Question about EI provider payment and absences

My DD has started a language class that is given at an agency office. She started in late february and due to weather and illnes had managed to make it only every other week instead of once a week. I noticed that when they're having me sign that I am signing for the previous week that we didn't attend. When she misses a session at home, I sign in the middle of the box the next time but in this class, the box for the day I missed is filled in with writing and I sign in the top right as if we were there-which means they are getting paid for her when she wasn't there? So does anyone know if a class setting at an agency means they get paid whether or not a child is there or is it like in home services. I know our therapists only get paid if they actually come and do a session? When I realized that this was happening, I started to feel uncomfortable about it. The EI program is already in danger of govt cuts and if providers are getting paid for services they are not providing then it could short change kids who need services and may not get them in the future.

Re: Question about EI provider payment and absences

You always have to sign for an absence.

From what I understand, therapists do not get paid if a child is "absent" from the session.

Re: Question about EI provider payment and absences

Service providers that do not conduct services for any reason, do not get paid. They are however, able to make up a session in due time (I believe two weeks). In fact, they are supposed to 'try' to make it up, if you would like them to. (At an agency or at a home, same rule)

I have to be honest, I had a really bad
experience with something similiar. . Trust your gut on this ! I had a therapist that tried to get paid for several sessions she never conducted. It's fraudulent. Fortunately, the agency she came from handled it very professionally, and took it seriously. Therapists like that are stealing from our kids (IMO). If this turns into a big thing like it did for me, I can definitely tell you the right people to turn to.

You always have to sign across the box when either you or a therapist cancels. They have to also write in the box, the reason for cancelation. Each service provider has to write a progress report every three months. During that progress report there are dates for attendance/absence. Make sure those dates are appropriate and the reasons listed are 'correct'.

If you are having a really strange feeling about this provider, ask the agency to send you her/his "attendance" sheets. The sheets where she/he are supposed to list their goals etc. We were shocked what we found on the the sheets of the therapist that was committing fraud.

Message edited 3/31/2011 10:28:34 AM.

Re: Question about EI provider payment and absences

The therapist MUST write in the box either student absent or cancelled or therapist cancelled. If it is blank I would tell them that you will NOT sign a blank sheet. This is fraud. Dont be afraid to open your mouth, plus let the agnecy know.

like sapphire said....ask to get copies of the sheets and keep track of absences.

Re: Question about EI provider payment and absences

When I sign for an absence, I am not signing across the box like at home. The box is already filled with writing and I am signing in the same place I do at home when we have a session. This is a class that takes place at the agency office itself. It is once a week and there is no opportunity to make up a missed class. I don't know if I should make an issue of it now or not.

Re: Question about EI provider payment and absences

Sorry to crash this board but I was just looking around and noticed this. I'm an EI service coordinator in Queens and this can be a huge issue. The main thing I always tell all my parents is to NEVER EVER EVER sign a blank session note! If there is a cancellation, the therapist should write in the box - "therapists cancelled due to ____" or "family cancelled due to ___". The date of the cancelled session should also be clearly written in the box. Only once you see these 2 components written in the box should you sign. If they do a make up session for that missed session within 2 weeks, it would be in a new session note anyway. That session note should clearly say "Make up session for (date)"
Please be very careful with this! It is against every policy and procedure for a therapist to ever ask a parent to sign a blank note!
To answer your other question - no session, no payment. Therapists and agencies only get paid for completed FULL sessions.

Re: Question about EI provider payment and absences

I run an EI Parent/Child group and the agency is paid per a child not per group so if your child was absent then they should not be receiving payment for that child. The notes should be signed the same day that your child attends the group and if you miss, the note does not have to be signed, the provider simply puts child absent and sends in the paperwork. In other words you should only have to sign for sessions that you attend on the day that you are attending that session, the only writing in a box if you've missed that day should be child absent and its not even necessary for you to sign that note.

Documentation of a childs prescence should be done at the end of the session not days or weeks after...it may be that the provider is doing this and forgetting who attended what class what day and is just filling in for everyone and this is fraudulent...If you see a note that has been filled out as if your DD attended and she did not you should not sign it and bring it to the providers attention that your DD was not in attendance. HTH

Re: Question about EI provider payment and absences

Cross the whole box and write "cancelled" or "sick child". They cannot claim the session/class if they did not do it.

I had an issue with a therapist that would write is sessions in ink and suddenly his "sick/cancelled" session were in pencil. It really raised my suspicions because it was not just once. So I would take my pen and cross the box.

I have no problem signing for a session that will be made up later on. As long as my child is getting the sessions I signed for. I really trusted some of our therapists but signing for sessions he never had? No, I would have cheated my own child and cheating all tax payers.

Re: Question about EI provider payment and absences

Message edited 3/31/2011 7:51:38 PM.