August 29, 2001
MANAGEMENT BULLETIN
TO: Area Agency on Aging Directors
Home and Community
Services Regional Administrators
Division of
Developmental Disabilities Regional Administrators
SUBJECT: PROTOCOL CHANGE FOR WESTERN STATE
HOSPITAL (WSH) COURTESY ASSESSMENTS
Effective
October 1, 2001, RSN's who wish to request a courtesy assessment for discharge
of a WSH resident will communicate the request for assessment directly to
Cheryl Allen or Region 5 Home and Community Services (HCS) staff. The RSN will also notify the local area HCS
office (local office is considered to mean the community that the client is
returning to) designated RSN liaison of this referral on the same day.
If
the local HCS staff believes the referral for assessment is inappropriate,
immediate contact (not to exceed 7 days) with Region 5 staff must occur. (For
example, the Gray's Harbor RSN liaison to WSH has identified a client for
potential discharge to an AFH. The
liaison contacts Cheryl Allen to request a courtesy assessment and then
immediately notifies the Aberdeen HCS designated RSN liaison of the
request. Aberdeen HCS then has a
maximum of 7 days to assure the resident is appropriate for the desired
placement.)
In
determining appropriateness for placement, local HCS staff should consider, to
the extent possible, factors such as financial eligibility, clinical
stability, ability of available
providers to provide care and resident's choice.
Region
5 staff will otherwise give priority for assessment of residents who have been
deemed appropriate through this process.
Region 5 CNC's go to WSH to do courtesy assessments one or two days each
week, depending on workload. This
process applies to all requests for courtesy assessments for eventual placement
in Nursing Facilities, Boarding Homes (ARC, EARC, AL) or Adult family Homes.
Inquiries
to: Rick Bacon, Assistant Director
Home and Community
Services Division
(360) 725-2321
Penny Black, Director
Home and Community Services Division
cc:
Richard Onizuka, MHD
Andy Toulon, MHD