Vendor application process and requirements

Vendor Application

Recruitment is an important phase, as this provides the opportunity to develop relationships with potential candidates. These relationships will then contribute towards the final staffing decision. Recruitment is also an opportunity to make use of existing staff. Word-of-mouth information can for example be provided to existing staff regarding the availability of the position. As the staff presumably have the best interest of the company in mind, they can help in recruiting the best future staff members. Other methods of recruitment include tapping social board funders and academic networks, publicizing in employee referrals, networking in industry groups, conferences and trade shows. Building and keeping a potential employee database is another method that can facilitate recruitment.

In terms of the initial training plan, employees will be provided with the policies and procedures of employment at Serenity Health Services. In this regard, they will complete a program that includes elements such as orientation to the health needs of clients, CPR, First aid, health and safety policies and procedures.

2. In addition to the above-mentioned training in basic elements of work, employees will further receive training in elements such as medication, seizures, interactions with clients, ISPP process, communication with families, client rights and confidentiality. Direct care personnel members will also receive training specific to their responsibilities, objectives and assignments. Such staff members will also be required to annually review agency policies and procedures, and plan for potential contingencies in terms of emergencies and disasters. Other elements of training will include client intervention techniques a provided by a professional. Basic training will therefore include practical, on-site training that will help staff members provide each specific community with their specific health care needs. An awareness of legislation in combination with an understanding of client rights will form part of this training.

3. Being a health service, it is vital that Serenity Health Services Mental Health LLC (SHS) provide its community with the best of uninterrupted service at all times. This is the responsibility of the Clinical Director. The Director is to provide the community with appropriate treatment by qualified, professional staff. This means that capacity demands must be met in a timely fashion. To accomplish this, the Director needs to determine whether additional staff are required to provide sufficient and timely service. Specifically, the Director will meet with the Chief Administrative Officer on a weekly basis, with the purpose of reviewing census reports. These are to indicate whether additional personnel must be hired in order to meet capacity demands. In order to provide the necessary human resources, a pool of potential employees will be created to determine the best choice and quality of future service. A web site will also be created for the purpose of staffing.

4. Policies and procedures are implemented in order to address neglect and abuse allegations internally. These include definitions and prohibitions in terms of the allegations, the detection of neglect and abuse both within and outside the agency itself, and intervention to prevent recurring incidents. Intervention will occur immediately, as soon as possible after the initial allegation. Reporting will be handled with the necessary sensitivity and discretion, after which a thorough investigation is launched into the allegations. When reports are found to be grounded in fact, corrective action will be taken immediately in order to prevent and discourage further abuse. In all cases, the rights of the community will be taken into account, as well as how these are supported and integrated with legislation. All procedures and policies will occur according to these rights and the law. Abuse and neglect will include actions such as smoking and drinking, that could impact negatively upon the comfort and right of fellow residents. Adequate staffing procedures will be implemented to handle these issues.

5. Externally, policies and procedures are put in place to address the alleged neglect and abuse of residents. Definitions of abuse, along with prohibitive rules, will be put in place in accordance with external law-making agencies. Possible neglect and abuse will be monitored continuously, with detection paradigms in place both inside and outside the agency. As with internal reporting, immediate intervention will occur in cases of neglect or abuse, and measures will be in place to prevent further abuse. Reporting will occur in accordance with legislation, and neglect or abuse revealed by investigation will result in setting review and corrective action. The comfort level and rights of residents will also be taken into account, and prohibitive measures will be taken in terms of smoking and drinking. Policies and procedures will be put in place by means of which residents can report abuses internally, and in the event that issues cannot be resolved on the premises, external reporting procedures will be followed. Policies and procedures will be submitted to the Division for approval.

6. The internal review process is supplemented with corrective action. This process is based upon incident reports. Incident reports regarding client affairs and staff concerns. Specifically, these reports are filed whenever violations of the SHS Code of Ethics are committed by any person involved with the agency. Specific procedures need to be filed when such violations occur, and the SHS Clinical Director is directly responsible for all complaints filed against SHS employees. Such reports are written on an SHS Incident Form and filed for 12 months after the incident. It is registered with a licensing body within one working day of the incident. Incidents may include death, abuse, neglect, or exploitation, suicide attempts, and physical injuries. The procedure to follow when incidents are reported includes an interview with all parties involved, the documentation of all specifics relating to the incident, including the location, time, and date of the incident.

7. Complaint and grievance forms contain the specific elements of the incidents reported. In the case of minors, the names and addresses of minors and their parents or caretakers are included, the age of the minor along with the extent of the grievance suffered, and any other information necessary to establish the cause of injury or neglect. Minors are encouraged to enter all the details of the incident, so that an accurate assessment can be made regarding corrective action. Minors are also encouraged to follow the specific steps included in grievance reports in order to validate the grievances suffered and claims made.

8. Grievance procedures include specific steps. Firstly, all complaints are to be directed to the Office Manager, a position at Serenity Health Services Mental Health, LLC currently held by Melissa Whalley. Cases that Ms. Whalley cannot resolve herself are referred to the Clinical Director, Kenneth Rose. If the complaint still cannot be resolved, more information is requested. In such a case, the complainant needs to submit the complaint, the reason for the complaint, and the requested resolution, if any to the Controlling Manager. The written request is then assessed and a response can be expected within sixty days of submission. Complainants are to be as specific as possible regarding all the elements of their case, including the sequence of events leading to the complaint, as well as all the persons involved in the incident. Furthermore, complainants are asked to be specific about the resolutions they would like for their complaints.

9. Policies and procedures regarding the submission of complaints and grievances follow a process from the lowest to the highest levels. Administratively, some complaints are easily resolved via informal channels on the premises, while others are more serious and need to be submitted to higher levels of management. Policies and procedures are implemented to facilitate resolutions and help complainants as soon as possible.

Clients or services providers alike have the right to submit a request for Administrative

Review. The first step towards this is to attempt a resolution of the complaint via informal channels of communication with the Health Plan representative or District Program Manager. If this does not have the desired outcome, a written request for an Administrative Review can be filed with the Compliance and Review Unit within 35 days of the incident. If there is still no satisfactory resolution, a further written request for an Administrative Review can be filed with the Division's Compliance and Review Unit within 60 days of the incident. In such a case, the Compliance and Review United needs to review the written request. A formal, written decision will then be returned within a certain timer frame. Time frames are prescribed under ALTCS.

It is the concern of agency that clients and workers enjoy the full benefits of the agency at all time. Complaints will therefore be handled within the exact prescribed time frames to ensure that all relationships are fully restored and quality service enjoyed.

10. It is also possible that persons outside of the direct service of the agency may have complaints and grievances. Such persons may include consumers, families, or consumer representatives. In such a case, there are also specific procedures to be followed. Complaints regarding services or staff by representatives of the client will be resolved as quickly as possible under the following policies and procedures: Appropriate procedures will be established for specific complaints and grievances. Clients will receive information regarding their rights to submit such complaints. Clients will also be informed on the different levels and time frames related to the process of submitting complaints. Clients and their representatives will receive assistance in the process of grievances, until the complaints are resolved. It is important to the agency that not only direct clients, but also their family members and other representatives be satisfied with the quality of service at all times.

Complaints or grievances can be filed by any client of the Division of Development Disabilities, their parents, guardians, or other representatives. These persons have the right to make complaints or initiate grievances. Areas targeted for such grievances may be the conditions under which clients are treated, as well as treatment provided by the staff of the Division or other service providers under the Division. Upon receipt of such complaints, it is the obligation of Serenity to handle all complaints in a timely and professional manner. These responses will be handled according to policies and procedures until the client, parent, guardian, or representative is satisfied that Serenity has done all in its power to obtain an acceptable resolution for the complaint or grievance. Being a service provider, client satisfaction, communication and satisfactory service are at the top of the agency's list of priorities.

12. The complaints and grievances process entails a number of steps to facilitate the process not only for clients, but also to ensure that all staff involved can handle the situation promptly. Appropriate procedures are established for responding to complaints and grievances, as mentioned above. Clients and their representatives receive specific information on submitting grievances and complaints. Clients and their representatives are made fully aware of their rights to submit grievances and complaints. They are also assisted on the different levels of submitting and handling complaints.

13. In addition to their right to submit complaints and grievances, clients and their representatives also have the right to submit input regarding the level of service and conditions provided. Firstly, clients are provided with a documented list of best client interests. This can then be used not only in the complaint process, but also as a basis for submitting further improvements and additions to the list. The purpose of this list is to solicit family support, preserve the integrity of the family in terms of clients and family members, and to involve the family in problem-solving and decision-making in terms of the care clients receive. The family is therefore supported and empowered in order to help the agency in its care giving capacity.

A mailing list is established in order to connect not only individual families and clients with the agency, but also to connect families and clients with each other in terms of support and empowerment. The electronic media provide a very large framework for support, without having to establish a physical location for inter-family meetings. Clients' families will then be able to understand that neither they nor their disabled family members are alone in their predicament. This alone establishes a very prominent sense of support. Establishing an online community therefore helps families to connect on a community basis. This is then also a channel by which input can be provided to the agency. Family empowerment is regarded as a very important element of mental health in children. Thus, input from families is highly encouraged, since studies have shown that greater family involvement also means better mental health for the children of these families.

14. As involvement is seen as a vitally important element of providing mental health services, measures are implemented by which consumer and family satisfaction with the service is measured. In determining how these measures can best be implemented, what other agencies are doing has been investigated. In Northern Arizona, for example, parents are involved as leaders on the Board of Directors of the Human Service Cooperative, a measure supported by the DES Division of Developmental Disabilities. In Flagstaff, a Community Partnership website has been developed via which information and communication are facilitated. The University of Northern Arizona arranged a conference on Autism in October 2004.

These are measures that can be used as a springboard for ideas in the agency's future as a service provider. Basically, client and family satisfaction is measured by communication. It is therefore vital to, as seen above, communicate with all involved in the service. Such communication serves more than one important function: it imparts to families and clients their rights, while also soliciting from clients and families their level of satisfaction. The electronic media have facilitated this process to a great degree. What other agencies have done serves as an important springboard for ideas for what can be done locally.

15. In addition to clients and families, the non-related representatives of clients also need to be taken into account when monitoring the level of satisfaction. These persons also have the right to submit complaints and grievances, and thus also have the right to submit input regarding their satisfaction. Specifically, a wider context needs to be established from which to measure the satisfaction of client representatives.

A definitional framework should then be suggested as a framework of consumer satisfaction. This framework should be established on the basis of monitored consumer views. Different contextual settings can also be considered in developing this framework. The established definitions of satisfaction should then be established as being consistent with the consumer views that are collected. The consumer is the focus of care and should therefore be considered as very important in developing the definitions of satisfaction. Concomitantly, consumers should also understand what is meant when the agency uses the term satisfaction. Specific and targeted studies are conducted to establish the different components involved in consumer satisfaction and its various meanings.

16. Because family-centered care is at the heart of our service delivery, it is important that both clients and their families and representatives are involved in as many as possible of the administrative processes that concern them directly. One of these processes is the hiring and evaluation of direct service staff.

It is our concern to establish relationships between families and staff rather than just an impersonal connection of clinical care. Hiring and evaluating staff is therefore driven by the needs of families and children that come to use for service and care. Family-centered care means that families have the right to periodically evaluate the staff members providing them with care. This includes both positive and negative evaluations. In the case of negative evaluations, staff members are made aware of room for improvement and are asked to pay attention to problem areas. Because our paradigm of care is focused upon the needs of human beings, it is important that relationships with professionals occur in a collaborative and mutually respectful way.

17. Feedback within the agency is forwarded to Kenneth Rose, the Controlling Manager. The Controlling Manager takes to heart the specific needs of clients and their families. As such, he involves all the necessary parties in feedback sessions in order to provide the highest level of service excellence to families.

18. Clients and their families, caregivers and/or representatives are not only to provide feedback, but they are also expected to be part of the evaluation process in order to improve services. One of our concerns is therefore to, as mentioned above, help to establish good relationships with caregivers, especially in cases where these caregivers work at their clients' homes.

In such cases, families often feel unsure and nervous about caregivers within their homes to care for their children. This is particularly the case when caregivers are established in the home for the first time. Families need to be reassured regarding the necessity of care for the well-being of their children. These families therefore need to be reassured by establishing good relationships with their caregivers from the beginning of the care period. Specifically, caregivers are expected to establish open, honest, and respectful communication with families. This will translate into better care for children, who will receive care in a positive atmosphere that promotes learning and health. We believe that such a philosophy of family-centered care best meets the needs of the primary care clients, the children, and their families. Family-centered care occurs in a mutually respectful and collaborative way, according to principles such as: dignity and respect, complete, unbiased and useful information, and a paradigm of control and independence for clients and families. The relationship with the caregiver is therefore seen as collaborative and equal, with families and children continually made aware of their rights to provide input, criticism, and praise when it is deserved.

19. Feedback from former consumers is very important to provide families with the information necessary to make informed decisions about the care of their children and wards. This falls into the category of mutually respectful communication between the agency, its employees, and care recipients. Families have the right to be provided with targeted and excellent care. The disclosure of past evaluations is therefore in the interest of families and clients, and should be provided to them if they request it.

20. In addition to the above, consumers, their families and representatives are provided with many opportunities to be involved in the care provided by the agency. Indeed, according to feedback provided by families, staff are trained in the specific needs of children and their families. Staff are also provided with support from the agency in order to provide families and children with the best possible support.

Families are targeted for involvement by means of events such as training and workshops. These focus on the specific needs of such children, and also on the particular care that is in their best interest. Families are trained to help support their children while in the care of agency personnel. Families of newly diagnosed children are provided with special needs resource packets, including a partnership program implemented by the agency. This provides not only the children, but also the family with the support necessary to help their children achieve their goals.

The agency's Partnership program has been credited with statewide success. The program enhances good relationships between families and caregivers, which concomitantly leads to the development of better, more responsive services. Ultimately, this leads to excellent customer satisfaction and the growth of the organization.

Families are also provided with the opportunity to interact on a wider scale via the interactive Web site. This provides comprehensive information on the services provided in general, as well as with individualized data for children with specific conditions. Via this web site, families are allowed to communicate not only with caregivers and the agency, but also with each other. In this way, mutual support is provided for the families of children with special needs. This, along with other communication paradigms, helps the agency and its personnel in establishing a holistic view of the family and child. The child as whole person is considered along with the family as a whole unit, instead of focusing only on the disability. Problems are rather seen as challenges, and this is handled within the context of other more positive elements in the child and family.

The family is therefore an equal partner in planning, implementing, and evaluating services. As such, families and professionals can learn from each other. In working together in this way, the responses of both families and professionals are modified to an experience of the situation as less stressful than it would have been without support.

21. Currently, no active community advisory groups are available. Plans are in place for establishing such a community advisory in the future. This will be part of the important process of involving families and community members in the important work done by the agency. It will also be a good way to raise community awareness regarding children with disabilities and their needs.

23. The quality and appropriateness of service are vital, as care is provided to a sector of society whose potential is largely untapped. As such, it is important that the agency continuously monitors its service quality as seen by the community it serves. Because human beings with special needs are involved, the objective criteria for success are neither simple, obvious, nor easy to collect or analyze. The agency has multiple objectives that are often in conflict with each other, once again because human beings and services to human beings are involved. There are very few measurable criteria according to which the quality of service can be measured. This is why feedback by clients and their families are vitally important for such monitoring purposes.

In terms of quality service, the agency's objectives can be measured against the generally accepted criteria of service organizations. It for example needs to be efficient in its resource use and effective in the eyes of the customer. The problem with the latter is that customers often entail children with their families. Effective service in the eyes of the child is often not the same as effective service in the eyes of the family. Service effectiveness and efficiency need to be established in harmony with each other in order to mitigate such conflicts. In services such as those to children with disabilities, this is done by means of communication. Communication lies at the heart of conflict resolution, as seen above.

Specifically, to implement internal measures for service efficiency with external measures of service effectiveness, elements such as the balanced scorecard are implemented. Such a scorecard then provides the agency with its employees with measurable objectives in terms of corporate goals.