Hi All,
I’m posting this now, because we are approaching the “first year” anniversary of a large number of SCs. Congrats all!
This also means that a number of you have reached the point (365 days – or one year) when you need to re-explain and re-offer your SC services to members/residents who declined SC services at this time last year.
So, what does this entail?
Case management procedures explain that you do need to personally offer your services to members/residents once a year. A personal offer means that you specifically explained your services and offered them to an individual member/resident. This can be in the form of a direct, face-to-face conversation in your office, their apartment, or in a discrete location in the common areas; or this can be a personalized letter (clipped to door – if approved in your Co-op/Village), “snail-mailed” via USPS, or otherwise delivered; a voicemail message if you have access to a telephone number; or a comparable direct offer. If the member tells you in person, over the phone, on your voice mail, or in writing that they are either accepting or declining your services, you are done! The “ask” is complete and you either proceed with an intake, assessement, and Initial Service Plan for the member/resident, or you note in your Progress Notes the method of offering your services, the method in which they declined, and the the next step is that you will reoffer services again in another year (unless they come to you first).
If there is no answer to your initial inquiry, you need to reoffer your services up to 3 discreet times. Each must be recorded in your Progress Notes. If a member/resident does not answer your inquiry after 3 offers, you can consider it to be a “no” and that they are declining your services. Please note this in your Progress Notes and your next step will be reoffering your services in another year.
Possible tips:
– Let your Co-op Leadership Team (or Village Administrator) know that it is a time of year that you are re-offering your services to members/residents. Explain the process. Also explain that if members/residents report feeling badgered or pressured by multiple inquiries, they simply need to respond yes or no to the SC and the process will be finalized without additional inquiries for another year.
– Announce during your scheduled educational workshop that this effort is in progress.
– Hold another “meet and greet”.
This is a great topic for a SC Conference Call to share what is working (and isn’t) at your site.
Enjoy this opportunity to reintroduce yourself to members/residents you don’t see as often, may have been initially uneasy about the SC program, or have experienced life changes in the past year that have made them ready to consider working with you.
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