TARRY HOUSE, INC.

 

Subject:   

Handling of Person served Personal Funds

Procedure Number:  B.P. 13

Site: Tarry House

Effective: 3/18/96

Issued By: Executive Director

Revised: 4/18/97; 4/21/04; 11/29/05; 8/1/07

Approved By: The Board of Trustees

Reference Policy: B.P. 01

Reviewed: 12/02/99; 1/10/01; 11/30/01; 11/25/02; 4/21/04; 11/29/05; 8/1/07; 1/28/08

 

Standards Reference:

CARF: Section 1.I. 12

ODMH: 5122-30-24

 

I.                   Purpose

 

To provide clear guidelines and accountability in the management of the personal funds of the persons served as well as the reasonable availability of such funds.  If the multidisciplinary treatment team at Community Support Services, Community Support Network or Blick Clinic, in conjunction with Tarry House, recommends that the person served should have the goal of money management, Tarry House will work with that person on the goal of money/budget management.  This treatment goal, as well as the specifics of dispensing of the personal funds, must be indicated in the person’s Tarry House Individual Recovery Service Plan (IRSP) (treatment plan).      

 

 

II.                Responsibility

 

It shall be the responsibility of the Program Manager to manage persons served personal funds if the person served agrees to this in his/her IRSP.  In the Program Manager’s absence, the Recovery Specialist will help those served, who have agreed to this service manage personal funds.  Those served will be encouraged to secure cash, checks, credit cards, financial papers etc. in the office safe.  It is the Recovery Specialist’s responsibility to ensure that the specifics of the money management goals and objectives become part of the IRSP, and signed off by the person served.

          

III.             Procedure

 

A.     During admission to Tarry House, the options for receiving cash, and securing cash, checks, credit cards and other financial papers will be explained to all incoming person served.

B.     If Tarry House is providing assistance with the person served money in any way, this shall be documented in the person served recovery plan.  A limit, not to exceed $100.00 will be locked in the safe.  A recommendation will be made to the person served, and the person’s case manager that cigarettes and hygiene supplies be purchased at the beginning of the month to decrease the amount of cash on hand.

C.     For person served who are their own payees, incoming benefits in the form of cash and checks will be handed directly to them.  The resident may then make arrangements with the Program Manager per his/her IRSP whether or not the cash will be locked in the safe and if money shall be dispensed.

D.    For person served who have an assigned payee, prior budgeting with the payee will determine the status and amount of personal cash delivered to Tarry House, Inc.  The representative payee shall be informed that checks for spending money should be sent to the resident in his/her name.  Checks for individual’s spending money should be sent in Tarry House’s name shall be returned to the representative payee for re-issue in the person served name.  All financial disbursements from Tarry House staff to the resident will be made per specific instructions of the designated payee.  Upon discharge, any remaining cash or checks will be returned to the designated payee.

E.     For person served who have a court appointed guardian, all financial arrangements will be made through the guardian.  All cash transactions will follow the guardian’s wishes, as documented in the individual recovery plan.

F.      All documentation in reference to money added to or subtracted from a person served account shall be up-to-date at all times (see Tarry House Resident Fund Log attached).

G.    Money shall be handed out in increments as agreed to by the person, Tarry House and his/her treatment team.  The Resident Fund Log should be signed by the resident and the staff person.

H.    If the Program Manager, Business Manager and the Executive Director are not available to hand out the budgeted amount at the designated time, the money shall be placed in an envelope and given to a designated staff person who signs for the money to give to the person served.  Both parties will sign the Resident Fund Log when the person receives his/her envelope.  The balance of money remains locked in the safe.

I.       Tarry House shall not be held responsible to reimburse funds to person served for lost or stolen monies.  However, if money is found to be lost or stolen, the Program Manager shall investigate.  Outcome of the investigation will be reported to the Executive Director who will make appropriate recommendations based on the investigation.  If enough evidence exists, any monies lost or stolen will be the responsibility of the person designated as responsible for the funds.  Lost or stolen funds shall be reimbursed to the person served with Tarry House Petty Cash and the money may be deducted via payroll deduction from the responsible party for the full amount over a period of time not to exceed six payroll periods.

 

Cash and checks are received by the Agency on a daily basis.  Funds will be directed to the Administrative Office, where they will be receipted and deposited in the safe daily.  Each person served funds will be maintained in an individual valuables envelope.  Receipts for any items (i.e., cigarettes, hygiene supplies) purchased for person served will be maintained in the cash valuables envelope.  Person served may receive cash daily, semi-weekly or weekly.

 

As part of the discharge process, person served will receive the balance of their funds according to his/her Recovery Plan.  At this time, any reports or forms for payees and/or guardians will be completed.

 

At no time will Tarry House, Inc. function as a payee or conservator for resident benefits.  All person served must manage or arrange for the management or their entitlements.  The holding of resident cash/checks in the agency safe will be limited to the funds needed during residency.  All other savings, inheritance, and/or settlements need to be handled through the person’s representative payee and or a financial institution.

 

                  

 

 

________________________________________                                                    _____________________

Executive Director                                                                                                        Date