Archive | April, 2013

CSI Volunteer Request

By admin on April 12, 2013 in Company News, CSI News

CSI and each Co-op have a process for inviting in external volunteers, due to them wanting to build volunteership from within the Co-op as much as possible. They don’t want potentially less able-bodied, but otherwise capable, member volunteers to feel replaced by external volunteers. Hence, SCs are not permitted to seek or host volunteers. The seeking and hosting of volunteers would need to be done by the Co-op members.

A slightly more nuanced answer does include the following consideration for individual clients:

1. If you are specifically working with a member as a client, you are welcome (with their involvement and consent) to help line up volunteers to assist from everything from phone reassurance to heavy lifting. Concerning a member with a tendency to hoard, I would stick with skilled and trained volunteers from organizations like RSVP or CSS or student interns with specialized training like Social Work students.

2. If it is for a co-op wide event, that is the domain of the co-op members/committees. In order to encourage as much “in-co-op” volunteerism as possible, I would err on not getting involved with any volunteer recruitment unless asked if you can perform a specific component of an overall volunteer event strategy that you co-plan with your leadership team.

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Community Client Eligibility

By admin on April 12, 2013 in AASC Online Forum, Reference Information

Answer:
– In order to establish a community resident as a client, you would need to do a full assessment, and that requires that they make an appointment with you in your office. Since, the potential client is a nursing home resident, that is not feasible, and hence you would be unable to establish the necessary process to engage in a client relationship.
– HUD guidelines state that SCs can provide case management, but only when client has no other access to case management services. This potential client potentially has access to case management through the social worker at her nursing home (which should be your primary referral), through the case manager at TSA for the NFT program (your secondary referral), or private pay care management.
– The intent of serving community clients is to meet episodic needs, not to conduct ongoing case management. This is why you can close community client cases after the initial need is met.

The short answer is that this potential client doesn’t meet eligibility to be a community client. However, you can indicate in your PNs with your member that your provided I&R for a family member. No more detailed information is required.

I think the family’s trust and desire for you to work with their extended family members demonstrates how much they value your social work services.

Question:

I got two referrals for potential community clients. One referral is a woman in a nursing home in Taylor who is an excellent candidate for the Nursing Facilities Transistion program (NFT). I can refer her to NFT at TSA without divulging her personal information, but the daughter wants me to continue to help her with her mother. A couple of questions: What would be a recommended way for me to do an intake and assessment when the potential client is in the nursing home? Do I do a resident enrollment for her in AASC and document the TSA referral even without a full assessment? I am expecting to hear from the sister of the other potential client. I am not sure what the sister would like me to do, but the potential client’s income is very high. The potential client is able to private pay for services, but I believe the sister would like case management services from me. Am I allowed to work with this person given her high income?

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CSI Procedures for Flyers and Handouts

By admin on April 12, 2013 in Company News, CSI News

Hi All,

Sheila and the Liaisons discussed SC flyers and educational workshop handouts at their last meeting. Here are some good suggestions/procedures they have come up with to address some of their concerns:

– Flyers should be proofed by your Liaison, Sheila and Rachel prior to posting in the co-op. You can do this by sharing them via email. This needs to happen in advance of every posting.

– Educational Workshop handouts should be proofread (by your fellow SC, Rachel or trusted co-presenter), source material cited, and printed in 14-point or greater font. Materials should be shared with your co-op leadership team in advance of your monthly meeting so that you can then discuss their congruence with co-op policies (house rules in particular). Please request workshop materials from your presenter in advance.

Thanks so much,

Rachel

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Accounting Aid Society Summer Service

By admin on April 11, 2013 in Financial, Resources

If you owe – see below for info on extensions….if you are getting a refund, see the summer program below….

Here’s What To Do if you owe:

To avoid being liable for penalties and interest, you should file an extension with the IRS, State of Michigan, and/or City and pay the estimated tax due before the due date.

· IRS — Due Date April 15 If you can’t file by the due date, file IRS Extension Form 4868 available at www.irs.gov

· State of Michigan — Due Date April 15 If you can’t file by the due date, file copy of IRS Form 4868 or file Michigan Extension Form 4 available at www.michigan.gov/iit

· City — Due Date April 30 If you can’t file by the due date, contact your local city tax office for an extension form

· Phone Numbers for General Tax Agency Assistance

· IRS: 800-829-1040

· State of Michigan: 517-636-4486

· City of Detroit : 313-224-3315

· City of Hamtramck: 313-876-7745

· City of Highland Park: 313-876-7745

· City of Pontiac: 248-758-3236

Other Important 2013 Due Dates — No Extensions Available

· 2012 Michigan Home Heating Credit Claim — Due September 30

· 2009 Federal income tax return (claiming a refund) — Due April 15

· 2008 Michigan income tax return (claiming a refund) — Due April 15

· 2008 Michigan Homestead Property Tax Credit Claim — Due April 15

· 2008 City income tax return (claiming refund) — Due April 30

MISSED THE TAX DEADLINE?

GET FREE TAX HELP THROUGH OUR SUMMER TAX PROGRAM—BEGINNING MAY 1st

Please call us after April 24 to make an appointment 313-556-1920 or 866-673-0873 (toll-free)

● Missed Deadlines

● Prior Year Returns

● Home Heating Credit

● Homestead Property Tax Credit

● E‐filing

● Direct Deposit

Our free tax services are: For families with household incomes up to $50,000 For individuals with incomes up to $35,000 for families.

Our Summer Tax Program includes help with 2012 tax returns and prior year returns, tax credits, and amended returns. For those who are disabled and physically unable to visit a tax site, our Homebound Program also begins May 1.

A United Way Agency

5 SUMMER TAX LOCATIONS

Dates and Times vary. Call for your appointment

· Northend Neighborhood Tax Center

7700 Second Ave., Detroit 48202

3 blocks north of W. Grand Blvd., west of Woodward

· Northwest Neighborhood Tax Center

19556 Grand River, Detroit 48223

between W. Outer Drive and Evergreen

· Oakland County Neighborhood Tax Center

1956 Hilton, Ferndale 48220

north of 9 Mile, east of Woodward

· Osborn Neighborhood Tax Center

4777 E. Outer Drive, Detroit 48234

inside St. John Connor Creek Village

· Southwest Neighborhood Tax Center

8634 W. Vernor, Detroit 48209

south of Dix, west of Springwells

Hablamos Español

ACCOUNTING AID SOCIETY

313.556.1920

866.653.0873

www.accountingaidsociety.org

Accounting Aid Society

7700 Second Avenue, Suite 314

Detroit, Michigan 48202-2411

313-556-1920

313-556-1941 fax

www.accountingaidsociety.org

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Cost Savings Estimates from DT Economic Security Center

By admin on April 11, 2013 in AASC Online Forum, Reference Information

Attached is a copy of 2012 Cost Savings Estimates from Detroit Economic Security Center. This can be used for Cost Savings in AASC Online.

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Incident Reports and Master Key Challenges

By admin on April 10, 2013 in Company News, CSI News

Answer:

Incident Reports. My thought is that it would be just fine to help xerox copies like you would do for another important document. If you help actually fill out the report, I recommend that you also have the member sign a written consent to release that indicates that it is OK for you to assist with writing the document that is going to be shared with the President and/or Liaison. This would be similar to gaining written consent for assisting with certification paperwork.

Master key. This is a valid concern that should continue to be raised in your monthly meetings with your liaison and co-op leadership. Making decisions on this is beyond the scope of your role, but drawing attention to the concern is appropriate. I think you can just report the concern members have voiced about how master keys are kept and at what point does fear of a lost/stolen/misused key (whether real or perceived) constitute rekeying the co-op. Ultimately this may be something that the president or liaison advises the members to discuss at a general meeting. In the meantime, you can refer individual concerned members to their president or liaison.

Question:

We are hearing from multiple people that the co-op leadership has routinely ignored and thrown out incident reports. Are SCs allowed to Xerox incident reports for members before they are filed in the office so that they have proof they filed the report? Also, specific to one client I have who has a closed-head injury and requested assistance filling out incident reports, are SCs allowed to help with that, or is that crossing a CSI line in the sand?

We also have heard many people that someone is entering member’s apartments, most likely with a stolen master key copy. (reports on the apartment entries vary. Some people say they have had things stolen, others say they have had things rearranged in their apartments, one member says she has had prescription drugs stolen from her apartment). Three people so far have told us that the co-op vice president is one of the people who is allegedly entering the apartments without permission. One of the ideas we had about security issues was to suggest re-keying apartments to a new master, but if there is concern about who has access to that master key, it might be a waste of money. We do not want to accuse, but we’re concerned. Any advice on how to deal with this?

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Meet and Greet Attachments

By admin on April 9, 2013 in Educational Workshops, OTHER Educational Workshop Topics, Resources

Hello everyone!

I held my meet and greet yesterday and we had a great time! I just wanted to share with you some of the ideas I used during the session to help the residents get to know me and vice versa. I also handed out a survey of needs and interests so that I could better gauge what my community is looking for in services as well as educational programs. Feel free to use, ammend and share!

I started off with” 2 Truths and a Lie”. I had 12 statements broken into sets of three in which two statements were true and one was a lie (about myself) and had them guess which was which. I then discussed each statement in detail to help them know more about me.

Then I had a list of “Have You Ever” questions (have you been to Disneyland, have you been in a protest, etc) and had people raise their hands and then offer stories or explanations if they wished. This was good for me to get to know more about them and also for them to learn more about each other.

Lastly, I had a “Service Coordinator True or False” which had statements about service coordination and I had them all guess if they were true or false and then I explained the statement more in depth.

Attached is the survey of needs and interests that I left them with at the end of the session. This was really interesting to have because I was surprised by some of the interests and needs. It will help me to better focus my community research efforts and educational programming.

Hope things are well!

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HUD Semi Annual Address

By admin on April 6, 2013 in AASC Online Forum, Reference Information

Hi All,

As many of you know, Sandy Jacques, our local HUD Administrator was able to retire last week after 30 years with HUD! Prior to departing, she cautioned us not to electronically submit documents until we have a permanent replacement for her. Hence, please be sure to snail mail (USPS) your Semi-Annual Reports (and Logic Models as applicable to CSI SCs) to:

US Department of HUD

Multifamily-Service Coordinator

477 Michigan Avenue

Detroit MI 48226

CSI SCs, you should still electronically submit a PDF of your Semi-Annual reports to Rachel and Sheila.

Thanks,

Rachel

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Is Laughter the Best Medicine – GSWSM Workshop

By admin on April 6, 2013 in Training News

Is Laughter the Best Medicine

Guest Speaker: Carol Green, OT, CBIST

Date: Thursday, April 11th

Time: 8:00 A.M. – 10:00 A.M

Location:

St. James Nursing Center
15063 Gratiot Ave
Detroit, MI 48205

Interactive, fun, and funny presentation on the effects of humor on healing with everyday applications.

1 CEU for licensed Social Workers

More information and online registration: Is Laughter the best Medicine.

http://gswsm.memberlodge.com/Default.aspx?pageId=170250&eventId=659175&EventViewMode=EventDetails

Best regards,
GSWSM

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