105-9 HOME VISITS
105-9 A. PURPOSE OF HOME VISITS
Home visits are an effective means of confirming household circumstances such as residence and household composition. They are also an excellent opportunity to review family self-sufficiency plans, assess supportive service needs, and discuss other client rights and responsibilities.
Home visits can be conducted statewide, in rural as well as urban areas. In addition to the home visit positions established in some major offices, case workers in all other offices can conduct home visits if assigned by the supervisor.
Note:
Under no circumstances should a case worker insist upon entry to the client's home. If the client objects to the visit, politely request a time when it would be more convenient.
105-9 B. SELECTION CRITERIA FOR HOME VISITS
Case workers should use prudent judgment when determining if a home visit is necessary. Because case management serves to maintain regular contact between clients and case workers, home visits may only be necessary to address instances when other methods of resolving questionable circumstances have been exhausted.
A home visit may be appropriate when applicant or recipient households:
Are unable to provide clear and unquestionable information needed to determine eligibility;
Have a prior history of fraud or client-caused claim determinations;
Do not attempt to reconcile work-related penalties; or
Fit error profiles established by the Quality Assessment Unit.
If multiple home visits do not result in client contact and collateral contacts are not conclusive, send a notice to the household advising them to contact the office to schedule a home visit.
105-9 C. COLLATERAL AND THIRD PARTY CONTACTS FOR HOME VISITS
Establishing collateral and third party contacts is an important aspect of the home visit process. In preparing for the home visit, review the application or case record to determine pertinent questions to ask potential collateral or third party contacts. Ensure that copies of signed releases of information obtained at the interview or contained in the file are available.
Communication with collateral and third parties contacts able to answer questions should be attempted prior to the home visit. If collateral contacts have recently been made, the reviewer should analyze the information documented to determine if another contact is desirable. This information gives the reviewer a more complete idea of the client's situation and should be used to compose a format for questioning.
If no collateral contacts were provided by the client prior to the home visit, the reviewer should request two collateral sources to confirm the client's situation. If the client states he or she has no collateral contacts, the reviewer may suggest a neighbor and/or landlord be contacted to confirm information (if this contact was not previously made). Explore in depth the possibility of any collateral contacts.
After the home visit has been completed, additional collateral contacts may be made as necessary. Collateral contacts should be made by phone if possible.
Each district office is required to establish and maintain a log of home visits. There is no prescribed format or numbered form for the log, but at minimum it must reflect the following:
Case name and case number;
Name of home visit reviewer;
Date home visit was attempted;
Date home visit was completed;
Program(s) reviewed;
Type of application (new, re-certification, review, or reopen);
Preparation time for home visit;
Time spent making home visit;
Follow-up time required;
Total time;
Number of collateral contacts made;
Was eligibility or payment error found;
Was administrative error found;
Was error client or agency caused;
Have benefits changed; and
Date of final action by the case worker assigned to the case.
105-9 E. HOME VISIT SUMMARY REPORT
A Home Visit Summary Report is to be submitted by all district offices monthly. The regional manager will consolidate all district office reports on a single report and submit the consolidated report together with a copy of each district office summary to Field Services, no later than the 10th working day of each month (Form Gen 91).
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