New Post:

NEW DOCUMENTATION DATES AND PROCEDURES:

• CREDENTIALING: You are sent monthly reminders and given up to two months to hand in documentation to keep your credentialing current before the State takes you off of the credentialing list. IF YOU ARE NOT ON THE STATE OF CT credentialed list, you are immediately terminated as an employee of PS KIDS nor can you work with our clients. The State is now checking monthly for anyone not on the list working with their clients. This puts PS KIDS in jeopardy! Hand in your paperwork on time!
• Hand in your payroll information on the 1st and 15th by noon every month. Checks are available on the 15th of the month.
• IMPORTANT: Payroll and per diem checks will be available on the 15th for you at either the PS KIDS Home/Office or the Chapel Street office.  Please let Diane or Shannon know what office you will be using for pick up.   Due to a number of lost mailed checks we are trying to limit mailing the checks to staff.  If you want your check to be mailed, you will be responsible for any lost checks (which encompasses a stop payment $35.00 charge) and PS KIDS to reissue a check (no charge).  All documentation should be handed in with corresponding Invoices. 
  If you have questions on forms, policies and procedures please call Diane or Gretchen for clarification.
• If a snail mailed check is lost by the Post Office, PS KIDS will pay for the stop payment on the check after 30 days and will reissue a check once only. PS KIDS will pay for ONE stop payment only, any additional lost checks are to be paid for by the employee/consultant.  If employee loses check, the fee is charged to the staff.
• All activity forms need to be signed by parent/guardian, teen over 16 years old or responsible adult.
• DO NOT take client's out without signed Intakes and Releases - hand them in to the office after the initial visit. The office should have the originals - staff keeps a copy!
• All visits must be documented. If you do not hand in your paperwork on time! CALL THE OFFICE. We do not want the referring professionals to think we are not taking a child out or neglecting our responsibilities.
• All client documentation should be kept in a safe, locked confidential place - like a locked glove compartment. If you have a medical release, you should have it available at all times you are with your client.
• If you are having problems of any kind, call the office to discuss them. We can creatively work out solutions --- you are professionals and open and full disclosure is an important aspect of this position.
• If a client is not scheduling consistently, if you are experiencing any problems, if a child is moved, then a more frequent update is warranted.
  
• Call the office if you have any questions about these procedures.

NO SHOWS! PARENTS COMING LATE TO SUPERVISED VISITATION APPOINTMENTS! MULTIPLE CANCELLATIONS!
Please notify the referring professional and the PS KIDS office. Communication is important to make proper future plans for client services and to keep the proper programming in place.

SUPERVISED VISITATION STAFF
All staff need to have a Licensed Clinician oversee your work with your clients due to State mandates.
Gretchen Elder, LCSW will be contacting you to hear feedback on the client visits.
We are also having training meetings to
discuss client situations, current problems, etc.
Something to think about!

How do you overcome a client's hesitancy for services?

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PLEASE NOTE: For Therapeutic Support Services we are only allowed one child in our care at a time. If you want to take more than one child at a time, it has to be PRE-approved by either the PS KIDS Lead Clinician, Gretchen Elder LCSW (203 824-3291) or myself and the Referring Professional. This is for special circumstances only. If you have more than one child in your care please mark it clearly on your payroll paperwork. Reimbursement is straight time only. (Any prior mention of other billing options was for Respite Services.)

The State will not allow us to bill separately for each child in our care when it is done on the same date and time. Also, the way Therapeutic Support Staffing is defined is as a one-on-one service. The State policy makers feel we are diluting the service if we are not working with these children/teens one-on-one.

1st AID and CPR re-certs can be scheduled any second Wednesday of the month with Sue VanRabenstein at High Plains Community Center. (203 891-4794) PS KIDS will pay if the state needs it to retain your credentialing and you are actively working with clients. PS KIDS will notify you when it is needed.

ATTN: Supervised Visitation staff. If you want to discuss a case please call Gretchen Elder (203 824-3291) or Diane Stahnke (203 799-1188). Gretchen will be calling you to see how you are doing with your SV's.

NEW SERVICE OFFERED: Some families live in a home that is disorganized and messy. 

We are now offering a service where the staff helps the parent and children organize and maintain their homes to create a safe, clean environment. If you are interested in learning more about staffing these kinds of referrals, let Diane know.We supply home and community based services. If a child/teen can not function in the community, we are not the right agency for him/her. If you feel a child is not handling being in the community appropriately please call the office immediately and we will discuss alternatives, resources and options for the client with the referring professional.

Safety, safety, safety for the children in our care is our number 1 priority!
Never leave a child unattended!!!!!
 All staff are not allowed to smoke, consume alcohol or illegal drugs while children are in their care.  
 If smoking, alcohol or illegal drugs are ever taken prior or during work with our clients,  the staff would be immediately terminated.   
Our number 1 priority is to keep children safe and expose them to positive enriching experiences.   

EMERGENCY SUGGESTIONS: When discussing our services with a new client and guardian please let them know that while in your care the client must stay with you.

If a child is missing call the:

• police
• guardian/parent
• PS KIDS office (203 799-1188) or Lead Clinician, Gretchen Elder LCSW (203 824-3291)
• Keep on trying to locate child
• Note location, what child is wearing and any distinguishing features.

Within 12 hours of incident:.

• *A narrative written to detail the situation and e-mailed or faxed to the office.
• *Diane or Gretchen will call the parents/guardians and referring professional.

If a client is acting out:

• de-escalate situation by moving the child to another location
• do NOT physically restrain a child
• speak calmly and in a quiet voice
• if child/teen can not be reasoned with, tell him you will be calling parent
• call parent to pick up child/teen
• if parent is unwilling to pick up the child, call the police to transport the child
• Do not transport an upset client
• call PS KIDS office to discuss incident

Within 12 hours of incident:

• *e-mail or fax write up of incident
• *Gretchen or Diane will call the parent/guardian and referring professional.

When dropping off a child -

• be sure he or she is safely in their home and an adult is present.
• some teens are allowed home alone - be sure he/she is safely IN the home.
• please have an alternative person in mind if parent is not at home when dropping off a child.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SITUATION:

If a child has an emergency medical situation:

·        Call 9-1-1

·        Accompany client to the hospital

·        Stay with client until his parent/guardian is present

·        Follow established protocol

• Call PS KIDS office (203 799-1188) or Lead Clinician, Gretchen Elder LCSW (203 824-3291)

Within 12 hours of emergency medical situation:

• *e-mail or fax write up of incident
• *Gretchen or Diane will call the parent/guardian and referring professional.

TRANSPORTATION:

• SAFETY FIRST
• NEVER LEAVE A CHILD UNATTENDED
• Review current seat belt laws and adhere to them for all the children and teens in your care. You can find links in your PS KIDS orientation packet.
• Please keep all children/teens in the rear seats unless they pass the age and weight requirements to be in a front seat.
• Seat belts are mandatory for everyone in a vehicle. If a client refuses to wear a seat belt DO NOT move the vehicle.
• When fastening or installing a car seat that is not your own, ALWAYS ask the parent/guardian/Day care provider to adjust or install the car seat in your car. We can not be knowledgeable about all kinds and makes of car seats. It is best to have someone familiar with the car seat to install it. You can explain to the parent/guardian/Day care provider that this is a safety requirement that we ask all staff NOT to install a car seat unless it is their own.  If you have your own car seat, please have it installed at one of the installation facilities within CT.
• If you are dropping multiple kids off please ask the adult (at the drop off address) to meet you outside by the car so that there is always an adult present with each child.
• ALWAYS TAKE THE CAR KEYS OUT OF THE IGNITION WHEN EXITING A CAR. DO NOT EXIT A CAR WITHOUT THE CAR KEYS IN YOUR HAND.
• A good rule of thumb is to always roll down one car window when exiting the car so that you can have access to the interior of the car if you need to.
• Never leave a car running when you drop a child off - turn the ignition off.
• Do not allow children or teens to play with keys or sit behind the wheel of a vehicle.
• If you are working with another PS KIDS staff member, discuss who will be taking the child(ren) out of the car, who is staying in the car, etc.
• It is a good idea to update the adult who is taking the child from you on any current information which might be appropriate - such as if the child is tired, hungry, was well behaved, ate a snack, napped etc.
• *Incident procedures to be followed if there is a problem - see below:

*PROCEDURES FOR INCIDENTS/ISSUES:

1. Write up within 12 hours e-mailed or faxed into office.
2. All issues shared with Diane (203) 799-1188 or Gretchen (203) 824-3291.
3. Gretchen or Diane will call to follow up with family and referring professional.

REMINDER: Review the MANDATED REPORTING and CONFIDENTIALITY information.
IMPORTANT: A client should NEVER be taken to your home!

GIFTS: Positive Services for KIDS staff (employees and Per Diem) are not allowed to take gifts from clients for ourselves or our children. As you know there are times when we are called into court or have to observe the appropriateness of a client and/or family. Although it is great to be validated for the work we do with and for our clients, it might lead to misinterpretation of our role with our clients. Keeping our boundaries is very important in this work.