OPERATING PROCEDURE Florida State Hospital
NO. 55-9 Chattahoochee, Florida
March 22, 2011
Financial Management
SPECIAL CASH WITHDRAWALS FOR SHOPPING AND
OTHER DESIGNATED PURCHASES
1. Policy: Florida State Hospital shall administer any money received for residents’ personal use in accordance with applicable statutes and accounting procedures and by signature approval of the Unit Director. Each unit/department shall use a locked money bag for transporting deposits and withdrawals to and from the Cashier’s Office. At no time may the keys be duplicated.
2. Scope: This procedure applies to all units and programs of Florida State Hospital.
3. Training Requirements: Medical Unit Supervisors and any staff that handle personal financial needs of residents will be trained on this operating procedure upon hire into the position during Worksite Education and by their supervisor each time the operating procedure is revised.
4. References:
a. Section 402.17, Florida Statutes.
b. Volume 7, Chapter 3, Department of Children and Families Accounting Procedures Manual (7 APM 3).
c. Florida State Hospital Operating Procedure 55-10, Disbursement of Funds for Deceased, Discharged or Leave of Absence Residents.
d. Florida State Hospital Operating Procedure 80-1, Accountability of Residents’ Personal Property.
5. Procedure:
a. Special withdrawals:
(1) Special cash withdrawals shall be used whenever a resident is requesting more than the allowed weekly amount ($75), or for requests of an extraordinary nature (i.e., purchase of clothing, personal items that may not be available at the Hospital Canteen, etc.).
(2) Special cash withdrawals shall be approved by the Recovery Team and Unit Director/Designee.
This operating procedure supersedes: Operating Procedure 55-9, dated December 8, 2009
Office of Primary Responsibility: Financial Services
Distribution: Florida State Hospital Computer Network Users
Operating Procedure 55-9 March 22, 2011
(3) Meal costs for residents while on shopping trips, trips to see a movie or other similar outings where the resident is not required to go should be paid for by the resident. Other costs which should be paid for by the resident are resident travel, immigration cards and any other costs incurred where only the specified resident will benefit from the action incurring the expense. If an indigent resident does not have enough funds in his/her account to cover the cost, or if the funds are otherwise obligated, the Unit Director may approve a purchase request from the Welfare Trust Fund for the funds needed. It should be noted on the request that the resident has no funds or why his/her funds are otherwise obligated. This does not include special events like the Special Olympics.
(4) Receipt of special purchases shall be documented on Florida State Hospital Form 415, Inventory/Receipt of Resident’s Tangible Personal Property (Attachment 1). Radios, record players, or other equipment bought with a resident’s funds shall be marked with the resident’s name and social security number using an electric engraver or other permanent marking equipment available, if needed through the Security Department.
b. Non-expendable items
(1) A resident who wishes to purchase a non-expendable item, (i.e., radio, television, or any type of equipment considered non-consumable with a cost of $25.00 or more) may do so by utilizing regular State purchasing procedures. The unit employee assisting the resident in the purchase shall list specifications and indicate the vendor on a request form and a Florida State Hospital Purchase Requisition. This does not apply to Unit 28 residents, as they are being prepared for life after discharge.
(2) At the time the request and requisition (Florida State Hospital Form 102, Check Request for Resident Funds Withdrawal, Attachment 2) are approved by the Unit Director, it shall be determined if placing the order will be handled by the Unit staff or the Institutional Purchasing Department.
(3) If the purchase is to be coordinated by the Unit staff, Florida State Hospital Form 102 shall be completed in duplicate and sent to the Cashier’s Office. The requisition will indicate whether the purchase will be a prepaid order (check sent with order) or a charge or Cash On Delivery order by marking either the “Make Check Payable To:” block for prepaid orders or by marking the “Place on Security Hold” block for charge or Cash On Delivery orders.
(4) Prepaid orders should be accompanied by all order forms and other materials to expedite processing the order. The amount of the purchase must be filled out in the amount section of the Florida State Hospital Form 102. After the check is prepared and mailed, a copy of the Florida State Hospital Form 102, with the check number and code information completed, will be sent back to the Unit for set up in a receiving suspense file. The Unit will determine whether the Florida State Hospital Form 102 can be used as a receiving report or if an institutional receiving report will be required. On prepaid orders, the Cashier’s Office will not need a copy of the receiving report.
(5) Charge or Cash On Delivery orders coordinated by the Unit should not be placed (by phone, mail, or through a salesman) until a completed Florida State Hospital Form 102 has been sent to the Cashier’s Office. The “Place on Security Hold” block should be marked, with the amount section completed as accurately as possible. The Cashier’s Office will set up a suspense file, with the resident’s money placed on hold for the order. They will mail the purchase order to the vendor, and send a copy of Florida State Hospital Form 102 back to the unit with a copy of the purchase order attached. After the item is received by the Unit through the Institutional Receiving Office, Unit staff will send Florida State Hospital Form 102, with the receiving portion completed, or a copy of the Receiving Report, along with the invoice, to the Cashier’s Office for payment. After receipt of the receiving report and invoice, the Cashier’s Office will match it with the request form and process payment. The resident’s unit will be notified of the amount paid, for recording in the resident’s property record.
(6) Non-expendable items will be marked with the resident’s name for identification of ownership.
(7) Special withdrawals may be made either two (2) days prior to, or after the individual unit’s regular withdrawal day to prevent a possible overdraft in the resident’s account. This request shall be sent to the Cashier’s Office, in triplicate, by 3:00 p.m. at least two (2) days prior to the date funds are to be received. All special withdrawals shall be submitted on Florida State Hospital Form 254, Regular/Special Resident Requisition (Attachment 3), and shall specify the purpose of the withdrawal. Special withdrawal requests that do not specify the purpose and the items to be purchased shall not be processed.
(8) On withdrawal day, two (2) employees designated by the Unit Director, shall go to the Cashier’s Office to receive and sign for residents’ funds. Residents’ funds shall be picked up no later than 3:00 p.m.
(a) The correct amount of cash funds is to be delivered to each resident by the same two (2) employees who received the funds from the Cashier’s Office. At no time shall these funds be turned over to another employee without authorization by the Unit Director/designee and obtaining a signed receipt by the employee accepting the funds.
(b) These employees and the Unit Treatment and Rehabilitative Specialist Supervisor or designee shall ensure that each resident signs for his/her money and this signing shall be witnessed by other responsible staff from the resident’s unit. At least one (1) of these witnesses should be a designated supervisor/coordinator of the activity. Each resident for whom the money is requested, who cannot write, shall make his mark and this mark shall be witnessed by two unit staff.
(c) All requisitions and funds not signed for shall be returned to the Cashier’s Office before 3:00 p.m. the next business work day.
(d) The employees who sign for the funds are personally liable for said funds until a signed requisition or the funds are returned to the Cashier’s Office.
(e) If the funds cannot be used on the day they were drawn from the Cashier’s Office, the money shall be re-deposited and then requisitioned for the day the money is to be used unless an exception has been approved through the Unit Director.
(f) There shall be no special withdrawals for cash unless the resident for whom the cash is withdrawn can properly handle funds.
(g) In the event a resident desires that a check be issued from his/her account (i.e., magazine subscription, mail order item, gift, etc.), Florida State Hospital Form 102, Florida State Hospital Check Request (Attachment 2), shall be prepared stating that a check is to be issued, for what purpose, and to whom it is to be mailed. This request shall be sent to the Cashier’s Office with the necessary approving signatures (i.e., resident and the Unit Director) at least two (2) days prior to the mailing date desired. The Unit Director may consult with the resident’s doctor or caseworker as needed. Any orders to be sent with the check shall be attached to the request, as all checks are mailed from the Cashier’s Office. Exceptions may be granted by the Financial Services Director/Designee.
c. Shopping trips.
(1) Residents who are able to handle their own funds.
(a) Residents who are able to handle their own funds may be taken on shopping trips by unit employees to the extent that the residents may be supervised while in the various places of business in which the selections of merchandise will be made. These residents are responsible for keeping up with their own purchases.
(b) The unit employees who supervise residents on shopping trips are responsible for ensuring that all unspent funds are properly re-deposited and properly noted on the shopping form. The unit employee who supervised the resident on the shopping trip shall sign all cash register receipts and pre-numbered deposit/receipt forms, giving a copy to the resident. All unspent funds must be deposited with a pre-numbered deposit/receipt form and turned into the Cashier’s office no later than the next business day (with a copy given to the resident). All receipts must be submitted to Financial Services within three (3) working days of the shopping trip.
(c) Residents who are able to handle their own funds may purchase goods to be used for a group activity such as a picnic or ward party if the resident acknowledges in writing that he/she concurs with the expenditure. These type withdrawal requests shall be signed by the resident and approved by the Unit Director. The Unit Director may consult with the resident’s recovery team as needed.
(2) Residents who are unable to handle their own funds may be taken shopping by unit personnel. One (1) employee shall assist no more than two (2) residents at a time. If possible, provision should be made in advance with a merchant to place the items on hold until a check made payable to the merchant, can be drawn from the Cashier’s Office. If this is not possible, the employee would hold the cash making all transactions in the presence of the resident.
(3) Employees shopping for confined residents.
(a) If a resident is unable to go on shopping trips, an employee may be authorized by the recovery team to shop for the resident. A predetermined list of items desired by the resident must be presented to the recovery team for approval. Upon approval, the list is given to the employee responsible for shopping. The employee is not limited to shopping for only two (2) residents, but each individual resident’s funds must be accounted for separately.
(b) Upon return from the shopping trip, the employee shall obtain the signatureof the resident indicating, that he/she received the items. A pre-numbered receipt shall be filled out and deposited with any unspent funds, with a copy given to the resident. The itemized listing and pre-numbered deposit slip and business receipts must be turned in to theCashier’s Office no later than the next business work day. All receipts must be submitted to Financial Services within three (3) working days of the shopping trip.
(c) In cases where the resident is not able to furnish a listing of desired purchases, a designated employee may prepare such a listing of items that the resident needs. Such list must then be approved by the resident’s recovery team and Unit Director before such purchases are made. Upon return, receipt of the items by the resident will be verified and inventoried on Florida State Hospital Form 415, Inventory/Receipt of Resident’s Tangible Personal Property (Attachment 1), by a designated unit staff.
(4) The Special Cash Withdrawal for Shopping Form (Florida State Hospital Form 225, Attachment 4) shall be completed for each resident whose funds are withdrawn for shopping. This form requires the date, store, and amount of each purchase, as well as the attachment of individual itemized receipts. In those instances where the business does not provide an itemized request, a generic request for resident’s purchases (Florida State Hospital Form 400, Attachment 5) shall be completed.
(5) Funds Kept on Ward for Residents: Funds should not be kept on the ward for residents. If the resident is unable to manage his/her own funds they should be placed on the Canteen Draw System (see Florida State Hospital Operating Procedure 55-13).
d. Resident Account Statements: The cash shall be kept in a locked area or other controlled areas as designated by the Unit Director.