etc. The duties listed in the ISP goals provide a good starting place when creating the job description.

A good job description can:

Help you be clear about the Participant’s needs

Be used as the basis for employment ads

Provide potential SSWs with a true picture of the Participant’s limitations and lifestyle

Help you ask potential SSWs careful questions during the interview

Serve as a checklist of duties and responsibilities for the SSW

Recruiting Support Service Workers

There are many ways to find SSWs. This section will offer suggestions for how to recruit an

employee and detail employee qualifications.

Before recruiting, know what it is you want your Support Service Worker to do. Consider the work to be done and the knowledge and skills a person will need to be able to do that work. Review the ISP Manual, located on www.ODPconsulting.net, for the services

Section Three: Managing a Support Service Worker

http://www.odpconsulting.net/


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authorized on the ISP to understand what an SSW can provide under that service. You can also contact your Supports Coordinator if you need assistant understand what can be provided under a service. You should have a good idea what you will be looking for when you begin recruiting. Finding the right SSW may take time. It will depend upon the Participant’s needs, how well you have planned and the resources available to you. When you are looking for SSWs, you have several options. You can create a classified advertisement to use in local newspapers or post it online. You can also create a flyer to post on local bulletin boards as well as:

Ask friends, family, neighbors and anyone else you know if they know anyone who would be interested in the position

Post flyers on bulletin boards at area businesses, grocery stores, medical clinics, colleges, churches, senior centers, community centers, and hospitals

Contact agencies that help people find jobs

Place ads or announcements in local publications, newsletters, or Internet websites

Keep a list of potential Support Service Workers. Be ready to recruit on very short notice in

case the situation changes with your current employee(s). Don’t forget about people you

interviewed and liked, but did not hire at first. They might make good back-up SSWs, and they

might become your regular employee at some point. Screening and Interviewing

Deciding whom to hire can be difficult, but

screening and interviewing potential

Support Service Workers will give you

plenty of information.

Screening people over the phone can save

time and effort by eliminating applicants

who cannot meet the Participant’s needs.

Telephone Screening Anyone screening applicants by phone will

save time by eliminating those who do not

qualify for the job. When applicants call to

inquire about the job or to set up an interview,

ask them about their qualifications and give a

brief description of the Participant’s service

needs.

Ask the applicant if he/she has about five

minutes to answer some questions and, if the

screening goes well, set up an interview time.


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Keep in mind that you do not have to interview or take an application from everyone you

screen.

When you talk to interested people, ask them what kind of pay they are looking for and what

kind of schedule they can work. With this information, you can screen out people who either

want more than you are willing or able to pay, or who cannot work your schedule. If the

person sounds like she/he might work out, continue talking.

Be sure to know the current service wage ranges for your region. Current wage ranges can

be found at: www.odpconsulting.net or www.publicpartnerships.com

Ask brief and important questions that will help you decide if she/he will meet the

Participant’s needs. Ask the most important questions first and avoid those that are not job

related. Some people may seem great in a conversation, letter, or in e-mail, but you will want

to meet them in person for an interview to make sure you will be comfortable with them

working with the Participant. If you are still interested after screening the applicant on the

phone, set up an interview.

Interviewing

Interviews should be face-to-face meetings. Remember, the interview is when you and

the applicant see if the situation will work for both of you. Before you do your first

interview, decide where and how it will happen. If you do not want strangers coming into

your home, consider holding the interview in a public place, such as a restaurant or a

public library.

If you hold an interview at your home, always have a friend or family member with you (or

at lease someone in the home). Most importantly, hold the interview when and where you

are least likely to be interrupted. During the interview, keep your questions job-related; if

you ask questions that are too personal or not relevant to the job, you may make applicants

uncomfortable and they may be reluctant to answer any of your questions. Prior to the

interview, ask the person you will be interviewing to bring a photo I.D., such as a driver’s

license or passport. Plan your interview questions ahead of time and use questions that will

reveal the applicant’s character, abilities and skills.

http://www.odpconsulting.net/

http://www.publicpartnerships.com/


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Once you have an idea of

the questions you want to

ask, consider writing or

typing them out so they

will be easier to

remember. When you

start the interview, try to

put the person at ease by

discussing some general

topics (e.g. the weather or

the town they reside in).

You are more likely to get

a true sense of what a person is like if he or she is comfortable. Start with questions that are

more general such as, “What did you like about your last job?” Then, move to more sensitive

questions later in the interview such as, “What do you see will be your biggest challenge

working with a person with a disability?”

As you near the end of the interview, ask the person if he/she is still interested in the job. You

don’t have to make a decision right then. You can tell the applicant that you will be making a

decision and will let them know.

Keep notes on your thoughts and feelings about the applicants and their answers to your

questions. If someone you know is assisting you with the interview, you can ask that they

keep their own notes and provide you with feedback on the interview. Use these notes to

help you compare the positive and negative qualifications. Give yourself time to think about

who is most likely to meet the Participant’s needs. Generally, you will want to interview more

than one person. This is an important decision, and you want to have as many choices as

possible.

Checking References

After you have interviewed several people, decide which applicant (s) you would like to hire as a Support Service Worker. Once you have made that decision, check their references. References may give you important information that you could not get any other way, such as whether the person is difficult to work with or unreliable .

Suggestions for the interview: Describe the job requirements in detail Ask work-related, open-ended questions (questions

that can’t be answered with a yes or no answer). Tell the person what you expect in an employee Tell the person about the work schedule Provide the person with a copy of the job description

and SSW Qualification Form Explain the Participant’s disability as well as you can Be very up-front and clear, especially about duties that

might make a person uncomfortable Notice not only what the person says, but also how

he/she says it Give the person plenty of chances to ask questions and

give honest answers Give the person general information about wages and

describe an “average day”


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Who are good references? The best references are usually those people who have used your

applicant as a Support Service Worker. They know about the person’s work performance and

habits when providing support services. If your applicant has no prior support service

experience, then other good reference sources would be previous employers or former co-

workers. Try to avoid family members or friends as references. They will not know about the

applicant’s work habits and they are likely to tell you only the good things. When talking to a reference, explain the type of work the person will be doing. Tell the reference that you will keep all information they share confidential. A reference must feel comfortable enough to give you an honest and accurate assessment of the person. Take notes of what the reference says. If you are checking many references, it will be easy to get confused about who said what about which person. You may not get many answers from references. Some people do not want to say anything bad about another person. If a reference does not give you much information, move on to the next reference. You cannot know why a reference gives you little information or if the lack of information means something bad.

Questions to Consider before Making an Offer

When you are deciding which applicant to hire, you may want to consider the

following questions:

What important skills and experience does each applicant have? What is your feeling about each applicant based on the interview and other

contacts you have had? What useful information did you get from each applicant’s references? How would it feel working with each of the applicant’s you interviewed? Would you feel comfortable giving each applicant directions or corrections?

o This is especially important if you are thinking about hiring a friend or relative.

Remember that you can hire more than one employee. Consider asking the applicants you decide not to hire if they would be interested in working as a back-up employee for you.


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Completing the Support Service Worker Enrollment Packet

When you receive your Common Law Employer Enrollment Packet, you should also have received two Support Service Worker Enrollment Packets. These packets contain all the necessary forms to enroll a Support Service Worker in the VF/EA FMS service option. All forms have an informational page included and can be downloaded from the Public Partnerships web site. If you do not have internet access, you can contact the Public Partnerships Customer Service Center and request additional packets or forms. The Common Law Employer is responsible for recruiting, interviewing and ensuring all Support Service Worker (SSW) Enrollment Packet forms are completed and submitted. The SSW is required to live in the following states in order for them to be qualified, hired and paid for services provided: Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, New York and New Jersey. A more detailed explanation of the Support Service Worker Qualification Form and Criminal Background process are provided below. Support Service Worker Qualification Form

A. Page one of the form must be completed with the name of the Participant, Common Law Employer and SSW being qualified, and the type of qualification.

i. An initial qualification occurs when a new SSW is being hired. ii. Ongoing verification of qualification occurs bi‐annually to meet the waiver

requirement.

iii. The chart on the bottom of page 1 should be used when completing the qualification verification on page 2.

B. Page two shows the 6 direct services that are available for an SSW to provide. i. For all services a minimum of the following must be verified and box underneath

the service checked: a) 18 yrs of age or older b) Legal Resident of PA (or contiguous state)

ii. If an SSW is being hired to provide enhanced services, as authorized on the ISP, the documentation that must be submitted, as part of the SSW enrollment process, could include Licenses/Degree and/or Training and Experience as indicated in the right column of the chart.


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iii. If the Support Service Worker will be providing transportation, either paid as transportation mile or as part of the direct service, the following fields must be verified and marked (license, registration and proof of insurance must be submitted):

a) Automobile Insurance b) Valid Driver’s License c) Current State Motor Vehicle Registration d) Date of Last Inspection must be indicated

C. On Page three the CLE and SSW must read and agree to the three statements by initialing where appropriate. The SSW and Common Law Employer must complete their names and sign where appropriate under the Common Law Employer and SSW Attestation section stating that they will comply with waiver requirements and submit Support Service Worker qualification documentation to PPL as necessary.

Criminal Background Checks

Once you have made a decision in regard to which applicant you want to hire, and upon submitting a completed Support Service Worker Enrollment Packet to Public Partnerships, LLC; Criminal Background checks will need to be completed. Public Partnerships will do this for you. Public Partnerships will process, and make payment for, all required Criminal Background Checks per the following guidelines:

1. Request for Criminal Record Check (SP 4‐164 (7‐2009): Required on all potential SSWs. This is an online registry check that returns results within 24hrs. The authorization to complete this check is included in the SSW Enrollment Packet and must be completed by the SSW and submitted by the CLE with the SSW enrollment packet.

2. Child Abuse Clearances Check (CY 113 (UF) 6/11): Required when the SSW will provide services to a Participant under the age of 18. The authorization for PPL to complete this check is included in the SSW Enrollment Packet and must be completed along with the Child Abuse Clearance Check form.

3. Federal Bureau of Investigation: Required when the SSW has not lived in Pennsylvania for at least two years and/or when the SSW will provide services to a Participant under the age of 18.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The Child Abuse Clearances Check and FBI Clearance can extend the enrollment process up to 3 weeks!


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There is a list of excluded offenses that prohibit an individual from providing services in the program. If the record contains one of these offenses the SSW cannot be hired, according to ODP.

Note: If an SSW has current (processed within the last 12 months) criminal clearances they may provide the clearances and will not be required to obtain them again.

SSW Rate Sheet

The rate sheet should indicate the agreed upon pay rate by service and should be approved by

the Administrative Entity.

ODP sets an hourly wage range, by region, per service the Common Law Employers uses to determine the rate of pay their SSWs will be paid for each service code. The Common Law Employer will discuss and agree upon a rate with the SSW (additional wages may be provided if the CLE wishes to offer an optional benefit allowance). The agreed upon hourly rate must fall within the wage range for the established area in which the County/Administrative Entity is located. If you have questions, your Supports Coordinator can assist you in the proper area rate designation. The Rate Sheet must be completed by the Common Law Employer and then the pay rate and procedure codes validated by the Administrative Entity. Upon approval the rate sheet will be fax (or email) to Public Partnerships: 1.855‐405‐7037 or [email protected]

See the following page for an image and further explanation of the Rate Sheet



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Good To Serve Status for an SSW

A Good to Serve status for a Support Service Worker, means that:

The SSW and CLE have completed and submitted all required SSW paperwork, and all background checks have been processed and returned.

A completed and approved Rate Sheet has been received by Public Partnerships from the SC/County (AE) for the SSW.

The CLE will be notified when the SSW is Good to Serve by a phone call from PPL Customer Service and will receive a letter as follow up indicating the Good to Serve date and employee ID for timesheet completion. The CLE is responsible to notify the SSW that he or she is good to Serve.

ODP Wage Ranges vary by

region and you as the

Common Law Employer can

choose between wage

ranges with and without a

benefit allowance. The

current ODP Wage Ranges

can be found on

odpconsulting.net

Both you and your Supports

Coordinator must sign the

Rate Sheet prior to

submission.


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The SSW’s ability to begin work can only occur after the CLE receives notification that their SSW Enrollment Packet is completed and they are qualified to work. An SSW that will provide services for a newly enrolling Participant cannot begin working until the Common Law Employer has completed their enrollment forms.

Employing a Support Service Worker (SSW)

Once your applicant has successfully passed the background check and all paperwork has been

completed correctly and received by PPL, the SSW can begin working for you. Creating a Work Schedule

Creating a work schedule for the SSW will ensure the Participant’s needs are always met and

that the SSW understands what tasks you want done and when. In the VF/EA FMS service

option, you create the work schedule for your Support Service Worker (s). If you only have one

SSW, this may be easy, but, if you have more than one, scheduling may be more difficult. You

will need to decide when you want the services delivered, and who you want to perform

certain tasks.

REMEMBER: No SSW can work more than 40

hours per week. If the Participant is authorized to receive more than 40 hours of services per week, you will need to hire more than one SSW and divide the time between the employees.

If an SSW works over 40 hours per week, Public Partnerships will pay them at 1.5x their normal hourly salary. Authorizing overtime is both against program rules and MAY result in the Participant running out of authorize dollars before authorized units.

Support Service Workers are paid every two weeks, according to the PPL schedule which is included in the SSW Enrollment Packet and available on the PPL Website. Follow these instructions to get a copy of the current payroll schedule from the PPL website:

Go to www.publicpartnerships.com Select the Who We Serve Select Pennsylvania Select the ODP Program

The Pay Schedule is located under Payroll Information. You can also contact the Customer Service Center and request a copy.


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If you hire more than one SSW, you might divide the tasks among your employees equally, or you may assign tasks based upon skills and abilities or preferences.

Be very clear about your expectations for meeting the work schedule. Post your schedule in a place where all will see it. In the same place as emergency

contacts is a good place to keep everything together. Discuss how you and the SSWs will make changes to the schedule. For example, discuss

how much notice you need and how much notice you will try to give before making a change.

As the employer, you determine how much flexibility in the work scheduling you will accept. Respect your employees’ time in the same way you want them to respect yours. If you often ask employees to stay late, it could cause problems and you may lose them.

What If a Support Service Worker Does Not Report To Work?

You will need to rely on the emergency back-up plan including other qualified SSWs or natural

supports.

You should be aware of the information in your emergency back-up plan and whether or not you completed a Qualified Back-up Support Service Worker (SSW) and/or Natural Support Staff Designation form. The back-up plan describes the qualified emergency back-up SSWs and/or natural supports you have determined to provide coverage should your regular qualified SSW not report for work. The back-up plan was completed by you when you enrolled in the VF/EA FMS service option and should have been submitted to the Administrative Entity and/or Supports Coordinator. The emergency back-up plan also may include agency provider services (should your designated qualified emergency back-up SSW or natural supports not be able meet your emergency coverage needs for any reason).

Using family, friends, and neighbors as a natural support is encouraged and they usually are available on short notice.

Contact your Supports Broker, if you have one, for assistance and advice. On the next business day, contact your Supports Coordinator to inform him or her of

the need to utilize your emergency back-up plan, and who delivered the service (SSW or Provider).

REMEMBER: The emergency back-up SSW must be enrolled with PPL and qualified prior to providing coverage in order to be paid using waiver funds.


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Supervising and Evaluating Performance

Supervising and evaluating the Support Service Worker (s) will be an on-going task for you as a

Common Law Employer. Good supervision can improve both the quality of assistance the

Participant receives and your employer – employee relationships. In the VF/EA FMS service

option, you, as the Common Law Employer are the supervisor for your Support Service Worker

(s). This means you direct, oversee and manage them to make certain the participant’s service

needs are being met. Supervising is more art than science. You will need to work with your

SSW on what style of supervision works best for the both of you.

Things to consider as a supervisor:

1. Quality is how well tasks are being done. Does your SSW complete tasks or deliver the services the way they were instructed?

2. Quantity is how often they are performing the services. Is your SSW performing the services as required or are they not completing all job duties as listed in the job description?

3. Time management is about staying on schedule. Do your employees complete tasks or perform the services when they are scheduled? Are your employees on time to work?

Supervising Tips and Techniques:

Be ready to keep training – Things will change and good supervision will require on-going training. If the Participant’s needs change, training on new tasks may be necessary. The SSW may have more questions that any initial training did not cover. Even though something is clear to you doesn’t mean it is clear to them.

Monitor the SSW’s work – Monitor the SSW so you can tell them if they are doing the tasks the way you instructed them. If not, more training may be necessary. If training doesn’t help, you may need to take a different approach. You’ll want to pay attention to what your employee is doing so the Participant is well cared for.

Be clear about what you want – By agreeing to take the job, your SSW has agreed to do tasks the way you need them to be done, and you have a right to expect that in return. Be clear about what you want and how you want it done. If you are not clear, they may be guessing about how you want something done, which will increase the chance that you are not happy with work.


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Work together – Work with your SSW as a partner to solve problems. Listen to your their suggestions. Over time, they may have some good ideas or some useful experience to draw upon. Remember that sometimes “Two heads are better than one.”

Learn to say “No” – If you do not agree with your SSW’s suggestions or ideas, say so. But, be respectful – it will help to develop a stronger relationship.

Be in charge – Although an SSW may have suggestions, you are the Employer and are always “in charge.” As an employer, you should always respect your employee (s), but they need to know that they are there to assist the participant and not to make decisions for you.

Deal with problems – When an SSW performs poorly, point it out. With patience, remind them how to do things. Deal with problems when they happen. Problems that are not handled quickly may get worse. Be respectful when correcting. Remember: you are trying to fix the problem, not the person!

Take disciplinary action when necessary – If correction and more training do not help, the problem is performance, not skills. In this case, discuss the situation with the SSW. Try to discover if they understand that their performance is not acceptable. If after the discussion they do not improve, try giving them a warning. If the performance still does not improve, it will be necessary to take disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

The Support Service Worker is a person -treat them as such – In all things, treat your

employee the way you want to be treated. Treat your employee respectfully; like they are your partner in the care for the Participant.

To ensure you are getting the best services from your SSW (s), evaluate them regularly. Even though you supervise them daily, you may want to do a formal evaluation from time to time. How often you evaluate an SSW will be different for each person. You may wish to evaluate a new SSW more regularly until you are confident in their work. For a more experienced employee, evaluations can be scheduled further apart. Essentially, the more confidence you feel about an SSW’s performance, the less you will need to do formal evaluations.

If you have problems with an employee’s performance, plan to evaluate them more

often. For formal evaluations, use a prepared evaluation form. Be sure your form has

the same or similar items as the SSW job description.


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Dismissing a Support Service Worker

Most people do not like dismissing or firing someone. However, sometimes an SSW you hired

may not work out. People change and situations change. If you find an SSW is not meeting the

Participant’s needs, you may have to dismiss that person. Keeping a regular schedule for

reviewing the SSW’s job performance can help you decide if you have grounds for dismissal.

Weigh all your options before you dismiss an SSW. Sometimes trying to correct problems with

them might be a better option since hiring a new SSW will take time and effort. Some Grounds for Termination

The reasons to dismiss someone immediately will vary. Here are some of the

most common reasons:

The SSW’s work does not meet your expectations

The SSW is late or fails to show up regularly

The SSW’s personal habits bother you or the Participant

The SSW does not pay attention to your instructions

You find you are having too many arguments. You do not feel safe and comfortable with the SSW providing services to the Participant, even after working with them for several weeks

The SSW has a schedule that is not flexible enough to meet the Participant’s needs

The SSW violates your employment conditions outlined in the Support Service Worker Employment Agreement

Grounds for Immediate Termination Some actions by an SSW may be grounds for dismissing them right away. Hopefully you covered these with your SSW when they started working for you. These grounds include:

• Consuming alcohol on the job • Taking illegal drugs on the job • Coming to work under the influence • Stealing from your home • Abusing the Participant in any way

If any of these situations occur, contact your Supports Coordinator as soon as possible to report these acts.


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Support Service Worker Changes

When an employee quits or is dismissed, you will need to complete a “Discontinuation of

Employment” form and fax or mail to Public Partnerships. The Discontinuation of Employment

Form is located on the Public Partnerships Website and can be mailed upon request.

Incident Reporting

The Common Law Employer Agreement form outlines your responsibilities as a Common Law

Employer, and one of the items agreed to is “In accordance with ODP policy on reportable

incidents, report any reportable incidents to the Supports Coordinator (SC).” The below

question and answer can help you understand incidents and how to report them.

What are reportable incidents?

How are reportable incidents defined? Reportable incidents are defined in the Incident

Management Bulletin No. 6000-04-01

When do I report the incident and to whom? You must report all reportable incidents to the

Supports Coordinator.

What resources are available to help you meet your responsibilities?

Resources can be found on The Partnership web site found at:

www.thetrainingpartnership.org

Reportable incidents

Abuse Injury requiring treatment beyond first aid

Neglect Missing person

Misuse of funds Law enforcement activity

Rights violation Fire

Hospitalization, including psychiatric Death

Emergency room visit Suicide attempt

http://www.thetrainingpartnership.org/


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The PA Guide to Participant Directed Services can be found under the Resources tab >

Participant-Directed Services.

The Incident Management Bulletin No. 6000-04-01 can be found by using the following path:

Publications>List of Current Bulletins.

If you do not have web access, or need additional assistance, call the Supports Coordinator,

he/she can provide you with the needed information.

What training do I need to provide to my Supports Service Worker (SSW)?

Your SSWs also have responsibilities to report incidents to you. As a Common Law Employer

you are responsible to train them. Regulation 55 PA Code § 51.17 Incident management

governs waiver funded services requiring SSWs to report an incident to you, the CLE, when it

occurs during their time working. You, as the Common Law Employer, are required to provide

training to the SSWs on this responsibility.

In order to receive funding for programs like the one you are the Common Law Employer for, The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has made assurances to the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) for our approved waivers. One of the assurances made is that we have a statewide system to identify and report incidents. ODP does have a comprehensive system, and as a Common Law Employer you are a critical member of this system.

If you encounter an incident, even if you are unsure whether you need to report it or not, you can contact Public Partnerships at 1-877-634-6805 or your Support Coordinator, to report the incident.

Working together we can ensure safeguards for all waiver participants

State Unemployment Insurance If you are permanently terminating or temporarily not receiving Participant-Directed Services, your Support Service Worker may be eligible to receive unemployment insurance benefits. You should advise your SSW that they have a right to apply for unemployment insurance benefits. Once PPL receives notice that unemployment benefits have been applied for, it will provide the required wage and termination history to the regional State Unemployment Insurance Office.


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Participants in the VF/EA service option are enrolled in one of the Home and Community Based Waivers offered by the Office of Developmental Programs: Consolidated or Person/Family Directed Supports (P/FDS). Each Participant enrolled in the VF/EA FMS service option has an approved and authorized Individual Supports Plan (ISP). The Supports Coordinator is responsible for assisting the participant and his/her family (or surrogate) to understand the ISP process and work with the participant to identify who is invited to the Team Meeting.

The Individual Supports Plan The ISP contains important information on how best to provide supports and to minimize risk. On the first page of the ISP in the section titled Plan Summary you will find the Waiver and Participant Directed Service option the participant is currently enrolled in. If you have questions regarding the types of services offered under the Participant’s Waiver OR if there are any service limitations, please contact your Supports Coordinator. You should have a copy of your ISP at home at all times and know which services are authorized under the VF/EA FMS service option and the stated Frequency (described later in this section). Any questions in regard to the ISP, waiver type, services or Frequency should be directed to your Supports Coordinator. Understanding Your ISP:

The ISP is updated each year during the ISP Annual Review meeting, and as needed, in response to changing needs of the participant

The ISP is developed based on the Participant’s needs at the time of the meeting. It is understood that the Participant’s needs may change over time.

Any change in service needs MUST be communicated to the Supports Coordinator immediately.

The ISP results from discussion about a number of functional health assessments such as:

Formal and informal assessments, including ODP’s statewide needs assessment;

Medical information including current health status, and;

Physical development and lifetime medical history

Section Four: Managing the Self-Directed Services


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Understanding the ISP: Units and Dollars

Units in the ISP

The Individual Support Plan contains Unit and Dollar amounts, as well as a weekly Frequency.

UNITS: Services in the ISP will either be 15 Minute Units or Day Units of service. To determine if a service is in15min or 24 hour units, see the ISP Manual.

DOLLARS in the ISP

The Supports Coordinator will discuss the rate (s) of pay for the Support Service Worker (s) when determining the amount of service funds in the ISP.

Dollars: The dollar amount on the ISP is the hourly rate + Employer taxes and Worker’s Compensation multiplied by the number of authorized hours (units divided by four).

1 HOUR = 4 UNITS

The most used 15 MIN UNIT Services Are: • W7060: Home and Community Habilitation

• W1727: Companion Services

• W7258: Respite In-Home 15 Min

Here is an example of annual ISP Units and Dollars:

2,000 Units = 500 Hours of Care

SSW Hourly Wage = $10

SSW Wage + Employer Taxes and WC = $12.50

500 Hours x $12.50 = $6,250


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Other Important ISP Information Within the ISP, there is a section titled Outcome Action Plan– within this section is Frequency and Duration of Actions Needed. This is where the Frequency and Duration of Services are documented. The Frequency of a service is the number of times that the service must be provided (i.e. daily, weekly, monthly or annually depending on the service) based on the needs of the individual.

The Frequency is an ideal schedule… but life is not ideal. If a situation arises that forces scheduling changes, ask yourself, is this an event or a

short term/long term issue that changes the need?

Key Notes:

Be sure that you are scheduling your Support Service Worker (s) hours within the Frequency amount specified. So if the Participant is approved for 20 hrs per week, you should only be scheduling SSWs to work 20 hrs per week.

OVERTIME IS NOT ALLOWED per the program rules!

SSW Absence

•You have two SSWs and one calls out sick for the week.

•You may want to use a natural support named in the back up plan or ask the other SSW to cover.

Short Term Issue

•The Participant falls down the stairs and will need assistance during the day (companion services) for the next month.

•Contact your SC and discuss the temporary change in need.

Long Term Issue

•The Participant’s chronic medical condition deteriorates.

•Contact your SC immediately and discuss the change in condition to re-assess the service options.


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Service Utilization Service Utilization is a term used to describe how many hours (or units) per day, week, month or per plan year the Waiver Participant is authorized to receive a service and how many units were actually used. This is a self-directed program and therefore, the CLE must be actively managing the services to meet the needs of the individual. With the freedom to manage services according to need, comes the responsibility of ensuring authorized ISP services units/dollars are not exceeded. Public Partnerships is the Fiscal Agent of the Common Law Employer and therefore can only pay SSW wages up to the total service amount authorized in the ISP. Knowing the authorized services, their frequency and scheduling your SSWs consistently with the frequency will lead to successful management of authorized services.

Four Keys to Successfully Managing Self-Directed Services

1. Know the Frequency at which services should be provided a. If you do not know your service Frequency based on the individuals ISP, you

should contact the Supports Coordinator. b. If participant’s needs change during the ISP year, contact the SC immediately. c. Scheduling more weekly hours than are stated in the ISP frequency section is the

#1 reason why Participants do not have enough Units/Dollars at the end of the plan year.

2. The ODP VF/EA FMS service option does NOT allow overtime

a. By PA Labor and Industry law, PPL must pay overtime when submitted at a pay rate that is time and a half.

b. Allowing or scheduling SSWs for hours that result in overtime will, result in the authorized service amount to be exhausted before all authorized units have been provided.

c. The best way to avoid Overtime is making sure you have enough qualified Support Service Workers OR reliable natural supports that can provide care when an SSW cannot.

IMPORTANT NOTE: As the Common Law Employer, you signed an agreement stating that

you: Understand that the VF/EA is not authorized to pay for any service not approved and

authorized in the ISP or any request that exceeds the participant’s budget and funds for

the PDS program as stated in the ISP.


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d. When the Common Law Employer authorizes overtime, they are not in compliance with the Common Law Employer Agreement which could lead to removal of the Common Law Employer.

3. Closely review the monthly Budget Report mailed by PPL

a. If you are not receiving reports monthly, contact PPL immediately. b. Pay close attention to the amount of remaining units and dollars c. There is a section listed below which will help explain the monthly Budget

Report sent by PPL. If you need additional assistance understanding the Budget Report, contact PPL.

4. Knowing your employee’s current rates of pay is highly important a. Your Supports Coordinator uses a calculation tool based on the rate the

Common Law Employer pay their SSW, according to the approved SSW Rate Sheet. It is very important that the Common Law Employer understands that if they choose to have SSWs switch shifts on a regular basis AND those SSWs have different pay rates, allowing a higher paid SSW to work more hours will use MORE service dollars, but the SAME number of units, which could lead to using up all the budget for the service faster than expected.

b. In some circumstances, when authorized services are used up no adjustments can be made to the ISP. The result will be a break in this service for the last month, or more, of the fiscal year leaving the participant with no services! The Common Law Employer is responsible to manage services to ensure the Participant receives them uninterrupted through the dates listed on the ISP.


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Reading Your Monthly Budget Report

Once your employee begins working, you will receive a monthly budget report from PPL. Take

a few minutes to review the report to make sure the information is correct and to review the

remaining dollars and units left on the Participant’s ISP. The report will contain information

about how much your Support Service Workers were paid, the hours and days they worked,

your authorized units and dollars for each service, and their remaining balances. Part of Public Partnerships role is to keep the Common Law Employer informed of their service

usage. The primary tool provided is in the form of a monthly spending report. The Monthly

Budget report is mailed the third week of each month for services provided in the prior month.

Monthly Budget Report


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What are Progress Notes? A Progress Note is a required document that outlines what the SSW did while working with the participant. The SSW or the CLE should complete the Progress Note each time the SSW works with the participant. It is required that each time an SSW works that there is documentation of the time worked and what occurred during that time is maintained to support the delivery of service.

This document is used by the Supports Coordinator to determine that the services are being provided as outlined in the ISP.

Without Progress Notes, your Supports Coordinator cannot know whether the Outcomes in the ISP are being worked on consistently.

The state or Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) can request to see copies of these at any time. Failure to have completed Progress Notes can have an effect on waiver funding.

It helps you, the CLE to monitor what the SSW is doing while working with the participant. This allows you to make adjustments to skills and activities performed.

It aids the Supports Coordinator in monitoring participant’s services and progress toward ISP goals. Your Supports Coordinator should be reviewing Progress Notes during each visit he/she makes to your home.

On the following pages you will find the proper way to complete Progress Notes.

Section Five: Progress Notes

Please Remember: It is the responsibility of the CLE to approve the Progress Notes and to keep them in the Participant’s file at home for review by the Supports Coordinator.


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For demonstration purposes we will utilize fictional individuals. Participant: John Doe Common Law Employer (CLE): Jane Doe Support Service Worker (SSW): Sally Smith Services Received: W7060, Home and Community Habilitation Frequency of service: 10 hours per week List the Outcome as specified in the ISP Goals in ISP for this service: Personal hygiene and grooming skills, Money management

and budgeting, Basic meal preparation Provide a description of what occurred during the delivery of the service SSW must sign and date the Progress Note and indicate the time worked

Page One


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Page Two


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Other Information

PPL Web Portal

For those Common Law Employer online, PPL offers a Web Portal that employers can access at any time for up to the minute remaining services units and dollars. Registration is free and only takes a few minutes – there are no applications to download, all the employer needs is internet access. The link to the portal is on the following page.

What are the Employer Tax Rates for ODP in 2014? Social Security: 6.2% Medicare: 1.45% Federal Unemployment: 0.6% State Unemployment Rate (New Employer Rate): 3.68%* Workers’ Compensation: 5%

Total New Employer Tax Rate: 16.93% Each year the State Unemployment Rate is reviewed and may change.

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