Quadco Rehabilitation Center (QRC) is working on a plan that will comply with new Medicaid conflict of interest rules affecting county boards of developmental disabilities across the state and the country.
At their regular Administrative and Non-Profit Board meeting on Tuesday (July 28), QRC Executive Director Bruce Abell told the board members that the center is planning to privatize their services, just as many county boards are doing, to be in compliance with the rules.
The new rules essentially say that an entity, such as a county board, that provides case management services to the people they serve cannot also provide other services, since that could create a conflict of interest.
Mr. Abell explained that some people feel QRC, which was created before the county board system was formed in the state, could be confused as a similar entity.
So, he said, the center is working with an administrative law firm in Columbus who has been working with over 20 other county boards in the state who are developing similar plans to develop one for QRC that should satisfy any concerns of complying with the new rules.
He said the plan will not affect any of the services they are providing now, and the people being served should not notice any differences once the plan is completed and implemented.
He said he expects that the plan will be in place by March of 2016.
Job opportunities provided by QRC are a real strength of the organization according to two surveyors who reviewed the center earlier this month.
Bill Priest, director of marketing, reported that the surveyors were from CARF, formerly known as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and they reviewed QRC’s organizational employment services.
He told the board members that in their report the surveyors mentioned that one of strengths of the organization was the way the center provided a variety of job opportunities for the persons they serve.
He said they pointed to the commitment of the center to provide the Northwest Products division, which is operated like a factory, saying that it offered a quality work environment as evidenced by the maintaining of the ISO certification.
They also included the efforts being made to develop the number of enclave sites and further expand the job opportunities for the persons served in the community as a strength of the organization.
The surveyors said the relationship of respect and understanding with the persons served was very apparent in the service delivery that they saw. They said they witnessed that a number of times as they watched the interactions with the staff and the persons served.
Mr. Priest also said they reported that they heard the same thing when they spoke to parents and the persons served, who spoke highly of the services provided by the staff and how they felt the staff were responsive to their needs.
The surveyors noted that the referral sources and funding agencies with whom they spoke were pleased with the services provided and feel there is a strong working relationship.
The leadership and staff were commended for taking on other roles, Mr. Priest reported, allowing the center to condense the number of staff while still working diligently to provide quality supports. They noted how well they all work together as a team with everyone helping out where they can.
Their report included a mention of the initial and on-going training provided to staff as being useful in assisting to provide supports for the persons served.
He said one of the surveyors was especially impressed with the extensive tracking system used with the transportation vehicles to ensure there’s a safe environment provided for the person’s served.
The surveyors full report has been sent to the CARF headquarters for review, and the final report and determination from CARF will be sent to QRC in the matter of a few weeks.
Mr. Priest reported that QRC’s third annual Cruise-In will be held this Friday, July 31, from 1-3 p.m. at the Stryker School parking lot in downtown Stryker. The cruise-in is open to the public. There is no admission charge and no entre fee for drivers who bring their classic vehicles.
He also said an inservice training day will be held on Monday, August 3 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. covering a variety of safety and informational training topics for the staff.
The next meeting of the board will be on August 25 at noon in the Stryker conference room.
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