The Need for The Family Advocate

Many parents / guardians have experienced frustrations when central office agents dispatch direct care staff to their home with seemingly no regard for the consumer or family’s interests.

Do these scenarios sound familiar to you?

  • Unexpected Changes

    The agency has found an employee who is a great match for your dependant loved one. Training has been completed and everything is great. Next week the agency pulls the staff person out of your house and schedules him/her to work for another consumer. You request for that individual to come back but are told that that is not possible.

  • Unhelpful Agencies

    You have a staff person who has come to care for your loved one who is not working out for whatever reason. You ask the agency to replace the individual with someone else. You are told that there are no other employees who can come to provide the contracted services.

  • Unmet Needs

    The agency is supposed to provide training for new employees but you end up doing the bulk of the training. There is a high rate of employee turnover. You have no control over the rate of turnover and spend many hours training their staff who end up working for someone other than your loved one.

  • Employees Leave

    Your favorite employee is leaving to take a job at the local fast food restaurant because even though he/she enjoys the work providing care for your loved one, the wages are not enough to allow him/her to continue to work.

Forte Has A Better Solution!

The Family Advocate is the person legally responsible for the individual receiving services through Forte Residential, Inc., the parent or legal guardian of the consumer.

The dictionary defines Forte as “something at which a person excels”. The definition can also connote “a strong musical passage”. Think of Forte as a saxophone in the hands of a master musician. The Family Advocate plays and the instrument resonates. The breath, finger action, and inspiration behind the music come from the Family Advocate. Our services are the product of your skills as a “musician” and our ability to be the quality well tuned instrument you expect. We are an extension of your preferences, a service agency. The music is the consumer’s life and positive influence in the world. No-one is in a better position to assure that quality services are rendered than the “parental figure” embodied in the Family Advocate.

The Family Advocate InitiatesForte Residential, Inc. Responds
Finding Direct Care Staff:
The FA identifies people they want to work with their dependant loved one and directs them to Forte who then…		Implements the hiring process, hires and trains qualified individuals. Forte continues to monitor compliance issues, and provide administrative oversight.
Goal, Activity and Risk Plan development:
The FA expresses their desires and relevant information along with other interested parties to Forte who then…		Develops goals, risk plans and relevant forms pertaining to tracking progress and training of staff. Forms are then delivered to the consumer’s home for use.
Scheduling:
The FA identifies the dates and times they want staff to work with their dependant loved ones and provides the request to Forte who then…		Reviews the requested hours in relationship with the approved budget, provides feedback and a list of eligible employees from the list developed previously.
Monitoring services:
The FA monitors and directs the staff as needed during service delivery. If a need for discipline ever arises, the FA contacts Forte who then…		Initiates the disciplinary action based on the input of the FA. Independent investigation and on-going assessment of compliance to state standards and company policies is included in Forte’s role.
Identifying Substitute Caregivers:
In the event a Direct Care Staff does not show up for a scheduled shift or requests a schedule change in advance, the FA selects from the list of certified staff to schedule a replacement. If no replacement is available from that list, care by family or informal staff (non-Medicaid services) are used.		Forte provides a list of eligible employees previously identified, trained, and current on certifications who are eligible to work in the home of the consumer.
Direct Care Staff Feedback:
The FA is strongly encouraged to provide periodic status reports about the staff’s interaction with and care of the consumer to Forte who then…		Provides formal written reviews based on internal records and files along with input from the Family Advocate.

If you are a highly motivated and/or extremely frustrated individual who would like more control over your own care or that of your dependant loved one, contact us for more information. We will be happy to discuss your situation with you privately or with your case manager to consider if Forte Residential, Inc. and the Family Advocate concept is appropriate and the best option for you.

Isn’t it great to know you have a choice?