Consumer Directed Respite Care Operational Manual 2012-13

Consumer Directed Respite Care

Operational Manual

2012-2013

Table of Contents

1 Overview of CDRC Program 2

1.1 Introduction 2

1.2 Background 2

1.3 Model 3

1.4 Funding 4

1.5 CDRC Funding Agreement 4

1.6 CDRC Payments 4

2 Participating CRCC (Centre) Requirements 5

2.1 Responsibilities 5

2.2 Legislation 5

2.3 The Community Care Common Standards (Common 6

Standards) 6

2.4 Accountability and Reporting 8

2.5 Maintenance of Quality 9

3 CDRC Delivery Guidelines 10

3.1 Role of the CRCC 10

3.2 Role of the Carer 10

3.3 Eligibility Criteria 10

3.4 Acceptance by CRCC 11

3.5 Individual Respite Plans 11

3.6 Development of Individual Respite Budgets 11

3.7 Administration 12

3.8 Service Types Supported 12

3.9 Service Delivery 12

3.10 Maintaining Links and Partnerships 14

3.11 Case Study 1 – how the model might work 15

3.12 Case Study 2 – how the model might work 16

4 Glossary 17

1 Overview of CDRC Program

As the Consumer Directed Respite Care (CDRC) packages are funded under the National Respite for Carers Program (NRCP), please read this Operational Manual in conjunction with the National Respite for Carers Program Guidelines (NRCP Guidelines) and the Program Manual for Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres.

1.1 Introduction

In July 2010 the Australian Government commenced CDRC as part of its continuing commitment to providing frail, older Australians with responsive, carer-centered community care services.

Consumer (or self) directed respite care allows carers to take a break from their caring role and will give carers a greater say and more control over the design and delivery of respite services provided to them and the person/s they care for. This will allow carers to make choices about the types of respite services they access and the delivery of those services, including who will deliver the services and when. Expected outcomes of consumer directed care for both carers and the person/s they care for include a better quality of life due to increased independence and empowerment over the services they are receiving.

The CDRC program will be funded until 30 June 2013 under the National Respite for Carers

Program and focuses on respite services provided under the NRCP.

Further information about Consumer Directed Respite Care and CDRC Centre’s with CDRC

packages is available at the Department of Health website.

1.2 Background

The Australian Government has provided funding to selected Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres (Centres) across Australia to deliver CDRC packages under the NRCP. The NRCP is one of several initiatives designed to support and assist relatives and friends caring

at home for people who are unable to care for themselves because of disability or frailty.

There are 54 Centres across Australia that are auspiced by a wide variety of community organisations in metropolitan, rural and remote regions across Australia. Centres can help when carers need to take a break from their caring role by arranging respite. They do this by acting as a single contact for information needed by carers and by organising, purchasing, or managing respite services for carers.

Examples of respite services include:

·  in-home respite care;

·  support workers to assist you when you are taking a break away from home;

·  emergency respite services; and

·  residential respite care.

Respite care is defined as an alternative or supplemental care arrangement with the primary purpose of giving the carer:

·  a short-term break from their usual caring role; and/or

·  assistance with the performance of their caring role on a short term basis.

Respite care is divided into 2 service types:

· direct respite services – provide the carer with quality alternative care for the person for whom they are the primary carer, for a short term (for example, in an emergency such as carer illness, or for planned/ regular respite breaks, including short holidays). The alternative care may be provided in the home or other suitable accommodation; and

· indirect respite services – provide the carer with short term assistance with the performance of some of their caring duties (for example, provision of equipment to assist in the performance of the caring role, assistance with performance of some of the carer’s caring tasks to facilitate continuation of the caring role, assistance with costs incurred by the carer that are directly related to the performance of the caring role, etc); and with help by relieving the carer from some of the other tasks of daily living (i.e. tasks other than the caring role), which are not directly related to their caring responsibility – for example, the provision of assistance with shopping, cleaning, etc.

1.3 Model

Under the CDRC model, the Centre remains the funds’ holder, but expends each client’s

budget as directed by the client.

The objectives of CDRC are to:

·  showcase a consumer directed approach to respite care;

·  explore more effective ways of empowering carers by allowing them – to the extent they are capable and wish to do so – to actively choose the respite services they receive, including with respect to who delivers the respite care and when; and

·  provide an opportunity to conduct research into consumer directed care in Australian

·  Government funded community care programs.

The CDRC target groups are carers of:

·  frail older Australians 65 years or over, or 50 and over if Indigenous (including people with dementia and/or challenging behaviour).

However, under NRCP Guidelines, there are other target groups, such as:

·  younger people (under 65, under 50 if indigenous) with moderate, severe or profound disabilities who are living at home; and

·  people with a terminal illness in need of palliative care.

For these target groups, the Department would, in the first instance, encourage Centres to source alternate services for those carers. CDRC packages may be used for these groups where carers of frail older Australians 65 years or over, or 50 years and over if Indigenous, have not been identified.

CDRC aligns with the NRCP objectives and standards to contribute to the support and maintenance of caring relationships between carers and their dependent family members or friends by facilitating access to information, respite care and other support appropriate to their individual needs and circumstances and those of the people for whom they are caring.

1.4 Funding

Participating Centres will each receive a TOTAL of $6,200 per allocated CDRC place for the financial year, to be expended as follows:

·  $4,200 individual budget per CDRC place to be expended by the Centre, as agreed on the CDRC Respite Care Plan between the carer and the Centre and then as directed by the carer for the agreed respite care; and

·  $2,000 per CDRC place to be used by the Centre for administration costs associated with the administration of each respite package’s budget, client management and participation in evaluation where required.

This funding will be paid to the Centres on a monthly basis.

The amount of $4,200 (over a 12 month period) is the total budget to which each CDRC participant is entitled. It would be expected that each CDRC participant would plan to expend the full amount of $4,200. However, the Centre may pool the funds and the amount for each CDRC participant can be more or less depending on carers’ assessed needs. Each individual carer’s budget must be documented.

1.5 CDRC Funding Agreement

Successful Centres are required to enter into a CDRC Funding Agreement with the Australian Government, which is legally binding on both parties signing. The agreement outlines how the participating Centre will deliver consumer directed respite care and include commitment

to areas such as maintenance of quality of care and provisions for clients leaving a CDRC

package.

1.6 CDRC Payments

The Department will issue a Recipient Created Tax Invoice (RCTI) each month to participating Centres and funds will be paid to the participating Centres’ nominated bank account on a monthly basis, following acceptance by the Commonwealth of the services.

2 Participating CRCC (Centre) Requirements

The participating Centre is responsible for undertaking the activities of assessment, planning, linkages and support for carers, short term and emergency respite brokerage, residential respite booking, promotion, respite service development and support.

2.1 Responsibilities

To meet the CDRC outcomes, the Centre is responsible for:

·  Selection of carers – Carers from the Centres region are to be selected by the CRCC and offered a CDRC package on the basis of carers’ respite needs and their suitability and willingness to participate in CDRC.

·  Care assessment and planning – The Centre will be required to undertake an assessment of each participating carer’s particular needs and work with the carer to develop an agreed individual respite plan. The Centre will need to provide information about the services available in their local region which is extensive, easy to access and understand. The Centre is responsible for ensuring that carers are fully aware of the potential uses of their individual budgets.

·  Administration of individual CDRC budgets – The Centre will administer the budget for each CDRC package, including arranging and coordinating the provision of respite services as agreed to by the carer. This will include:

o  subcontracting services as directed by the carer (and within the limits of the respite package budget and NRCP program);

o  making payments from the respite package budget as confirmed and authorised by the carer within the limits of the respite package budget and the NRCP Program;

o  providing the carer with a monthly account balance, listing yearly expenditure to date and funds remaining; and

o  where necessary, liaising with brokered service providers in partnership with the carer (for example, to assist the carer negotiate the provision of in-home respite at a time that suits them).

·  Ensuring services are delivered in a manner consistent with program Guidelines – CDRC operates under the NRCP. Centres need to ensure that respite services are carried out in accordance with the terms, conditions and requirements of the Funding Agreement. Centres are also required to comply with the Administrative and Program Guidelines for Respite Services funded under the National Respite for Carers Program (NRCP) and the Program Manual for Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres.

·  Flexible service delivery – Centres will need to be flexible in their approach to assisting CDRC package recipients, including assisting carers to access services from respite providers with which the Centre does not have an existing relationship.

·  Participation in evaluation activities – Centres must participate in evaluation activities as requested/directed by the Department.

2.2 Legislation

There are legal responsibilities in regard to operating a NRCP Respite Service. Becoming the operator of a NRCP funded respite service means accepting the legal

responsibilities associated with setting up and administering the service. Service providers

must be incorporated under relevant State or Territory legislation and comply with all Australian Government, State/Territory and local government statutes, by laws and other prescribed requirements. This includes the requirement for the service to meet all their obligations in respect of all taxes, duties and government charges and appropriate insurances/s and to comply with legislation, standards and codes in relation to Risk Management and Work, Health and Safety.

For full details regarding these legal responsibilities, please refer to the National Respite for Carers Guidelines (NRCP Guidelines) and the Program Manual for Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres as replaced or updated from time to time.

2.3 The Community Care Common Standards (Common

Standards)

The participating Centre must undertake the Project in support of the aims of the CDRC, NRCP and CRCC programs and in accordance with the NRCP Guidelines and the Operational Manual, as replaced or updated from time to time.

In respect of respite funded through the National Respite for Carers Program, ‘the consumer’ of a respite service is the carer and the care recipient. The needs of both must be met in the provision of a service.

Service providers have the responsibility to provide services in accordance with the following

Common Standards objectives:

·  Standard 1 Effective Management – The service provider demonstrates effective management processes based on a continuous improvement to service management, planning and delivery. As part of this there are eight expected outcomes:

1.1  Corporate Governance

1.2  Regulatory Compliance

1.3  Information Management Systems

1.4  Community Understanding and Engagement

1.5  Continuous Improvement

1.6  Risk Management

1.7  Human Resource Manage

1.8  Physical Resource