Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024
A. Companion care
services provide supports to assist the beneficiary in achieving and/or
maintaining increased independence, productivity and community inclusion as
identified in the beneficiary's plan of care. These services are designed for
individuals who live independently and can manage their own household with
limited supports. The companion provides personal care and supportive services
to a beneficiary who resides as a roommate with his/her caregiver. This service
includes:
1. providing assistance with all of
the activities of daily living as indicated in the beneficiary's POC;
and
2. community integration and
coordination of transportation services, including medical
appointments.
B.
Companion care services can be arranged by licensed providers who hire
companions. The beneficiary must be able to self-direct services to companion.
The companion is a principal care provider who is at least 18 years of age, who
lives with the beneficiary as a roommate, and provides services in the
beneficiary's home. The companion is a contracted employee of the provider
agency and is paid as such by the provider.
C. Provider Responsibilities
1.The provider organization shall develop a
written agreement that defines all of the shared responsibilities between the
companion and the beneficiary. This agreement becomes a part of the
beneficiary's plan of care. The written agreement shall include, but is not
limited to:
a. types of support provided by
the companion;
b. activities
provided by the companion; and
c. a
typical weekly schedule.
2. Revisions to this agreement must be
facilitated by the provider and approved as part of the plan of care following
the same process as would any revision to a plan of care. Revisions can be
initiated by the beneficiary, the companion, the provider, or a member of the
beneficiary's support team.
3.The
provider is responsible for performing the following functions which are
included in the daily rate:
a. arranging the
delivery of services and providing emergency services as needed;
b. conducting an initial inspection of the
beneficiary's home with on-going periodic inspections of a frequency determined
by the provider;
c. making contact
with the companion at a minimum of once per week, or more often as specified in
the beneficiary's plan of care; and
d. providing 24-hour oversight, back-up
staff, and companion supervision.
4. The provider shall facilitate a signed
written agreement between the companion and the beneficiary.
D. Responsibilities of the
companion include:
1. providing assistance
with activities of daily living (ADLs);
a. -
c. Repealed.
2.
community integration;
3. providing
transportation;
4. coordinating and
assisting as needed with transportation to medical/therapy
appointments;
5. participating in
and following the beneficiary's plan of care and any support plans;
6. maintaining documentation/records in
accordance with state and provider requirements;
7. being available in accordance with a
pre-arranged time schedule as outlined in the beneficiary's plan of
care;
8. purchasing own personal
items and food; and
9. being
available 24 hours a day (by phone contact) to the beneficiary to provide
supports on short notice as a need arises.
E. Service Limits
1. The provider must provide relief staff for
scheduled and unscheduled absences, available for up to 360 hours (15 days) per
plan of care year. The companion care provider's rate includes funding for
relief staff for scheduled and unscheduled absences.
F. Service Exclusions
1. Companion care is not available to
individuals receiving the following services:
a. respite care service out of
home;
b. shared living;
c. community living supports;
d. host home; or
e. monitored in-home caregiving
(MIHC).
2. Companion care
services are not available to participants under the age of 18.
3. Legally responsible individuals and legal
guardians may provide companion care services for a relative who beneficiary
provided that the care is extraordinary in comparison to that of a beneficiary
of the same age without a disability and the care is in the best interest of
the beneficiary.
4. Payment does
not include room and board or maintenance, upkeep, and improvement of the
beneficiaries or provider's property.
5. transportation is billed by the vocational
provider.
G. Provider
Qualifications. Providers must be licensed by the Department of Health as a
home and community based services provider and meet the module requirements for
personal care attendant in LAC 48:I.Chapter 50.
AUTHORITY
NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with
R.S.
36:254 and Title XIX of the Social Security
Act.
