Support Staff:

WELCOME!!!!

You are a member of a great, caring team of Service Providers helping children and their families with challenges, stress reduction in their lives and in navigating the world successfully!

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SAFETY is our #1 priority. Helping a child or teen with confidence, socializing successfully, anger management, hygiene or other challenges are what we do successfully every day with our PS KIDS.

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IMPORTANT: A positive PS KIDS reputation is extremely important in the community. We have a great team of staff and are developing a wonderful reputation for consistent, enriching and supportive services.

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ACTIVITY FORMS now have a comment section below the parent/guardian's signature. We ask that all caretakers write a comment in this section when they sign the activity forms. The feedback is good for us to have and keeps us informed of how they are viewing our service. If they prefer not to write a comment - please write "No comment" in the section.

If you find you are not consistent with your client, please call the office and we can work out a schedule that can suit everyone's schedules and needs. If you let a problem lapse it will interfere with the clients chance of improvement and we will lose our positive reputation in the community. If a client is not seen for over 1.5 weeks call the office to discuss scheduling issues or write an e-mailing detailing the attempts you made to contact the client, and what the response was.

If a client is hospitalized or moved to a residential setting we would like services to continue ..... in a lot of the cases, we are the only friendly face a child or youth sees! The office should be called immediately with an update if our client is moved so that we can get the necessary approvals for continued services.
NEW IDEAS!

• Find something that you can complement your client on.
• Help your client feel good about something he or she has done or aspires to do.
• Find an interest you and your client can work on together.
• Greet your client with a smile - show enjoyment when you are with him/her.
• Volunteer or participate in a learning experience with your client.
• Help a teen learn about how to find a job or research and look at local colleges.

Response time: When PS KIDS gets a referral we respond to the Referring Professional and Client's parent within 24 hours. Our matches are done as soon as we have enough client information to make a good match with our providers. Once the referral and Intake is completed we will e-mail our Providers or fax the referral to Gretchen Elder, Lead Clinician the same day. With this in mind we are asking that when you are matched and receive the intake forms please contact the family within a day or two. This will keep our response time to four-five days. If there is a problem with communication or your schedule is busy please call the office to discuss an alternative plan for the client.

If there is a wait list, the office will explain it to the Referring Professional on the initial contact.

DO NOT accept a new client if you are not going to work with the client for the total allowed time he/she is assigned to us for services. If you accept a new assignment, you are obligated to provide services for the entire authorized time. We understand schedules change, these assignments are for approximately three to six months and the children, families and referring professionals are relying on us for consistent services.

Thanks for your feedback on clients!

Some general ideas to successfully manage your independent work with PS KIDS:

• Please hand in your paperwork every month on the 1st and the 15th by noon. 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 you can not hand in your paperwork it is mandatory that you meet one on one with the Director or Lead Clinician PRIOR to the hand in date.
• Schedule your client once to twice per week consistently!
• Call your client's referring professional once to twice per month to keep them posted on how your client is doing. A fifteen second voice mail is appreciated.
• If you can not see your client weekly - call Diane to discuss alternative scheduling.
• Let the office know if your client will be running out of hours in the next month or two. We will talk to the referring professional to see what might be the best course of action for their client. It is best to give the referring professional time to arrange other services or give us an extension of services.
• Reminder: We can not pay you for hours over the authorized allotment. Call the office if you need an update on the number of remaining hours you have with your client.

SAFETY SEAT:

• All staff please review and update your knowledge of car seats and safety of children and teens in your car. You can use your PS KIDS orientation manual for info and links or you can google a good CT site.
• When working with a new car seat, it is advisable to ask the parent or caretaker for info on proper use of the seat - they are all different and we can't be familiar with all kinds. If you have your own car seat, please have it professionally installed at a car seat station within CT,
• No children should be in the front seat unless they meet the State requirements for weight and size.
• Infants remain in rear facing until they are a minimum of both 20 lbs. and one year old.
• Toddlers must be in car seat until they are 40 lbs. or more and reach the limit of the car seat.
• Children should ride in a car seat or booster seat until they reach 7 years old AND 60 pounds. It is suggested children ride in a booster seat until they are 4'9".
• Children should ride in the back seat until they are 13 years old.
• EVERYONE in a car should have seat belts properly attached to their safety seat or shoulder/lap.