10149 Chapter 5 Bureau Of Elder And Adult Services

10-149 chapter 5 bureau of elder and adult services policy manual section 75 family caregiver support program effective september 1, 200

10-149 Chapter 5
Bureau of Elder and Adult Services Policy Manual
Section 75 Family Caregiver Support Program Effective September 1,
2004
Section 75 FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM
75.01 DEFINITIONS
A.
Child means an individual who is not more than eighteen (18) years
of age.
(B) Older Individual means an individual who is 60 years of age or
older.
(C) Family Caregiver means an adult family member, or another
individual, who is an informal caregiver provider of in-home and
community care to an older individual.
(D) Grandparent or Older Individual Who is a Relative Caregiver means
a grandparent or step grandparent of a child, or a relative of a child
by blood or marriage, who is sixty (60) years of age or older and
1.
lives with the child;
2.
is the primary caregiver of the child because the biological or
adoptive parents are unable or unwilling to serve as the primary
caregiver of the child; and
3.
has a legal relationship to the child, such as legal custody or
guardianship or is raising the child informally.
75.02 REQUIREMENTS OF AREA AGENCIES ON AGING (AAA)
A.
In conducting the Family Caregiver Support Program, AAA, or
entities contracted with by the AAA, will provide multifaceted
systems of support services for family caregivers and for
grandparents or older individuals who are relative caregivers.
B.
The services provided by AAA or entity that such agency has
contracted with, shall include:
(1) information to caregivers about available services;
(2) assistance to caregivers in gaining access to services;
(3) individual counseling, organization of support groups, and
caregiver training to caregivers to assist the caregivers in making
decisions and solving problems relating to their caregiver roles;
(4) respite care to enable caregivers to be temporarily relieved from
their caregiving responsibilities; and
(5) supplemental services on a limited basis {no more than twenty (20)
percent of the federal funding} to complement the care provided by
caregivers.
(C) Respite care and supplemental services may be provided to:
1.
The caregiver of an older individual who needs assistance with
at least 2 ADLs, which include only bed mobility, transfer,
locomotion, eating, toileting, bathing and dressing as defined
in Section 63.02(B) of this BEAS Policy Manual or has a
cognitive or other mental impairment that requires substantial
supervision; or
2.
The grandparent (age 60 or older) or older individual, as
defined in 75.01 (B), who is a relative caregiver of a child.
(D) Priority will be given to older individuals with greatest social
and economic need (with particular attention to low-income older
individuals) and older individuals providing care and support to
persons with mental retardation and related developmental
disabilities.
(E) Funding shall not be used to provide respite or adult day services
to the caregivers of individuals who are eligible for or currently
receiving other state or MaineCare funded home and community-based
services, including Private Duty Nursing/Personal Care Services, or
Respite Care for People with Alzheimer’s or Related Disorders, except
when the care recipient is on a waiting list for those services.
(F) Funds made available shall supplement, and not supplant, any
Federal, State or local funds currently being used to provide services
to caregivers.
(G) No more than ten percent (10%) of the area agency’s funds may be
spent serving older relative caregivers of children.
(H) AAA will set aside a portion of their funding for joint activities
with a statewide impact.
(I) Each AAA will set aside a portion of funds allocated based on
population seventy and older (70+) for grants/contracts to local
agencies to identify caregivers, link them to current services or to
work with community organizations for in-service training,
establishment of support groups, respite care and/or leadership
training.
(J) To the extent that budgeted resources permit and to the extent
that there is no waiting list for respite services, funds appropriated
under 22 MRSA §7308 may be used to meet up to 80% of the match
requirement for the National Family Caregiver Support Program.
75.03 STAFF REQUIREMENTS
The AAA must designate a minimum of one full time equivalent staff,
qualified through education and/or experience, to the Family Caregiver
Support Program. This requirement may be waived if the AAA can
demonstrate that it is adequately managing with an alternate staffing
pattern.
75.04 RECORDS AND REPORTS
The AAA will make such reports, in such form and containing such
information as the Bureau may from time to time require, and comply
with such requirements as the Bureau may impose to assure the accuracy
of these reports.
75.05 RIGHT OF APPEAL REGARDING FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT
A.
Services may be denied, reduced or terminated when:
(1) The individual requesting services is not a family caregiver or
grandparent or older individual as defined in Section 75.01; or
(2) Based on the assessment done by the area agency on aging, services
are reduced to match the caregiver’s needs; or
(3) The caregiver voluntarily requests a reduction or termination; or
4.
The caregiver or care recipient engages in sexual or other illegal
harassment of an employee or volunteer of a provider; or
4.
The participation of the caregiver or the care recipient puts
others, including service providers, in danger; or
4.
Funds are not available.
B.
Denial, reduction or termination of services under Section 75 must
be done in accordance with Section 40 of this manual.
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