RAT and TAR the Answer

The Answer: RAT AND TAR

The answer to stave off abuse and exploitation. A voluntary program with court sanctioning.

What do you mean? Responsible Adult Team, or, name it TAR, Team of Adult Representatives.

First, give residents the option to participate in a voluntary program.

The resident/guest can participate himself as being the center of services and the team.

That person is member number one.

However, once formed, the team cannot be willfully dissolved until the passing of 45 days, at the request of the guest, whom’s participation is always voluntary.

The guest can appoint as many family members, friends, people, or other humans that may be interested in his safety, health, and well being.

The second member is the center manager, the top person at the center that serves the guest. That persons functions like the LME at IEP team meetings (this model is for shelters).

The third member is the designated responsible adult. This member cannot be the guest. This person can be appointed by vote. The duties of the responsible adult are like a representative payee, they help to manage the affairs of the resident. It is hoped, that person has case management experience, but need not be a case manager. Hence, the best person would be the case manager for this position. The responsibilities include helping with housing, services, benefits, paying bills, money management, etc. Why? This population tends to mismanage their funds. Smoke it all up literally. [This is just a framework that can be completed by a team to outline all the duties.] One of the first duties of this person is to secure a power of attorney and make sure the guest has advanced life directives and a will filed with the courts. Payment of this person in part may be by 10% of the person’s income. It is hoped that other funding would be present and incorporated by the service providers to help secure responsible adults or adult representatives. This member is a paid volunteer.

The fourth member is a case manager that has been assigned to the guest. Again, a case manager can be the representative or responsible adult, but, if the center or service provider has an assigned case manager, this is the best position for that person.

A provision is that each member has the right to vote. And, notices to meeting are required to discuss the efficacy of service provision and utilization and effectiveness of plans. A person center plan is to be worked on by the team to meet the needs of the guest. And, court sanctioning should be sought via the submission of a consent order for the courts to be reviewed in determining if the person is an incapacitated adult. The tie break in votes would be the next higher level program administrator.

Termination of the team is by death of the guest, or, the guest would submit to the court a request for termination that would be effective 45 days automatically upon submission to the courts. Termination is effective 10 days automatically if the guest is incarcerated by filing with the court proof of incarceration or institutionalization. That would end the duties for the representative or responsible adult by the date the court, stamped date, received the request. The team would be dissolved 45 calendar days from the stamped date of the request as received by the court (or the other types of termination). If the quest becomes MIA, then, the LME can submit termination to the courts to be effective 45 days later, and, that request cannot be submitted until the guest is MIA for at least 15 calendar days.

Purpose is to help these persons regain control of their lives and disabilities. It is hoped they will, within 5 years, totally be self sufficient. A one year goal to end homelessness seems possible.