Frequently Asked Questions
- To improve the quality of human life to those persons diagnosed with an Intellectual Disability and/or related conditions with the utmost dignity and respect by providing services and support that meet their needs and allow them to live in the least restrictive environment in efforts to maintain their independence.
Anointed Caring Homes, Inc. is committed to providing elite services and programs which are tailored to meet the individual needs and preferences of our clients. Anointed Caring Homes, Inc. strives to ensure the dignity of each person we serve is respected and their rights are protected.
Overall our goal is to provide a service that will lead individuals to become less dependent and able to make choices about their own lives so that they are able to live normal lives to their fullest potential.
2. Why did you or your organization decide to serve persons with Intellectual Disabilities?
- Anointed Caring Homes, Inc. founder chose to serve people with Intellectual Disabilities because she has a passion for helping others improve their quality of life and maximizing their full potential. She is committed to providing innovative supports and services for people with disabilities in a safe, barrier free and healthy environment that will enable them to become less dependent and able to make their own choices.
3. How long have you and/or your organization been serving persons with Intellectual and/or developmental disabilities?
- Anointed Caring Homes Inc. was founded in August of 2007. Anointed Caring Homes’, Inc. Chief Executive Officer has over 15 years experience in the field of IDD. The Anointed Caring Homes management team has an average of over 25 years experience developing and managing programs for people with disabilities.
4. What type of experience does your staff have serving persons with intellectual disabilities and special problems such as mental illness or Autism? Could you provide records of training your staff has received, specific to various disabilities and/or conditions?
- Anointed Caring Homes, Inc. Team Members (staff) have broad expertise in addressing a wide range of issues experienced by people with developmental disabilities. ACH has extensive experience serving dually diagnosed individuals including those who experience autism-spectrum disorders, multiple disabilities, mental illness, deaf/blindness, and medical fragility. One of the advantages of Home Community Services is the small number of persons served in any one location. This enables ACH to provide very specific training to staff regarding each consumer’s unique condition/needs. Specific Training requirements are available upon request.
5. Tell me about the level of training, experience, and required credentialing for staff providing services to individuals.
- Each Direct Care Staff must have a High School diploma or equivalent. Each receives
pre-service training, annual training and training specific to the individual served. Training includes, but is not limited to, CPR and First Aid, Signs and Symptoms of Illness, Special Needs specific to the individual, Medication Management and Administration, Verbal and Physical Intervention, Confidentiality, Abuse and Neglect, Rights, Documentation and Reporting, Ethics, Fire and Safety, HCS Program review, Infection Control, Nutrition, Oral Hygiene, Lifting and Positioning, Personnel Policies and Procedures, Injury prevention, and ACH Program Philosophy.
6. Describe ways in which you involve the individuals, guardians, and family members in the
development of the individual’s program. How do you incorporate a family’s preference when they are different from what the agency wants?
- Individualized services plan are developed using a Person-Directed planning approach. This allows the individual served and family the opportunity to voice their preferences in the development of services and supports.However the team will agree on what services best meets the individuals’ needs at that time.
7. Does your agency have experienced and professional staff who train new staff or provide mentoring?
- Yes, the management staff has at least 5-7 years experience in the field of developmental disabilities, with a minimum of three years required.
8. Does your agency train staff in any type of crisis intervention?
- Each staff member receives Crisis Intervention Prevention training. Additionally, supervisors and nurses are on call 24 hours a day seven days a week.
How does your agency develop plans for persons with behavior problems? Are plans approved by a Behavior Therapy Committee, Human Rights Committee or by a pschologist? If plans are reviewed by a Human Rights Committee, is the Human Rights Committee made up of outside members, professionals, parents and individuals?
- All behavior plans are developed jointly by the psychologists and necessary team members, including the individual and family members. All plans involving intrusive or restrictive procedures require review and approval by ACH’s Human Rights Committee, the composition of which includes community and family representatives.
10. What are your policies regarding visitors?
- Our doors are always open. We welcome and encourage visitors.
11. What are your policies regarding privacy?
- We respect each individual’s right to privacy.
12. What type of leisure/recreational activities will be available? Does my family member choose their daily routine?
- Individuals are offered and choose their daily routines and activities. These choices are from those generally available in the community in which that individual lives.
13. What type of transportation does your program provide?
- ACH provides transportation to activities as specified in each Individual’s Program Plan in
vehicles owned by the agency.
14. How do you accommodate persons who are non-ambulatory?
- Each residence will be modified to fit the needs of the individuals who live at that home.
15. Do you have staff who speaks other languages? If not, will you have an interpreter available?
- We have staff available who speak a number of languages. Interpreter services are used through contract in instances where no staff is available who are fluent in a given language.
16. How do you accommodate persons who are non-verbal? Is staff trained in sign language or augmentative communication devices?
- Assistance is provided through a variety of methods, including augmentative communication devices, and sign language. ACH staff that are fluent in the use of these techniques and also have expertise with tactual sign language for individuals who are deaf and/or blind will assist the individual with meeting their needs.
17. What provision will your company make for my family member to attend the religious services of his or her choice?
- We facilitate each individual in attending the religious service of their choice by coordinating transportation and attendant services where needed.
18. What are your back-up procedures when there is an emergency?
- An emergency 24-hour on-call system is used in all areas for all administrative and medical issues, with highly trained team members responsible for these duty rotations.
19. Is staff available to support my family member to participate in activities in the community? (e.g., Girl Scouts, religious activities, sports)
- ACH staff are actively involved in all areas of supporting individuals in activities limited only by choices of each individual and community availability.
20. How and where will my family member be cared for when he or she is ill?
- The individual and family make their healthcare provider choices based on the available medical resources in the community, which accept that individual’s health coverage plan. ACH staff facilitates and coordinates these services.
21. Do you have medical staff on site or on call for medical or dental issues? Is medical staff willing to practice/rehearse with my family member what to expect when going to the doctor, hospital or dentist?
- The nurse is on call 24 hours daily to assist with medical and dental issues. ACH’s nursing staff members have extensive experience in preparing individuals for medical procedures and appointments.
22. What choices will my family member have concerning day programming, vocational training, supported employment, etc.?
- In most areas where available, ACH has multiple options for each of these services. ACH
actively promotes contracting with other community providers of these services.
23. Describe how staff trains individuals in daily living skills.
- Each individual Person Directed Plan provides specific direction to team members on methods to employ and teach specific skills to that individual. The individual’s service advocate and the staff supervisor specifically train each person working with the individual in these techniques.
24. What geographical locations do you serve?
- ACH services are currently available in Harris, Fort Bend, Brazoria, Gulf Coast, Montgomery and other surrounding Counties.
25. Will the home serving my family member be located in close proximity to school / day program /place of employment?
- All ACH homes will be located in communities easily accessible to shopping, entertainment, dining, and employment and day opportunities.
26. How does your agency build community awareness about persons with disabilities moving into their neighborhood? How does your agency resolve concerns from neighborhood families?
- ACH has completed a survey, which focused on persons with disabilities moving into residential neighborhood and have found minimal concern in this area. However, concerns that are brought to our attention will be addressed immediately by a director at the corporate office.
27. Describe your complaint process.
- Complaints regarding Anointed Caring Homes’ practices or policies may be directed to any ACH staff member or The Department of Aging and Disability Services without fear of retaliation from ACH or its staff members. ACH will make every effort to resolve complaints by conducting thorough investigations of the situations and being open to suggestions and ideas of others. All complaints are reviewed each quarter by the Consumer Advisory Committee to ensure each has been adequately resolved. Individuals served and their families are provided with this information upon enrollment.
28. What screenings do you require when staff members are hired (drug screen, criminal background check, abuse/neglect)?
- All team members undergo extensive screenings including criminal history; employee misconduct and nurses aid registry, random drug screenings and background reference checks.
29. How many persons does your program serve presently? What is the maximum number that can be served?
- Currently over 40 individuals receive services and supports from ACH. We do not have a cap for the number we may serve.
30. Do you have a reference list of families that I could talk to regarding the services your
organization has provided to their family member?
- Yes, please contact the corporate office for a list for your area.
31. What is your staff-to-individual ratio?
- Ratio in-group home setting is dependent on individual level of need. Group
home ratio’s range from one-to-one support to one-to three.
32. Do you lease or own your residential homes? Do you have short-term or long-term leases?
- ACH is in the process of leasing homes with the intent of having a long-term lease.
33. How are individual finances managed?Can I manage the finances for my loved one?
- Yes, a family member can elect to manage the finances of a loved one in lieu of assistance from our agency. If the family elects not to manage funds, each individual is formally assessed by a management staff for money management skills. For individuals who are unable to manage personal finances, our management staff are able to assist in order to ensure that all funds are safeguarded at all times, and to ensure that all bills are paid, as planned. Our agency implements safeguards and systems to ensure the security and proper accounting of all funds and all related documentation (e.g., Consumer Fund Log, receipts, etc) is available for review upon request. Also, these systems are carefully and regularly monitored by outside regulatory authorities.