ACCESS ALASKA INC.

An individual who provides assistance with eating, bathing, dressing, personal hygiene, activities of daily living as specified in the plan of care. Services which are incidental to the care furnished, or essential to the health and welfare of the individual may also be provided. Personal care providers must meet state defined training and certification standards

An individual who provides supervision, socialization, and non-medical care to a functionally impaired adult. Companions may assist or supervise the individual with such tasks as meal preparation, laundry and shopping, but do not perform these activities as discrete services. These services are provided in accordance with a therapeutic goal in the plan of care.

An individual who provides hands-on care, of both a supportive and health related nature, specific to the needs of a medically stable, physically handicapped individual. Supportive services are those that substitute for the absence, loss, diminution, or impairment of a physical or cognitive function. This service may include skilled or nursing care to the extent permitted by state law.

An individual who provides home maintenance services required to sustain a safe, sanitary living environment for individuals who because of age or disabilities is unable to perform the activities. These services include heavy household chores such as washing floors, windows, and walls; tacking down loose rugs and tiles; and moving heavy items of furniture in order to provide safe access and egress.

An organization that is responsible for providing case management services. The agency provides services which assist an individual in gaining access to needed medical, social, educational, and/or other services. Case management services may be used to locate, coordinate, and monitor necessary appropriate services. It may be used to encourage the use of cost-effective medical care by referrals to appropriate providers and to discourage over utilization of costly services. Case management may also serve to provide necessary coordination of non-medical services such as vocational rehabilitation, education, employment, when the services provided enable the individual to function at the highest level.

An individual who provides general household activities such as meal preparation, laundry, and light housekeeping, when the individual regularly responsible for these activities is temporarily absent or unable to provide for himself. Homemakers must meet the state defined training standards.

A private or public agency usually under local government jurisdiction, responsible for assuring the delivery of community based mental health, intellectual disabilities, substance abuse and/or behavioral health services to individuals with those disabilities. Services may range from companion care, respite, transportation, community integration, crisis intervention and stabilization, supported employment, day support, prevocational services, residential support, therapeutic and supportive consultation, environmental modifications, intensive in-home therapy and day treatment, in addition to traditional mental health and behavioral treatment.

(1) An unlicensed individual who is trained to function in an assistive role to the licensed nurse in the provision of patient/client activities as delegated by the nurse; (2) An individual trained (either on-the-job or through a formal course generally of less than one year) and experienced in performing patient or client-care nursing tasks that do not require the skills of a specialist, technician, or professional. Examples of tasks performed by nurses aides include changing clothes, diapers, and beds; assisting patients to perform exercises or personal hygiene tasks, and supporting communication or social interaction. Specific education and credentials are not required for this work.

A provider of service/function that assists participating individuals to make informed decisions about what will work best for them is consistent with their needs and reflects their individual circumstances. Serving as the agent of the individual, the service is available to assist in identifying immediate and long-term needs, developing options to meet those needs and accessing identified supports and services and may include assistance with recruiting, screening, hiring, and training in-home support providers. A family or person-centered planning approach is used. Supports Brokerage offers practical skills training to enable families and individuals to remain independent. Examples of skills training include providing information on recruiting and hiring personal care workers, managing personal care workers and providing information on effective communication and problem solving. The service/function provides sufficient information to assure that individuals understand the responsibilities involved with self-direction and assist in the development of an effective back-up and emergency plan. Plans may elect to fulfill the requirement of this service/function using a self-directed case manager or creating a distinct service. The Supports Brokerage documents the need for assistive services, planning for and documenting the use of excess funds and locating and maintaining services.

A person trained to assist public health nurses, home health nurses, and other health professionals in the bedside care of patients in their homes.

A person who provides case management services and assists an individual in gaining access to needed medical, social, educational, and/or other services. The person has the ability to provide an assessment and review of completed plan of care on a periodic basis. This person is also able to take collaborative action to coordinate the services with other providers and monitor the enrollee's progress toward the cost-effective achievement of objectives specified in the plan of care. Credentials may vary from an experience in the fields of psychology, social work, rehabilitation, nursing or a closely related human service field, to a related Assoc of Arts Degree or to nursing credentials. Some states may require certification in case management.

Source: NUCC, CMS