CARE Team Pediatric SFC Program
​​Pediatric Structured Family Caregiving FAQ
last updated 7/14/2024.
*Please note this FAQ will be updated as our agency receives further guidance from FSSA.
Are parents be allowed to be the caregiver? Yes, absolutely. The caregiver may also be another family member over 18 yrs. old who lives in the same home as the client.
Which Medicaid Waivers will your agency accept? For minor children, our agency is currently approved to offer services under the Medicaid Health and Wellness Waiver and the TBI Waiver.
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. Stipend pay income is reportable income to apply for certain benefits such as Medicaid and SNAP.
Will I have to clock in and out? No. You will have to complete a very simple note about the care you provide to your child each day. SFC does not require EVV. 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 my child 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, and Skilled PA and Respite Care. Your child's waiver case manager will be able to assist you with identifying and coordinating any additional services.
How will onboarding work? We’ll communicate credentialing requirements via email, agreements and consents will be signed via e signature or in-person, 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 leave the home for training? No. All training, 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. We are anticipating onboarding many new clients and their caregivers on July 1st and have been making preparations such as streamlining the onboarding process, going paper free, and hiring nurse CARE Coaches with pediatric experience.
Other than providing care to my child, what will my responsibilities be as a caregiver with your program? Caregivers will be expected to complete a daily note about the care they provide to their child. 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.
Will I still be able to attend to the medical needs of my child while I am their SFC caregiver? Yes. Caregivers will be able to continue to provide any necessary medical care to their child such as trach care, G-tube care, etc. This care will not be included in the SFC per-diem, and caregivers will not be paid for skilled care as that is outside of the scope of SFC. Caregivers will not be required to document any skilled care they provide. Caregivers will only document care provided pertaining to activities of daily living, community participation, incidents, etc.
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As a parent, I know my child's needs best. Why do I need a CARE Coach? The purpose of a CARE Coach is not to tell you how to provide care. Think of it as having your own personal nurse for you and your child to be a support, assist you with questions you may have, and be a listening ear when you need one.
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Does the RN CARE Coach provide any skilled care? No. Our agency is a personal services agency and licensed to provide non-skilled services. The RN CARE Coach does not provide any "hands-on care". The nurse will assess your needs to provide support and education to you and your child as well as direct you to any community resources you may need.
Does your agency have experience with caring for children/pediatrics? Yes! CARE Team’s owner and operator started her nursing career as a pediatric home health nurse and understands the complex needs of pediatric clients in the home setting, and the support needs of their caregivers. Our agency plans to hire several new RN CARE Coaches with pediatric experience to provide coaching and education to our pediatric clients and their caregivers.
SFC historically was created to support the elderly, how will your agency accommodate the pediatric population? In addition to hiring RN CARE Coaches with pediatric experience, we are creating new assessments, updating our care plans and making changes to our onboarding process to meet the needs of minor clients. We are also working on preparing content for our education program geared towards pediatric clients and their caregivers.
Is respite care included? 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. Effective 7/1/24, 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 child’s case manager to determine alternate services such as skilled respite and develop a plan for respite.
How is your agency different from other agencies that offer SFC? 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 as well as patients with complex medical needs. Our CARE Coaches are registered nurses who have the education and experience to support clients with complex needs. We’re not a large corporation where your child will be 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 Indiana 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.
Why should I choose CARE Team as my child’s SFC provider? Because we care! It’s not just our name, it’s what we do for each and every one of our clients and caregivers. When our owner heard of the changes with Medicaid Waiver and began hearing from parents concerned that there were no SFC providers in their area planning on accepting pediatric clients or that providers in their area didn’t understand SFC, she immediately got to work and began making plans to serve pediatric clients. CARE Team is developing a comprehensive Pediatric SFC Program that will be tailored to the complex needs of the pediatric population.
What should I do if I want to choose CARE Team as my child’s SFC provider? Please let your case manager know when you have chosen a provider so they can make preparations to send us the notice of action as soon as they are able. Please also let CARE Team know you have chosen us as your provider so we can begin making plans for your onboarding.
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 any concerns you may have about SFC if you are transitioning from other services. We are here to help!
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