October 2006

The Arc of East Central Iowa E-Challenger
Family Network

Introducing... SibShop!

The Arc of East Central Iowa is excited to announce Sibshop! Sibshops are opportunities for brothers and sisters of children with disabilities to obtain peer support and education within a recreational context. That means FUN- and a lot of it! Sibshops are not therapy, although their effect may be therapeutic for some children. Sibshops acknowledge the special and important roles brothers and sisters of people with disabilities have in the present and in the future. Fall Sibshops are being organized and more information will follow soon! Contact Jonni Kolosick at 319.365.0487 x1027 or jkolosick@arceci.org with questions.
CHOICE - A New Group Respite Program For Adults!

CHOICE (CHoosing Options for Inclusion and Community Experience) is an adult enrichment program designed to provide social opportunities for consumers in a Group Respite setting. This program will be offered Monday – Friday from 2:30 – 5:30 p.m. at The Arc’s main office located at 680 2nd Street SE in Cedar Rapids. Consumers will enjoy participating in a variety of structured recreational, social and learning activities both at the site location and in the community.

Recreation Activities may include: General games, arts & crafts, outdoor games, exercising, swimming at the YMCA, movies, library visits, and attendance at other community locations/events.

Learning Activities may include: Public transportation system, social skills, community safety awareness (i.e. street crossing, learning signs); and household chores (i.e. laundry, meal planning, cooking, cleaning).

Consumers attending CHOICE will be able to utilize Group Respite funding or may private pay for this service. Consumers choosing Group Respite funding must comply with HCBS Group Respite requirements (i.e. one parent/guardian must not be working during the time billed as Group Respite) and will be billed the current Group Rate. Those choosing the private pay option will be offered a weekly rate of $60 for consumers who attend all 5 days or a $15 daily rate for consumers choosing to attend various days. The maximum daily capacity for this program is 12 consumers per day.

The estimated start date for CHOICES is October 2, 2006. If you have questions about this program, or would like more information, please contact CHOICES Program Coordinator Jessica Liebenstein at (319) 365-0487 x1009 or at jliebenstein@arceci.org.

Respite Reimbursement Policy

During Respite services, it is the responsibility of the consumer’s parent/guardian to reimburse the Direct Service Provider (DSP) for any expenses incurred that were agreed upon at the beginning of the service. This may include expenses such as mileage at a rate of 34¢ per mile or an activity admission such as a museum. Essentially, if during a Respite service the guardian requests that the DSP take the consumer out of the home, the parent/guardian is responsible for reimbursing the DSP for mileage and admission costs to any event they request the DSP go to with the consumer.

Supported Community Living (SCL) services are different. During SCL, the DSP is reimbursed by The Arc for mileage and admission costs into the events or activities if the Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) decides these are part of the consumer’s SCL goals. The consumer’s plan will specifically state the amount that may be reimbursed each month and what types of activities are reimbursable.

If a service is more than 4 hours long, the consumer/guardian is responsible for providing a sensible meal for the DSP if a meal would naturally occur during the service shift. If the DSP has special dietary requirements or specifications, it is their own responsibility to provide their meal during the service shift.

Questions about what is reimbursable should be directed to the consumer’s Family Service Coordinator at The Arc office (319-365-0487).
Action list for October:
The Arc of East Central Iowa
680 2nd Street SE, Suite 200
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
319-365-0487 or 1-800-842-0272
Have a response? E-mail echallenger@arceci.org
Don't forget to visit www.arceci.org to see pictures in our photo album!