Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 19, September 20, 2024
A. To participate
in the ICS Program as a provider of attendant care services under Regulation
.30 of this chapter, unless otherwise exempted under §F of this
regulation, an attendant shall:
(1) Be a
participant-employed or agency-employed attendant;
(2) Be at least 18 years old;
(3) Be legally eligible for employment
rendering attendant care services in the State;
(4) Be able to communicate, read, write, and
follow directions in English;
(5)
Be currently certified from a nationally recognized organization in the
following areas:
(a) Cardiopulmonary
resuscitation; and
(b) Basic first
aid;
(6) Receive
instruction and training on the attendant care services required in the
participant's plan of service from the nurse monitor before rendering
services;
(7) Be supervised by a
nurse monitor in accordance with the requirements of Regulation .31 of this
chapter;
(8) Accept instruction and
training from:
(a) The participant;
(b) The nurse monitor;
(c) The case manager;
(d) A treating physician;
(e) Other involved professionals;
or
(f) A Department
representative;
(9)
Submit to a pre-employment criminal background investigation for which the
individual shall:
(a) Submit an application
for a criminal history record check to the Criminal Justice Information System
Office, Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services;
(b) Direct the Department of Public Safety
and Correctional Services to send the criminal history report to the
Department; and
(c) Pay for the
criminal history record check and report; and
(10) Agree to submit written documentation of
services rendered to each participant to the case manager on a form designated
by the Department.
B. To
participate in the ICS Program as a provider of attendant care services under
Regulation .30 of this chapter, unless otherwise exempted under §F of this
regulation, an attendant may not:
(1) Be a
spouse;
(2) Be a parent of a
dependent child;
(3) Be an
individual who has full and unrestricted powers of guardianship;
(4) Render services to any participant before
being evaluated by a nurse monitor as able to:
(a) Understand and carry out the attendant
care services specified in the participant's plan of service; and
(b) Perform the required duties;
(5) Unless meeting the conditions
of §C of this regulation, have been convicted of, received a probation
before judgment for, or entered a plea of nolo contendere to, a felony or any
crime involving moral turpitude, drugs, or theft, or have any other criminal
history that indicates behavior which is potentially harmful to participants;
or
(6) Be listed on the Maryland
Geriatric Nursing Assistants Registry or any other registry with a
determination of abuse, misappropriation of property, or neglect.
C. If requested by the provider
applicant, the Department may waive the provisions of §B(5) of this
regulation if the applicant demonstrates that:
(1) The conviction, probation before
judgment, or a plea of nolo contendere to a felony or any crime involving moral
turpitude, drugs, or theft was entered more than 10 years before the date of
the provider application; and
(2)
The criminal history does not indicate behavior that is potentially harmful to
participants.
D. If
required to perform any delegated nursing functions as defined in Regulation
.02B of this chapter, an attendant who meets the requirements of §§A
and B of this regulation, shall also:
(1) Be
certified as:
(a) A nursing assistant in
accordance with COMAR 10.39.01; or
(b) If required to administer medications:
(i) Certified medicine aide in accordance
with COMAR 10.39.03; or
(ii)
Medication technician in accordance with COMAR 10.39.04;
(2) Be supervised by a nurse
monitor; and
(3) Comply with the
requirements of the Maryland Board of Nursing as set forth in COMAR
10.27.11.
E. To
participate in the ICS Program as an agency provider of attendant care
services, a provider agency shall:
(1) Be one
of the following:
(a) A public or private
agency that has been approved by the Department of Human Resources, in
accordance with COMAR 07.06.14;
(b)
A Medicaid provider of:
(i) Home health
services under COMAR 10.09.04; or
(ii) Personal care services under COMAR
10.09.20.03B;
or
(c) A residential
services agency certified in accordance with COMAR 10.07.05;
(2) Employ or contract with
attendants, who meet the requirements in §§A-C of this regulation, in
sufficient numbers to ensure that a qualified attendant is available to provide
the attendant care services ordered in the plan of service;
(3) Supervise each attendant who is employed
by or under contract with the attendant care provider agency;
(4) Employ or contract with licensed
registered nurses to act as nurse monitors and provide nursing supervision, in
accordance with Regulations .14 and .31 of this chapter;
(5) Be available to give instructions to
attendants and to answer questions during a normal working day, including
having a nurse monitor available to respond to medical or health-related issues
that are within the scope of the nurse's license;
(6) Keep accurate records on each participant
receiving attendant care services from the agency, which contain:
(a) The plan of service;
(b) Identification of each attendant
providing services to the participant;
(c) Dates and times when attendants
worked;
(d) Tasks the attendants
performed;
(e) Nurse monitors'
instructions to the attendants; and
(f) Progress notes and observations on the
attendant and the participant;
(7) Keep records and submit reports as
required by the Department;
(8)
Maintain 24-hour availability by beeper for emergencies; and
(9) Submit written documentation of services
rendered to each participant as required by the Maryland Medical Assistance
Program and on a form designated by the Department.
F. Exemptions.
(1) Subject to approval by the Department,
participant-employed attendants may be exempted from the qualifications
described at §A(2), (4), and (5) of this regulation at the request of the
participant.
(2) Providers that
have been exempted from any qualification may only serve the participant or
participants who have requested the exemption.
(3) The Department may:
(a) Grant exemptions; and
(b) Revoke exemptions for cause.