MOVING FORWARD
RESIDENT AND FAMILY HANDBOOK
Mission Statement:Moving Forward Towards Independence is committed to guiding each individual to achieve his or her highest potential. By providing a safe environment that maintains a balance of challenges and support, Moving Forward fosters growth in social, vocational and independent living skills. Working in partnership with residents and their families, Moving Forward offers a caring and responsive community where adults with learning differences can enjoy productive, fulfilling and healthy lives.
I.Services
Services Moving Forward will provide, as well as certain services it is unable to provide:
A.Case Manager, Needs and Service Plan. The Case Manager, together with other members of the staff, and in consultation with the Resident and the Family or Guardian, will develop an individualized, written annual goals known as the Individual Support Plan. The Individual Support Plan (ISP) will, broadly speaking, govern the structure of the services provided by Moving Forward to the Residents of both our Transitional Program and Community Living Program. The ISP is a pivotal document and it will clarify the responsibilities of all parties in regard to meeting goals and objectives. Based on the ISP, the Case Manager will be primarily responsible for organizing and coordinating the Resident’s daily schedule. This ISP will be reviewed annually and updated as appropriate for all residents.
B.Vocational Counseling. Moving Forward will provide coordination with community resources to provide vocational counseling and support designed to help all individuals served develop the skills needed for gainful employment. Moving Forward cannot insure that the Resident will be able to achieve sustained full-time employment, but will work with each individual to enhance their chances for successful employment by including classes, guidance and coordination.
C.Socialization. Moving Forward will provide support and classes designed to develop resident’s social skills, including guidance and discussion on issues of safety, dating and sexuality.
D.Medical.
1.Moving Forward is not licensed for, and will not provide, medical or skilled nursing care. Moving Forward will have no responsibility for medical care decisions. Staff will keep families informed of all health issues that are brought to our attention by the resident or the resident’s doctor. In order to provide information to families, Moving Forward requires each resident to execute an agreement authorizing disclosure of medical information.
2.All costs associated with medical, psychological and therapeutic items and services are the sole responsibility of the Family or Guardian and the Resident, Resident’s Family or Guardian agree to hold harmless and indemnify Moving Forward for any such costs.
3.Moving Forward will provide minimal assistance with administration of medication, and will provide transportation to and from pharmacies and other medical services.
4.Moving Forward will contact emergency and first aid services when Moving Forward is aware that a Resident requires such services. The Resident and the Family or Guardian authorizes Moving Forward to obtain emergency and first aid health care services and/or supplies (including ambulance transportation and pharmaceuticals) at the Family or Guardian’s expense, whenever, in Moving Forward’s discretion, such services and/or supplies are necessary.
5.When a resident first enters the program, Moving Forward will provide each individual and his/her family with a list of local doctors, dentists and therapists. Parents/Guardian will provide a Health Care Directive. Moving Forward will encourage the Resident and the Family to interview several individuals from this list and select the professional(s) that best meets the needs of the Resident.
E.Activity Programs. Moving Forward offers a planned activity program including assistance with arrangements for utilization of local resources. Residents will be encouraged to participate in communal activities. The activities provided will include athletic as well as social events.
F.Financial Counseling.
1.Moving Forward will provide Residents training in budgeting and money management. When appropriate, Moving Forward also will provide the Resident with transportation to and from financial institutions. If it is identified in the ISP that an individual needs additional assistance with money management, Moving Forward may allow the individual to leave limited funds, check books, ATM and credit cards in a locked file cabinet in the staff office.
2.Moving Forward requires that Resident and the Family or Guardian open a joint checking account and that Family or Guardian have access to view the account online. It is also required that the case manager have access to view account activities online but not to deal with funds in the account. Moving Forward is not responsible for the Resident’s use or misuse of funds. Although Moving Forward will counsel the Resident on the appropriate use of funds, Moving Forward cannot prevent or prohibit the Resident from accessing and using his or her own funds. Moving Forward requires that it be authorized by Resident and his or her Parent or Guardian to advise Family or Guardian about the use or misuse of funds.
3.The Family or Guardian will be responsible for designating or selecting an SSI payee and for monitoring Resident’s SSI eligibility. Moving Forward will coordinate with Resident to send copies of all payroll stubs to SSI and will assist Resident in maintaining a file of important documents, which will be available to Family or Guardian.
G.Meals. Moving Forward provides food for three nutritious daily meals for Residents who live at Elm. Residents of the Transitional Program who live at Franklin will purchase their own food so that they can begin to learn how to shop independently. Residents in Transitional Program will receive assistance in menu planning and learning to cook meals independently. Residents in Community Living have staff assistance in budgeting for and planning weekly menus and are responsible for preparing their own meals. Once a week, Residents of Community Living eat in small staff supported dinner groups.
H.Housekeeping and Laundry. Moving Forward expects Residents to maintain their living quarters at adequate level of cleanliness. Staff will teach Residents how to appropriately clean their homes and to independently do their laundry.
I.Transportation.
1.Consistent with the goal of Moving Forward to maintain Resident’s at the highest level of independence possible, Residents will be encouraged to use public transportation. Moving Forward will plan, arrange and/or provide for transportation to and from medical and dental appointments and other necessary medical or dental services (provided that such services are located not more than twenty (20) miles from Moving Forward), banks, pharmacies, supermarkets, and events provided for on the Resident’s Schedule. Moving Forward, when appropriate, will attempt to provide transportation to and from work during periods of severe weather.
Moving Forward staff will not provide transportation to and from the airport. Arrangements can be made, if staff is available, for an additional charge. Moving Forward can also assist the Resident to make arrangement with local airport transportation services.
II.Optional Services.
If additional services are required but not provided by Moving Forward, the cost of the additional services will be the responsibility of the Resident, Parent or Guardian. Where practical and economically feasible when there is available and appropriate staff, Moving Forward will provide oversight and coordination of these services (i.e., personal trainer, speech and language therapist, etc.).
III.Residence
A.Residence Provided. The Residents at Elm Street will be provided with a shared bedroom and common kitchen and living area. Transitional Program Residents at Franklin are provided living space in a two bedroom apartment. Subject to Moving Forward’s approval, Community Living Residents are welcome to find a living space of their choice which may be a one or multi bedroom apartment or shared home depending on availability and Resident’s needs. Moving Forward will generally approve living space selected by Community Residents, provided that facilities are within reasonable distance of the Elm Street property, and appear to be safe for the resident and staff.
B.Utilities Provided. At Elm Street, Moving Forward provides all of the utilities. At the Franklin Apartments Moving Forward provides all of the utilities with the exception of cable and internet.
C.Utilities Not Provided. Residents in Community Living are responsible for all utilities including water, gas, electric, garbage, telephone, television, computer and Internet services.
D.Substitution of Residence. Moving Forward will have the right to move Residents in the Transitional Program at any time at Moving Forward’s discretion. There may be times when the family will have to take financial responsibility for the move.
IV.Duties of Responsible Party
A.Financial Obligations to Moving Forward.
The family or Guardian agrees to be responsible for all of the Resident’s financial obligations at Moving Forward, including, without limitation, any financial obligations provided for or referenced in this Handbook.
B.Financial Obligations—Checking Account.
The Resident will be required to open and maintain a personal checking account into which the Family or Guardian will ensure adequate funds to cover the Resident’s expenses. This account will be used for personal items, including, but not limited to clothing, weekend and other personal activities, prescriptions and other incidental medical expenses, meals, beverages, and other incidental expenses at work, and transportation to personal activities.
C.Medical Obligations.
1.Each Resident must provide up-to-date emergency contact information and will designate a responsible party to assist in medical decision-making and who will be designated at the time of admission as Health Care Agent on a fully executed Advance Health Care Directive, unless otherwise consented to be the Executive Director.
2.The Health Care Agent will make decisions with respect to the medical and psychological treatment of the Resident in the event that the Resident is or becomes incapable of making, or unwilling to make the decision for him or herself.
3.Case Managers will encourage the Resident to attend all necessary appointments. Addressing the wellness needs of the Resident will be a priority in the ISP.
4.The Family or Guardian is responsible for ensuring that the Resident maintains health care coverage satisfactory to Moving Forward as long as Resident is receiving service from Moving Forward. The Family or Guardian is responsible to provide Moving Forward with proof of coverage.
D.Accuracy of Application Documents. The Resident and the Family or Guardian warrant that all information contained in all documents each of them have provided Moving Forward as part of the Resident’s application process, including any information provided by medical and psychological professionals, is true and correct, and the Resident and the Family or Guardian each understand that Moving Forward has relied on this information in accepting the Resident for residency at Moving Forward. Any misrepresentation or omission made by the Resident or the Family or Guardian or on behalf of either of them, whether written or verbal, will be grounds for Moving Forward’s termination of this Agreement and Resident, Family and Guardian agree to indemnify and hold harmless Moving Forward for any damages resulting for a breach of the warranty continued in this paragraph.
V.Term and Termination of Occupancy
A.Termination by Resident. The Resident and the Family or Guardian may terminate this agreement at any time, with or without cause, by giving Moving Forward a minimum of sixty days written notice of termination. Such notice will be signed by both the Resident and the Family or Guardian, and need not cite a specific reason for the termination. The Family and Guardian will continue to be responsible for payment of the service fees.
B.Termination by Moving Forward.
1.Moving Forward will work with the Resident and the Family to resolve problems to the mutual satisfaction of all parties. It is the intent of Moving Forward to try to resolve any concern/issue before it becomes necessary to terminate a Resident from the program. However, there will be times when the determination is made that Moving Forward is unable to meet the Resident’s needs or the Resident is no longer benefiting fully from the services offered by Moving Forward. In those situations, based on the sole discretion of Moving Forward, the program may give the resident sixty (60) days written notice. Moving Forward will assist the Resident and the Family in locating and considering alternative residential arrangements.
The following lists some of the reasons or events that could result in the termination of this agreement by Moving Forward:
a)The Responsible Party fails to pay the monthly fees.
b)The Resident fails to comply with federal, state or local law.
c)The Responsible Party fails to comply with any of the terms of the Contract and this Resident and Family Handbook.
d)The Resident fails to comply with any of the terms of this Agreement, or any written policy, from time to time, in effect of Moving Forward applicable to the Resident.
e)The Resident refuses to take prescribed medication or otherwise to cooperate with any aspect of the instructions of his or her health care providers.
f)The Resident becomes pregnant. Moving Forward is not equipped to provide for the medical needs of pregnant women and children.
g)Failure to comply with Moving Forward’s Drug/Alcohol policy.
2.Moving Forward will also have the right to terminate this Agreement, with sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Residence and the Responsible Party, if Moving Forward determines in its sole discretion that the Resident is no longer part of the population it is designed to serve (as briefly described in the Preamble hereto) or that it is otherwise unable to meet the Resident’s needs. Examples of such situations may include, without limitation, those in which:
a)The Resident fails to cooperate with the implementation of his or her Individual Support Plan, by, for example:
b)failing to participate in the program
c)regularly failing to participate in community activities or otherwise not taking full advantage of the services described in Section I. (review language of this section)
d)The family or guardian supports or is complicit in any of the behaviors described in clause (a) or otherwise fails to encourage and support the implementation of the Resident’s Needs ISP.
3.Moving Forward, at its sole discretion also has the Right to Immediately Terminate the Agreement if the following occurs:
a)The Resident’s behavior is disruptive of Moving Forward activities or the lives of any of the Residents, staff, or others living and working in Moving Forward.
b)The Resident expresses him or herself or behaves in a manner that is hostile toward, disparaging of, or otherwise physically or emotionally injurious to others in Moving Forward.
c)The Resident experiences a change in mental or physical condition which causes him or her to require additional or more intensive services, treatment, or attention or precludes him or her from benefiting fully from Moving Forward programs and services.
d)It is expected that the family will collect the Resident’s personal belongings in a timely manner or incur additional costs. Moving Forward will help to facilitate this process.
VI.Resident
A.Cooperation with General Rules. The Resident agrees to cooperate with the general policies and rules of Moving Forward outlined in the Handbook. Additional rules specific to where the resident lives must also be followed. A copy of the Handbook will be provided and reviewed with the Resident and the Responsible Party prior to movein. Moving Forward reserves the right to make reasonable modifications and additions to Moving Forward policies and the Handbook, as it deems necessary. Notice of any additions or changes to the Handbook will be provided to the Resident and the Family or Guardian in writing prior to implementation.
B.Staff Access to Residence. Moving Forward has the right to show the Transition Program Resident’s room to prospective residents at any time. Also, Additionally, Moving Forward will be permitted to enter the Residence of both the Transition Program and Community Living to complete basic housekeeping services, respond to emergencies (including, but not limited to, non-responsiveness to inquiries from Moving Forward’s staff or others), complete building inspection and maintenance functions, make repairs and improvements, and perform such other case management functions as Moving Forward deems necessary or advisable.
C.Theft, Loss and Liability Policy. Moving Forward will not handle or assume oversight or financial responsibility for the Resident’s personal property or belongings (including, without limitation, jewelry and other valuables, electronics, clothing, and furniture), and such property and belongings are not covered by the Moving Forward’s insurance. Moving Forward also is not responsible for, and its insurance will not cover, the Resident’s personal liability for injury to guests and other persons in his or her Residence. We recommend that the Family or Guardian obtain personal property and liability insurance for the Resident, the Resident’s personal property, and the Resident’s guests and visitors. Suggested coverage includes, but is not limited to, renters’ insurance that covers losses incurred from fire, theft and earthquake.
D.Resident/Community Files.
1.Health Care Records.
Confidentiality. All of the Resident’s health care records and case files will remain confidential. Copies of the Resident’s health care records will be released only with the Resident’s express written authorization or that of the Resident’s legal representative except where expressly required or allowed by law
Authorization to Release Information. Moving Forward is hereby authorized and directed to release information and health records concerning the Resident to medical and health care providers, insurance companies, federal and/or state agencies and regulatory bodies to the extent necessary to comply with applicable laws and regulations.