August 14, 2006

MEMORANDUM FOR DISTRICT SUPERVISORS, VOCATIONAL COUNSELORS, CLERK IVS, JOYCE WIEBERG AND BILL PAYING UNIT

Subject:  Maintenance Authorization for Advancement of Money for Meals and Personal Incidentals to Alphapointe.    

Effective August 14, 2006

The memorandum dated March 29, 2006 from Mark Laird regarding the same subject is rescinded. 

This guideline pertains only to those consumers who are attending Alphapointe to participate in assessment or PVA services and who are housed at the Homestead Suites on the Country Club Plaza, located at 4535 Main St., Kansas City, Missouri.  The Country Club does not provide any complimentary meals, but they will provide transportation to and from Alphapointe.  The rooms include a kitchenette with stove, fridge, and microwave.  Alphapointe will be taking their out of town students for an ADL outing every Monday morning to grocery shop for the week.  

State rates for meals are established by DSS policy #7-101 with the current rates in memo dated 6-27-06. and specified as the rate for consumer reimbursement by Chapter 15(B)3A, RSB VR Policy and Procedure Manual.  The maximum that may be claimed for any 24-hour period is $35 for in-state meals.  The individual meal limits, including tips , will be: breakfast $7, lunch $11, dinner $17. Counselors should be aware that state rates are the maximums; the counselor may authorize meals at a lower rate based on need and if agreed to by the consumer.

Alphapointe will continue to provide the noon meal five days per week to consumers as part of the RSB contract  billed at $6.30, leaving RSB responsible for the remaining $24 based on allowance for breakfast ($7) plus dinner ($17).   During weekends and contract approved holidays RSB can authorize consumer meals at a maximum equal to the $35 state rate.  Therefore, the maximum amounts authorization for meals for consumers attending Alphapointe can be no more than:

Weekdays:  $24.00 per day

Weekend days:  $35 per day

Contract Approved Holidays:  $35 per day

Authorizations to reimburse Alphapointe should request that money advanced to consumers for meals/personal incidentals should be distributed on a weekly basis.  RSB will not be responsible for the advancement of any amount in excess of one week estimated meal/personal incidental expenses. 

Please remember that authorizations for personal incidental expenses are "...not to exceed $120 per month for other subsistence items that are additional expenses in excess of normal living expenses necessitated by participation in an assessment or IPE."   The case record must document the need for personal incidentals. 

EXAMPLE AUTHORIZATION BASED ON THE MAXIMUMS: