Iowa Administrative Code › Agency 17 - Aging, Department On › Chapter 14 - Iowa Family Caregiver Support Program › Rule 17-14.9 - Quality Standards

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 3, July 24, 2024
(1)
AAA staff requirements.
Each AAA shall:
a. Evaluate the full-time equivalent for its
			 family caregiver program, considering current funding levels among other
			 factors, and shall staff the program to best meet the needs of the service
			 delivery area.
b. Employ or
			 contract for a designated family caregiver specialist with the following
			 demonstrated competencies:
(1) A bachelor's
			 degree in the human services field or an associate's degree in the human
			 services field and two years of employment in information and referral
			 positions, which may be substituted for a bachelor's degree. Family caregiver
			 specialists employed prior to April 1, 2009, are exempt from this
			 requirement.
(2) If the applicant
			 or prospective contractor does not have the certification required in
			 paragraph
"a"
of subrule 14.9(2), the applicant shall have
			 three years of prior employment in information and referral
			 positions.
(2)
Certification.
a. A family
			 caregiver specialist shall possess and maintain a current Certification for
			 Information and Referral (I&R) Specialists in Aging (CIRS-A) from the
			 Alliance of Information and Referral Systems at the time of employment or
			 contract; or
b. If employed on or
			 prior to April I, 2009, a family caregiver specialist shall obtain the
			 certification required in paragraph
"a"
of this subrule within
			 six months of April 1, 2009, or upon meeting eligibility requirements for
			 certification which include:
(1) At least one
			 year of employment in I&R for specialists with a bachelor's or higher
			 degree; or
(2) Two years of
			 employment in I&R for specialists with an associate's/community college
			 degree; or
(3) Three years of
			 employment in I&R for specialists with a high school diploma or
			 GED.
c. Part-time staff
			 and volunteers shall possess and maintain a CIRS-A.
(3)
Training.
The family
			 caregiver specialist shall attend during the term of employment annual and
			 other family caregiver specialist training when provided by the
			 department.
(4)
Local
			 contract monitoring.
The AAA shall utilize a system to monitor all
			 service providers' performance under the contract and promptly ensure that any
			 problems that arise are corrected. All contracts shall be created and monitored
			 under the provisions of
			 17-6.11
			 (231) or
			 17-5.15
			 (231), as applicable.
a. For the purposes of
			 this subrule, monitoring means any planned, ongoing, or periodic activity that
			 measures outcomes and ensures contractor compliance with the terms and
			 conditions of the contract and customer satisfaction and also ensures that the
			 contractor meets the needs of the caregiver
b. The AAA shall conduct caregiver
			 evaluations to determine the quality of services and goods provided, including
			 but not limited to customer satisfaction surveys, inspections, and evaluation
			 of goods and services provided.
c.
			 Monitoring activities shall include:
(1)
			 Periodic contact, including on-site visits, to maintain a continuous dialogue
			 with the contractor and to review progress on a regular basis.
(2) Requiring the contractor to submit
			 progress reports or other appropriate data based on predefined contract
			 criteria. These reports shall include documentation indicating where and how
			 moneys received were expended and results of caregiver performance evaluations
			 and customer satisfaction surveys.
(3) Reviewing the contractor's reports and
			 verifying the services provided to determine if those services adhere to the
			 contract. Substandard performance shall be identified and addressed
			 appropriately, up to and including cancellation of the contract. Any corrective
			 action shall be completed as soon as possible to maintain quality service to
			 the consumer
(4) Comparing contract
			 billings with the terms contained in the contract to ensure that costs or
			 payments are within contract parameters.