Chapter 5: Services

. . .

5.1.3 Service Delivery

. . .

Interview Process—Overview

Interviews are conducted in a confidential manner. The purpose of the interview is to

  • confirm referral information,
  • confirm the information in the EAS Consultation Report (except for video magnifier evaluations),
  • elicit additional information from the consumer, and
  • confirm the goals of the evaluation.

Some consumers may experience anxiety related to the evaluation and the use of computers or assistive technology. Therefore, it is important for the evaluator to set a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere.

The evaluator may find it helpful to explain to the consumer exactly what will be done during the evaluation. It should be stressed that the evaluation process is not an evaluation of the consumer, but an opportunity for the consumer to evaluate the equipment.

The Eevaluators should refrain from saying "I will be teaching you" and instead, should emphasize that the evaluator and the consumer will be working together during the evaluation process. It is also important for the consumer to understand that he or she should be as specific as possible regarding which piece of equipment works best for him or her and why.

For additional information about the interview process, assistive technology evaluators are encouraged to contact the EAS manager at (512) 377-0583Assistive Technology Unit at (512) 377-0310.

. . .

5.1.4 Product Inventory

. . .

Approved Products

DBS consumers are evaluated only on products and equipment included on the DBS approved product list. To obtain a list of approved products, providers vendors can call (512) 424-47024558.

Questions about the approved product lists may be addressed to the EAS manager at (512) 377-0583Assistive Technology Unit at (512) 377-0310.

Product categories on the approved product lists include

  • video magnifiers;
  • screen magnification programs;
  • screen magnification programs with speech;
  • screen reader programs;
  • refreshable braille displays;
  • optical character recognition (OCR) scanning software;
  • stand-alone, portable, and USC OCR scanners;
  • QWERTY and braille notetakers;
  • embossers; and
  • speech input software.

Before completing an evaluation on any product that is not included on the DBS list of approved products, the assistive technology evaluator must get approval from the EAS in-house services manager or designee. The request should be made in writing.

Providers Vendors must submit an up-to-date inventory list within 30 calendar days of each contract award.

. . .

5.2.3 Service Delivery

. . .

Authorization for Additional Training

If the post-training assessment indicates the need for further training that exceeds the maximum number of hours for that module in the assistive technology trainer guidelines, the consumer's counselor or case manager may approve up to 10 additional hours of training.

If additional training is still required, the local DBS regional director may approve up to 10 hours of training in addition to the 10 hours previously approved by the consumer's counselor or case manager.

Training beyond the above limits, if any, must be approved through the supervisory chain of management to the appropriate director of field services, after consultation with the EAS in-house services managerand/or technical support specialists.

. . .

5.3.3 Service Delivery

Scope of Services

Independent living trainers skills vendors provide the following services in the consumer's residence or local community. The independent living skills vendor may provide one or more of the following services as authorized by the DBS IL worker (ILW):

  • Application Assessment—the process of gathering referral data and information about the consumer’s preliminary need for services. Along with eye medical report(s), this information is used by the ILW to determine eligibility for the Independent Living Program.
  • Needs Comprehensive Assessment—Needs After the Independent Living Worker determines eligibility the comprehensive assessment is completed. The comprehensive assessment is the process of identifyingworking, with the consumer,to identify the problems issues thate individual is havingat prevent him or her from in functioning independently. This process, which occurs after the ILW determines eligibility, can also help a consumer maintain or increase his or her independence and includes listening to the consumer describe problems related to loss of vision, conducting an in-depth interview to gather information, observing skill demonstrations at home, and talking with family members or caregivers to gather any additional information. The Comprehensive Assessment is used by the ILW to develop the ILP.

Note: Information and referral (I&R) services help the consumer identify and use alternative resources, such as Meals on Wheels, the Texas State Library, and the How To Guide, to meet his or her individual needs. These services can be provided at any point in the independent living process.

1.Information and Referral Services—I&R services help the consumer identify and access alternative resources to meet the consumer's individual needs such as Meals On Wheels, Texas State Library, How To Guide etc. . These services can be provided at any point in the Independent Living Process.

2.Active Services—Active services are direct services provided in the consumer's home and local community.

  • Adaptive Independent Living Skills Training—Adaptive Independent Living skills training includinges techniques that enable a person consumer to perform daily independent living skills in alternativee ways. These skills may beare divided into the following categories:
  • Ppersonal Mmanagement—including grooming, eating, health, safety, clothing identification and coordination, and medication systems, and coordination of clothing;.
  • Hhome Mmanagement—including sewing, cleaning of clothing, housekeeping, meal preparation and kitchen safety skills, planning for grocery shopping ,marketing, and minor home maintenance;.
  • Ccommunication—including telling time and time management, using the telephone, mathematics, money management, writing, organization typing, Braille, language skills, and equipment use.using adaptive devices; and
  • information access and technology—including training on use of magnifiers, CCTVs, and other low-vision devices, as well as adaptations of computers and other types of technology.

oOrientation & Mobility—helping the consumer with orientation in their home environment and follow-up instructions in conjunction with O&M instruction provided by certified professionals.

oDiabetes Management—helping the consumer with home follow-up after evaluation and training in diabetes management is provided by a registered nurse.

Designation of Case ManagerIndependent Living Worker

DBS staff designated by the local DBS regional director will perform case management services for DBS consumers in predetermined geographical areas of the state. The ILW, who is designated by the DBS field director, provides case coordination, direction to the IL skills vendor on service provision, as well as the following services:

  • sends referrals to the IL skills vendor for initial contact and application assessment;
  • entersing application information into the electronic case management system,;
  • determinesing consumer eligibility for IL services, ;
  • refersring eligible consumers to the IL trainer skills vendor for specific IL services, comprehensive assessment;
  • develops the ILP with the consumer and enters it into the electronic case management system;
  • authorizes IL skills training hours;
  • managesing DBS case records for eligible consumers,;

reviewing and approving individual training programs jointly developed by the IL trainer and the consumer,

incorporating approved individual training programs into each consumer's Independent Living Plan (ILP),

  • reviewsing documentation of IL services provided by the IL skills trainervendor, ;
  • authorizesing the purchase of recommended equipment and services, ;
  • documentsing the purchase of equipment and services in each consumer's ILP, ; and
  • arrangesing or providesing more complex services including (but not limited to) bBraille instruction, orientation and mobility training within the consumer's local community, and diabetes education and training, etc..

IL Skills Trainer Vendor Responsibilities

The IL skills trainer vVendor is responsible for:

receiving referrals for specific IL services from the DBS case manager;

conducting a needs assessment with each consumer as described under Scope of Services above;

jointly developing a training program with each consumer, including goals and timelines for achieving goals;

submitting each consumer's initial and/or modified training program to the DBS case manager for review and approval;

providing training in basic independent living skills as described in the jointly developed training program;

periodically assessing each consumer's progress with the DBS case manager, including goals and timelines for achieving goals;

submitting appropriate recommendations to the DBS case manager for the purchase of products and services for each consumer; and

  • providing the DBS case manager with a written report each month that details the services provided to each consumer, documents the outcome of each service, and includes a copy of each training program modified during the month being reported.
  • completes the application assessment
  • provides the correct services as directed by the ILW and as described under the Scope of Services above,
  • conducts a comprehensive,
  • submits the appropriate documentation for each type of service to the ILW for review and approval;
  • provides training in basic independent living skills as described in the comprehensive assessment and ILP,
  • periodically assesses each consumer's progress toward goals and timelines with the ILW,
  • submits appropriate recommendations for purchasing products and services for each consumer to the ILW, and
  • provides the ILW with a written report of each contact that includes details of the assessment or service provided and the outcome.

Initial Contact

The IL skills vendor must make the Iinitial contact with a DBS consumers who are is referred for by the DBS case managerIndependent Living Worker for independent living skills training shall must be accomplished made in a timely mannerwithin 15 working days of the referral.

Initial Contact and Application Assessment

All initial contacts and /application assessments shall must be conducted individually and documented using a DARS2954, Comprehensive Assessment for IL Services form. the following forms:

  • DARS2401, Application for Program Services (only sections that apply to the IL program);
  • DARS2490-2, IL Application for Services;
  • DARS1514, Permission to Collect Information;
  • DARS1517-1, Notice and Consent for Disclosure of Personal Information; and
  • DARS2891, Independent Living Services Progress Report.

The initial assessment and the initial training program may be completed on the same day.

Comprehensive Assessment

The IL skills vendor must contact a DBS consumer who is referred for a comprehensive assessment within 30 calendar days of the referral.

The vendor must document the comprehensive assessment on the DARS2954, Comprehensive Assessment for IL Services. The recommendations section of the form must contain a summary of IL skills training and services that the vendor has identified for inclusion on the Independent Living Plan (ILP).

Initial Training Program

The IL trainer will jointly develop an initial training program with the consumer within ten working days from the initial date of contact and submit the training program to the case manager for review and approval.

Each consumer's training program must:

address the consumer's needs, strengths, and limitations for independent living;

identify the problems that affect the consumer's independence;

establish measurable goals and objectives;

define the tasks required for achieving each goal or objective; and

set target dates for each goal or objective.

All training programs must be documented using a DARS2891, Independent Living Services Progress Report form.

Modified Training Programs

The training program may be modified periodically to accommodate the individual needs of the consumer.

Modified programs must be documented using a DARS2891, Independent Living Services Progress Report form and submitted to the case manager along with the IL trainer's monthly report.

Independent Living Skills Training

After the ILW has developed the ILP, the IL skills vendor provides monthly training services as authorized by the ILW. The services are documented monthly using the DARS2891, Independent Living Services Progress Report. The monthly report must

Monthly Reports

The IL Trainer shall provide monthly reports to the case manager using the DBS standard reporting format.

Monthly IL training reports must:

  • detail the services provided to each the consumer,
  • document the outcome of each service, and
  • include a copy of each training program modified during the month being reported.any recommendations for changes to the ILP.

5.3.4 Performance Measures

DBS considers the following questions in measuring vendor performance:

  • Did the provider IL skills vendor meet the consumer's independent living needs as requisitioned by the IL workerconsumer's counselor or case manager?
  • Has the IL skills vendorprovider met DBS contract specifications?
  • Has the IL skills vendorprovider performed all contractual services in a professional manner in accordance with the requirements detailed in this manual?
  • Was initial contact with DBS consumers accomplished in a timely manner after receipt of the referral?

Was a training program completed for each consumer within ten working days of the initial date of contact and submitted to the case manager for review?

Did each training program contain all the required elements?

Was each training program completed in the required format?

Were modifications made to training programs as necessary to best accommodate the individual needs of the consumer?

  • Has the IL skills vendorprovider adhered to DBS confidentiality standards?
  • Has the IL skills vendorprovider submitted all required reports (including a copy of each training program modified during the month being reported) in accordance with DBS specifications or standards?

Has the IL skills vendorprovider submitted fully completed invoices (including required attachments such as travel logs if applicable) no later than 35 calendar days following service completion?