CARE Team Adult SFC Program
Adult Structured Family Caregiving FAQ
 

 Which Medicaid Waivers will your agency accept? Our agency is currently approved to offer services under the Medicaid Health and Wellness Waiver, TBI Waiver and Pathways for Aging Program. We are currently serving Humana clients on the Pathways for Aging program.

 

 How much will the family caregiver be paid? We pay caregivers a daily tax-free stipend. The stipend amount is based on the client’s Level of Service assigned by their case manager. Level 1=$46.50, Level 2=$60.00, Level 3=$80.00 per day.

 

How often is the family caregiver paid? The caregiver is paid weekly on Friday. Stipend pay is direct deposited into your bank account. If you don’t have a bank account, we recommend using a debit card service such as Chime.

 

Are taxes taken out of the stipend pay? No. Caregivers receive the whole amount. You will not receive a W2 or 1099. Payments made to family caregivers are considered “difficulty of care payments” according to the IRS. We do recommend that caregivers consult their tax preparers and review information provided by the IRS at Certain Medicaid Waiver Payments May Be Excludable From Income | Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov) as our agency cannot provide tax advice.

 

Will the Caregiver have to clock in and out? No. You will have to complete a very simple note about the care you provide to the client each day. The note is an easy to fill out HIPAA compliant electronic form. Each day's note is due by 9am the following day.

 

What areas do you serve? CARE Team has recently expanded to serve the entire state of Indiana.

 

Does your agency offer any other services? At this time, we only offer Structured Family Caregiving. We have recently been approved to offer the new Caregiver Coaching program that is geared towards natural supports who do not live with the client. This service cannot be combined with SFC and will be for clients over age 18 due to the nature of the program. We plan to implement the Caregiver Coaching program in early 2025.

 

What other Medicaid Waiver services can the client use while on SFC? Services such as Adult Family Care, Assisted Living, Attendant Care, and Home and Community Assistance may not be used in conjunction with SFC. Services that may be used in conjunction with SFC include Home Modification, Vehicle Modification, Pest Control, Specialized Medical Equipment and Supplies, Adult Day, and Skilled Respite Care. Your waiver case manager will be able to offer further information and assist you with coordinating any additional services.

 

How will onboarding work? Onboarding is completely remote and paper free. We’ll communicate credentialing requirements via email, agreements and consents will be signed via e signature, training and education is completed both virtually and in-home at times convenient for you. We’ll schedule a phone or in-person visit to complete the process, review expectations, caregiver note completion and answer any questions you may have. We make it as easy as possible for you.

 

Will I have to come to the office for coaching or education? No. All coaching and education will be provided to you in your home or virtually. We have a comprehensive education program that offers a blended learning approach. The state requires caregivers receive a minimum of eight hours of education per year. We know caregivers are very busy, so the education is spread out throughout the year and can be completed at your convenience.

 

Is there a limit to the number of clients you can accept, or do you have a waiting list? At this time, we do not have a waiting list. However, there is currently a waiting list for Medicaid Waiver. 

 

What will my responsibilities be as a caregiver with your program? Caregivers will be expected to provide daily care for their loved one including assistance with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, person hygiene, etc., assistance with instrumental activities of daily living such as meal preparation, housekeeping, etc., and complete a daily note about the care they provide. Caregivers are also expected to effectively communicate with CARE Team staff and be available for home visits from a CARE Coach twice a quarter or approximately every six weeks.

 

Does your agency pay for respite care? We encourage each client to have an alternate caregiver that can be credentialed to provide care or have natural supports identified should the caregiver need to take a break from providing care or be unable to provide care. CARE Team will provide up to 15 days of unskilled respite care per year. More information will be provided during the onboarding process. We also encourage you to work with your case manager to determine alternate services such as skilled respite or adult day and develop a plan for respite.

 

How is your agency different from other agencies that offer SFC? Why should we choose you?CARE Team is locally owned and operated by Chris Stephens, a registered nurse with over thirteen years of in-home care experience supporting disabled and special needs clients and their families. Our CARE Coaches are registered nurses who have the education and experience to support clients and caregivers and help prevent falls, unnecessary ER visits and hospitalizations. We’re not a large corporation where you're just another number in the census. We truly get to know our clients and caregivers to provide person-centered individualized support. We have extensive experience with the Structured Family Caregiving program and will ensure you are compliant with all Indiana State and Medicaid Waiver rules and regulations as a caregiver. CARE Team is licensed with the Indiana State Department of Health which is above and beyond the requirement for SFC.

 

What should I do if I want to choose CARE Team as my SFC provider? Please let your waiver case manager know when you have chosen a provider so they can make preparations to send us the notice of action which our permission from the state to provide services to the client. Please also let CARE Team know you have chosen us as your provider so we can begin making plans for your onboarding. If you have not yet applied for Medicaid Waiver, you can find the information for your local Area Agency on Aging here Area Agencies on Aging | Care Team SFC

 

Can I contact your agency if I have questions that weren’t answered on the FAQ? Absolutely! You can call or text us at 317-742-9300 or email us at help@careteamsfc.com whichever is most convenient for you. Feel free to ask for the owner, Chris. We welcome any questions you may have and would be more than happy to schedule time to go in depth about our program. We are here to help!