{"pack":"oh-hca","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/","name":"Ohio Home Care Policy and Procedure Manual","state":"Ohio","service":"Home care","license":"Ohio nonmedical home health services license","count":49,"forms":65,"categories":[{"name":"Client rights","count":3},{"name":"Service delivery","count":13},{"name":"Clinical tasks","count":1},{"name":"Safeguarding","count":4},{"name":"Infection control","count":2},{"name":"Emergency preparedness","count":1},{"name":"Records","count":2},{"name":"Privacy","count":3},{"name":"Human resources","count":8},{"name":"Governance","count":4},{"name":"Quality","count":2},{"name":"Business","count":3},{"name":"Ethics","count":3}],"policies":[{"ref":"OH-HC-CR-01","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/client-rights-and-responsibilities/","title":"Client Rights and Responsibilities","category":"Client rights","citation":"OAC 5160-45-03","summary":"Sets out the rights and responsibilities of every client of the Agency, the additional rights that Ohio Department of Medicaid rules give clients on an ODM-administered waiver, how and when the written rights notice is given and explained, how staff respect those rights on every visit, and where a client can take a concern inside and outside the Agency.","sample":true},{"ref":"OH-HC-CR-02","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/nondiscrimination-language-access-and-effective-communication/","title":"Nondiscrimination, Language Access, and Effective Communication","category":"Client rights","citation":"45 CFR §80.3","summary":"States that the Agency serves clients without discrimination; provides qualified interpreters, translated materials and auxiliary aids free of charge so every client can communicate effectively; makes reasonable modifications for clients with disabilities; gives the notices that federal civil rights rules require; makes sure aides can communicate with the clients they serve; and handles discrimination grievances.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-CR-03","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/authorized-representatives-consent-and-advance-directives/","title":"Authorized Representatives, Consent, and Advance Directives","category":"Client rights","citation":"ORC 1337.12","summary":"Explains who may make decisions for a client, how the Agency records and works with a representative, how it obtains the client's consent to services and respects refusals, why no staff member may ever become a client's decision-maker, and how it gives clients written information about advance directives under Ohio law, records whether a client has one, and knows where any DNR identification is kept.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-ADM-01","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/referral-intake-and-acceptance-of-clients/","title":"Referral, Intake, and Acceptance of Clients","category":"Service delivery","citation":"OAC 173-39-02.11(C)(2)(a)","summary":"Sets how the Agency receives referrals and enquiries, gathers intake information, decides whether it can safely serve a person with the nonmedical home health services it is licensed for, in the area it serves and with the staff it has, makes the initial home visit, tells the person the decision, and prepares for the first visit. Adds the acceptance rules for PASSPORT, Ohio Home Care Waiver and MyCare Ohio referrals.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-ADM-02","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/client-service-agreement-and-disclosure-of-charges/","title":"Client Service Agreement and Disclosure of Charges","category":"Service delivery","citation":"OAC 5160-1-17.2(C)","summary":"Requires a written Client Service Agreement, signed before services begin, that sets out the services, schedule, charges and payment terms, how either side may change or end services, how to complain and how to claim for loss or damage; explains how the agreement works for clients whose services Medicaid pays for, who are never billed for covered services; and sets how the agreement is changed, renewed and kept.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-DC-01","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/reduction-suspension-transfer-and-discharge/","title":"Reduction, Suspension, Transfer, and Discharge","category":"Service delivery","citation":"OAC 173-39-02(B)(3)(d)","summary":"Sets when services may be reduced, suspended, transferred or ended, what the Agency tries first, the written notice it gives (thirty days for PASSPORT, thirty calendar days for ODM-administered waivers with the listed exceptions, and an Agency standard for private pay), how it handles hospital stays and safety suspensions, how it helps a client move to another provider, and what the discharge summary records.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-SAF-01","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/client-safety-falls-prevention-and-safe-transfers/","title":"Client Safety, Falls Prevention, and Safe Transfers","category":"Service delivery","citation":"OAC 173-39-02.11(C)(3)(a)(v)(b)(vii)","summary":"Sets how the Agency keeps clients safe at home: a home safety check at the first visit and every in-person supervisory visit (Form OH-HC-SAF-01-A), preventing falls during care, safe walking and transfers using the technique and equipment in the activity plan, what to do when a client falls, follow-up and reporting of falls and injuries (including ODA significant-change and ODM 24-hour notices and waiver incident reports where they apply), and other hazards such as burns, fire, oxygen, wandering and extreme weather.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-SAF-02","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/medical-emergencies-death-in-the-home-and-dnr-identification/","title":"Medical Emergencies, Death in the Home, and DNR Identification","category":"Service delivery","citation":"ORC 2133.21","summary":"Sets how aides respond to a medical emergency (call 911 first, then the supervisor), give first aid within their training, and handle common emergencies; how the Agency records whether a client has Ohio do-not-resuscitate (DNR) identification and what aides do when it is present, based on ORC 2133.21 to 2133.26 and OAC Chapter 3701-62; what to do when a client dies at home; and how emergencies and deaths are recorded on Form OH-HC-SAF-02-A and reported for waiver clients.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-SAF-03","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/staff-safety-in-the-home-and-workplace-violence-prevention/","title":"Staff Safety in the Home and Workplace Violence Prevention","category":"Service delivery","citation":"OAC 5160-44-31(B)(17)(g)","summary":"Sets how the Agency protects aides and supervisors who work alone in clients' homes: safety information gathered before the first visit, check-in and travel safety, common hazards in the home, safe lifting, the right to leave when unsafe, handling harassment, threats and violence (including the ODM 24-hour notice and the ODA exception to thirty days' notice when the provider is at serious, imminent risk), work injuries and workers' compensation, OSHA reporting and recordkeeping, and reporting concerns without retaliation (Form OH-HC-SAF-03-A).","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-SP-01","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/service-planning-and-activity-plans/","title":"Service Planning and Activity Plans","category":"Service delivery","citation":"OAC 173-39-02.11(C)(4)(b)(i)","summary":"Sets how the Agency plans each client's services with the client: who writes the written activity plan and when, how it follows the person-centered services plan for Medicaid clients, what it contains, how aides use it on every visit, and when it is reviewed and updated. Adds the initial-visit rules for ODA personal care and homemaker and for Ohio Home Care Waiver personal care aide services.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-SP-02","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/scheduling-missed-visits-and-back-up-plans/","title":"Scheduling, Missed Visits, and Back-Up Plans","category":"Service delivery","citation":"OAC 173-39-02.11(C)(2)(c)","summary":"Sets how the Agency schedules visits, keeps an agency back-up plan and a written back-up plan for each client, handles aide call-offs, late and missed visits and clients who are not at home, and gives the notices that ODA and ODM rules require when an authorized service is not provided as planned.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-SP-03","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/changes-in-condition-significant-changes-and-coordination-with-case/","title":"Changes in Condition, Significant Changes, and Coordination with Case Managers","category":"Service delivery","citation":"OAC 173-39-02(B)(3)(b)","summary":"Sets how aides recognize and report changes in a client's condition, home or circumstances, how the supervisor responds and updates the activity plan, and when and how the Agency notifies ODA's designee (one business day), ODM or its designee (twenty-four hours) or the case manager, and, for private-pay clients, the representative. Covers ongoing coordination with case managers.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-SUP-01","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/supervision-of-aides-and-supervisory-visits/","title":"Supervision of Aides and Supervisory Visits","category":"Service delivery","citation":"ORC 173.525(B)","summary":"Sets who may supervise aides, how supervision is available whenever aides work, and how often supervisors visit each client: at least once every sixty days for PASSPORT personal care (with at least two in-person visits a year), at least every ninety days for ODA homemaker, at least every sixty days face to face with the aide present for Ohio Home Care Waiver personal care, and every ninety days in person for private-pay clients as the Agency's own standard. Covers what happens at each visit, the record each visit needs (Form OH-HC-SUP-01-A), extra visits after complaints or changes, and missed visits.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-SVC-01","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/scope-of-nonmedical-home-health-services-and-clients-served/","title":"Scope of Nonmedical Home Health Services and Clients Served","category":"Service delivery","citation":"ORC 3740.01(N)","summary":"Defines the nonmedical home health services the Agency is licensed to provide under Ohio law (home health aide services and personal care services), lists the services the Agency actually offers, states plainly that it does not provide skilled nursing, therapy or medical social services, and sets the types of clients it accepts, the clients it refers elsewhere, and its hours, service area and languages. It is the service list and related policy the Agency files with its license application.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-SVC-02","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/personal-care-and-home-health-aide-tasks/","title":"Personal Care and Home Health Aide Tasks","category":"Service delivery","citation":"ORC 3740.01(H)","summary":"Sets which personal care and home health aide tasks aides may perform, the conditions for each (training and competency evaluation on the task, a current activity plan, and for Medicaid clients an authorized service), the tasks aides never perform because they are nursing tasks outside a nonmedical license, how aides observe and report changes, and how each aide's approved tasks are recorded on Form OH-HC-SVC-02-A.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-SVC-03","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/homemaker-respite-errand-and-escort-services/","title":"Homemaker, Respite, Errand, and Escort Services","category":"Service delivery","citation":"ORC 3740.01(Q)(4) to (6)","summary":"Sets how the Agency provides homemaker services (only when incidental to personal care or essential to the client's own health and welfare, never for other household members), respite for family caregivers, errands outside the client's presence, and escort and transportation, including the ODA homemaker activity list, handling clients' money on errands, and the driver standards for staff who transport clients.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-SVC-04","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/assistance-with-self-administration-of-medication/","title":"Assistance with Self-Administration of Medication","category":"Clinical tasks","citation":"OAC 3701-60-01(Y)","summary":"Sets the limits of medication help under Ohio law: aides may remind a client, hand over the container, open it, and help a physically impaired but mentally alert client take oral or topical medication, but never administer medication. Covers the written consent and medication list (Form OH-HC-SVC-04-A), the steps at each medication time, refusals, missed doses, errors and reactions, storage and disposal, and incident reporting for waiver clients.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-ANE-01","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/recognizing-and-reporting-abuse-neglect-and-exploitation-of-adults/","title":"Recognizing and Reporting Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation of Adults","category":"Safeguarding","citation":"ORC 5101.63","summary":"Makes every employee's legal duty to report suspected abuse, neglect (including self-neglect) and exploitation of adults clear and practical: who is a mandatory reporter under ORC 5101.63, the Ohio definitions, warning signs, how to report immediately to adult protective services through the county department of job and family services, what the written report contains, the separate route for people with developmental disabilities under ORC 5123.61, the one-business-day notice to ODA or its designee and the waiver incident report, protecting the client, protections for reporters, the penalty for not reporting, and what happens when an employee is accused.","sample":true},{"ref":"OH-HC-ANE-02","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/reporting-suspected-child-abuse-or-neglect/","title":"Reporting Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect","category":"Safeguarding","citation":"ORC 2151.421","summary":"Makes clear that every employee of the Agency is a mandated reporter of child abuse and neglect under ORC 2151.421, as an employee of a home health agency and of an entity that provides homemaker services; that the duty covers any child under 18 and any person under 21 with a developmental disability or physical impairment, including clients and children staff see in clients' homes; and sets out how to report immediately to the public children services agency or a peace officer, the written report, the protections for reporters, the penalty for not reporting, and the waiver incident report.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-INC-01","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/incident-management-and-waiver-incident-reporting/","title":"Incident Management and Waiver Incident Reporting","category":"Safeguarding","citation":"OAC 5160-44-05","summary":"Sets how staff recognize, respond to, document and report incidents for every client, and how the Agency meets the Ohio Medicaid incident management rule for waiver and managed care clients: the critical and reportable incident categories, immediate action, the report to the case management agency or managed care plan immediately upon discovery and no later than one business day after discovery, the minimum report contents, the one-business-day significant change notice to ODA or its designee, cooperation with investigations, internal review and trend analysis, and the written acknowledgment of the rule by staff.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-SVC-05","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/responding-to-challenging-behaviors-and-prohibition-of-restraint-and/","title":"Responding to Challenging Behaviors and Prohibition of Restraint and Seclusion","category":"Safeguarding","citation":"OAC 5160-44-05(B)(1)(a)","summary":"Prohibits any use of restraint, seclusion or restrictive intervention by Agency staff, sets how aides understand and respond to challenging behaviors (including dementia-related distress, aggression, wandering and self-harm) with respect and de-escalation, when to leave and call for help, and how behaviors are recorded, planned for and reported, including the Ohio waiver incident rule that treats unauthorized restraint as abuse.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-IC-01","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/infection-prevention-and-standard-precautions/","title":"Infection Prevention and Standard Precautions","category":"Infection control","citation":"OAC 173-39-02.11(C)(3)(b)(vii)","summary":"Sets the Agency's infection prevention program for care in clients' homes, based on standard precautions: hand hygiene, gloves and other protective equipment supplied free of charge, respiratory hygiene, cleaning and disinfection, laundry and waste, food safety, care of clients with known or suspected infections, staff illness, outbreaks and public health emergencies, and the hand hygiene and PPE competency check on Form OH-HC-IC-01-A.","sample":true},{"ref":"OH-HC-IC-02","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/bloodborne-pathogens-exposure-control-plan/","title":"Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan","category":"Infection control","citation":"29 CFR §1910.1030(c)(1)","summary":"The Agency's written exposure control plan under the federal OSHA bloodborne pathogens standard: the exposure determination, universal precautions, work practice controls and PPE in clients' homes, hepatitis B vaccination offered free within 10 working days of initial assignment (with the mandatory declination statement on Form OH-HC-IC-02-B), the immediate confidential post-exposure evaluation (Form OH-HC-IC-02-A), training at assignment and at least annually, records kept for the duration of employment plus 30 years (medical) and 3 years (training), the sharps injury log, and the annual review of the plan.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-EP-01","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/emergency-preparedness-and-continuity-of-services/","title":"Emergency Preparedness and Continuity of Services","category":"Emergency preparedness","citation":"OAC 173-39-02.11(C)(2)(c)","summary":"Sets out the Agency's emergency preparedness and continuity plan: the disaster coordinator and alternate, the hazards the plan covers in the counties served, an emergency plan and priority level for every client, staffing back-up plans (including the back-up plans required by the Ohio Department of Aging and the Ohio Department of Medicaid for waiver clients), the staff contact tree, how the plan is activated, safe travel and visits during an emergency, notices to case managers and families when services are missed, keeping records and systems available, public health emergencies, recovery, and yearly exercises and review.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-RM-01","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/client-records-storage-and-retention/","title":"Client Records, Storage, and Retention","category":"Records","citation":"OAC 3701-60-03(D)","summary":"Sets what every client record contains, where client records are kept and secured, who may see them, how the Agency answers requests from the Ohio Department of Health, ODA, ODM and auditors, and how long records are kept: at least six years after the last service or last payment, whichever is later, which meets the ODA and ODM retention rules and is applied to private-pay clients as the Agency's own standard.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-RM-02","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/visit-documentation-and-service-verification-records/","title":"Visit Documentation and Service Verification Records","category":"Records","citation":"OAC 173-39-02.11(C)(6)","summary":"Sets what every visit note must record, the extra service verification items ODA and ODM require, how clients and aides sign or give their unique identifier, the three-business-day limit for a waiver client's missing signature, how late entries and corrections are made without ever backdating or falsifying a record, and how supervisors review visit records before billing.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-PRV-01","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/privacy-and-confidentiality-of-client-information/","title":"Privacy and Confidentiality of Client Information","category":"Privacy","citation":"45 CFR §164.502","summary":"Sets how the Agency protects client information: when HIPAA applies, the privacy official, the minimum necessary rule, when information may be shared with family, case managers and others, the Notice of Privacy Practices, the client's rights to see, copy, amend and get an accounting of their information with the federal time limits, personal representatives, privacy in the client's home, business associates, complaints, sanctions and the Medicaid confidentiality rules that bind ODA and ODM providers.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-PRV-02","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/information-security-devices-and-electronic-records/","title":"Information Security, Devices, and Electronic Records","category":"Privacy","citation":"45 CFR §164.308","summary":"Sets how the Agency protects electronic client information and the devices that hold it: the security official, a written risk analysis, unique logins and strong passwords, automatic lock and encryption, rules for Agency and personal phones used for EVV and visit notes, electronic signatures that meet ORC 3701.75, email and texting, backups and an emergency plan for systems, device loss, disposal, and reporting security incidents.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-PRV-03","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/breach-notification/","title":"Breach Notification","category":"Privacy","citation":"45 CFR §164.404","summary":"Sets how the Agency recognizes, investigates and reports a breach of client information: the HIPAA risk assessment, notice to clients without unreasonable delay and in no case later than 60 calendar days after discovery, notice to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and, for more than 500 residents of a state, the media; and, for an Agency that is not a HIPAA covered entity, Ohio's breach notice law for computerized personal information (no later than forty-five days after discovery).","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-HR-01","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/recruitment-hiring-and-minimum-qualifications-of-staff/","title":"Recruitment, Hiring, and Minimum Qualifications of Staff","category":"Human resources","citation":"ORC 3740.11(B)","summary":"Sets the Agency's recruitment and hiring steps and the minimum qualifications for each position: the age, identification, communication and screening requirements that apply to every direct care worker, the personal care aide and homemaker aide qualifications that apply when the Agency is ODA-certified, the aide qualifications for the Ohio Home Care Waiver, the qualifications of aide supervisors, and job descriptions for every position.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-HR-02","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/criminal-records-check-policy-database-review-bcii-and-fbi-checks-and/","title":"Criminal Records Check Policy: Database Review, BCII and FBI Checks, and Conditional Employment","category":"Human resources","citation":"ORC 3740.11","summary":"The Agency's written criminal records check policy, filed with its nonmedical home health services license application. It covers who is checked, the notices given to applicants, the six-database review, the BCII criminal records check with FBI information where required, conditional employment with the five-business-day request and sixty-day limit, the disqualifying offenses and exclusionary periods, certificates and pardons, the five-year re-checks of employees, and the confidentiality, roster and attestation requirements of OAC 3701-60-10.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-HR-03","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/employee-health-screening-tuberculosis-and-fitness-for-duty/","title":"Employee Health Screening, Tuberculosis, and Fitness for Duty","category":"Human resources","citation":"OAC 5160-44-31(E)(7)","summary":"Sets the Agency's own health screening program for staff who visit clients (a post-offer health statement, baseline tuberculosis screening and testing based on CDC recommendations, annual tuberculosis education, and follow-up after an exposure) and the fitness-for-duty rules, including the Ohio Medicaid and Department of Aging bans on working while unfit or impaired.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-HR-04","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/personnel-files-and-qualification-records/","title":"Personnel Files and Qualification Records","category":"Human resources","citation":"OAC 3701-60-10(B)","summary":"Sets out what is kept in each personnel file, how criminal records reports and medical information are kept confidential and separate, how the Agency proves each aide's qualifications for ODA, and how long personnel, qualification, training, employment eligibility and OSHA records are kept.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-HR-05","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/orientation-and-annual-in-service-training/","title":"Orientation and Annual In-Service Training","category":"Human resources","citation":"OAC 173-39-02.11(C)(3)(b)","summary":"Sets the orientation every employee completes before any direct, in-person contact with a client, including the topics the Ohio Department of Aging requires, and the annual in-service training: six hours of ODA-approved in-service every twelve months for ODA personal care and homemaker aides, twelve hours for Ohio Home Care Waiver aides of accredited agencies, the Agency's own minimum for all other staff, bloodborne pathogens training, and the annual written acknowledgment of the Ohio incident management rule.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-HR-06","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/exclusion-screening-employment-eligibility-and-employer-obligations/","title":"Exclusion Screening, Employment Eligibility, and Employer Obligations","category":"Human resources","citation":"OAC 5160-1-17.2(H)","summary":"Makes sure no one the Agency employs or contracts with is excluded from federal or Ohio health care programs, by checking the federal exclusion lists at hire and monthly and the Ohio Medicaid exclusion and suspension list, and sets the Agency's duties as an employer: employment eligibility verification, Ohio workers' compensation through the state insurance fund, wage-and-hour compliance, taxes, and the attestations ODA requires.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-HR-07","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/staff-referred-by-employment-services-contractors-and-volunteers/","title":"Staff Referred by Employment Services, Contractors, and Volunteers","category":"Human resources","citation":"ORC 3740.11(F)","summary":"Sets the rules for direct care workers referred to the Agency by an employment service (who count as Agency employees for the background check law), the confirmations and letters the Agency must receive before relying on the employment service's database review and criminal records check, and the Agency's standards for contractors and volunteers, including supervision of volunteers under ODA rules.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-TRN-01","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/aide-training-competency-evaluation-and-qualifications/","title":"Aide Training, Competency Evaluation, and Qualifications","category":"Human resources","citation":"ORC 173.525(A)","summary":"Sets how aides qualify before serving clients: the five ODA routes for PASSPORT personal care aides (state tested nurse aide, Medicare home health aide, one year of experience plus competency evaluation, a vocational program, or a training and competency evaluation program of at least thirty hours covering ten listed subjects), the homemaker aide route, the Ohio Home Care Waiver certificate and first aid requirements, and the Agency's own standard applying the ODA routes to private-pay aides. Covers competency evaluation by written or electronic test and in-person return demonstration, additional training before new tasks, and verification records (Forms OH-HC-TRN-01-A and OH-HC-TRN-01-B).","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-GOV-01","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/governing-body-organization-and-adoption-of-policies/","title":"Governing Body, Organization, and Adoption of Policies","category":"Governance","citation":"ORC 3740.03(B)(1)","summary":"Identifies the governing body of the Agency and what it is responsible for, lists every written policy that an Ohio or federal rule requires (including the criminal records check policy and the service policies filed with the nonmedical home health services license application), and sets the procedure for adopting, issuing, reviewing and withdrawing policies, including the ten-day notice to the Department of Health when a filed document changes.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-GOV-02","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/administrator-and-alternate-administrator/","title":"Administrator and Alternate Administrator","category":"Governance","citation":"ORC 3740.11","summary":"Sets out how the governing body appoints the Administrator, who is the Agency's \"chief administrator\" under ORC 3740.11, and an Alternate Administrator; the qualifications the Agency requires; the duties Ohio law places on the chief administrator (database reviews, criminal records checks, notices to applicants and designation of direct care positions); and what happens when the Administrator changes.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-GOV-03","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/nonmedical-home-health-services-license-application-renewal-changes/","title":"Nonmedical Home Health Services License: Application, Renewal, Changes, and Closure","category":"Governance","citation":"ORC 3740.02(A)(2)","summary":"Explains what the Ohio nonmedical home health services license covers and how the Agency applies for it, renews it at least 90 days before it expires, reports changes to the Department of Health within ten days, handles a change of ownership or relocation, and closes safely, together with the matching notices to ODA and ODM for waiver providers.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-GOV-04","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/oversight-by-the-department-of-health-program-reviews-and-plans-of/","title":"Oversight by the Department of Health, Program Reviews, and Plans of Correction","category":"Governance","citation":"ORC 3740.07","summary":"Sets out how the Agency cooperates with the Ohio Department of Health, the Ohio Department of Aging and its designee, the Ohio Department of Medicaid and auditors: giving immediate access and records, keeping the criminal records check roster ready for the director, responding to findings, and sending plans of correction within the time each program sets, together with the Department of Health's grounds for denial, suspension and revocation and the hearing rights.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-CMP-01","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/complaints-and-grievances/","title":"Complaints and Grievances","category":"Quality","citation":"OAC 5160-45-03(A)(12)","summary":"Sets how any client, representative, family member or other person can make a complaint to the Agency, by any means and without fear of retaliation; how the complaint officer logs, acknowledges, investigates and resolves it within the Agency's own time frames; which complaints must instead go at once to adult protective services, incident reporting or the privacy official; how waiver clients' case managers are involved; and the outside agencies a client may contact at any time, including the Ohio Department of Health complaint unit, the long-term care ombudsman and Medicaid.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-QA-01","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/quality-improvement-program/","title":"Quality Improvement Program","category":"Quality","citation":"OAC 173-39-04","summary":"Sets up the Agency's quality improvement program: who leads it, the measures it tracks every quarter (missed visits, EVV exceptions, supervisory visits, training, background re-checks, incidents, complaints and client satisfaction), quarterly record and billing audits modeled on the Ohio Department of Aging structural compliance review, the annual client satisfaction survey, how problems become improvement projects with owners and dates, and the quarterly report to the governing body.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-BUS-01","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/charges-billing-and-client-payments/","title":"Charges, Billing, and Client Payments","category":"Business","citation":"OAC 5160-1-17.2(A) to (C)","summary":"Sets how the Agency tells private-pay clients its charges in writing before services begin, bills and collects fairly, handles cancellations, refunds and overpayments, and bills Medicaid programs only for authorized, verified services actually provided, accepting Medicaid payment as payment in full.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-BUS-02","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/electronic-visit-verification-and-service-verification/","title":"Electronic Visit Verification and Service Verification","category":"Business","citation":"OAC 5160-32-02","summary":"Sets how the Agency uses Ohio's electronic visit verification (EVV) system for Medicaid visits that must be verified, how aides check in and out, when telephone or manual entry may be used, the annual signed consent required before GPS is used, how exceptions are resolved before claims are paid, and the ODA and ODM service verification items every visit record must contain.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-BUS-03","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/medicaid-waiver-participation-oda-certification-and-odm-provider/","title":"Medicaid Waiver Participation: ODA Certification and ODM Provider Requirements","category":"Business","citation":"OAC 173-39-02","summary":"Explains how the Agency takes part in Ohio Medicaid home and community-based programs: becoming and remaining certified by the Ohio Department of Aging for PASSPORT personal care and homemaker services, keeping its Medicaid provider agreement, meeting the ODM waiver provider conditions of participation where they apply, and tracking every program deadline on one compliance calendar.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-ETH-01","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/code-of-conduct-and-professional-boundaries/","title":"Code of Conduct and Professional Boundaries","category":"Ethics","citation":"OAC 173-39-02(B)(8)","summary":"The Agency's code of conduct for everyone who works with clients. It adopts, for all clients, the Ohio Department of Aging's list of unethical, unprofessional, disrespectful and illegal behavior and the Ohio Department of Medicaid's conduct rules for waiver providers, sets professional boundaries, and explains how concerns are reported and handled.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-ETH-02","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/client-property-money-gifts-and-claims-for-theft-or-damage/","title":"Client Property, Money, Gifts, and Claims for Theft or Damage","category":"Ethics","citation":"OAC 173-39-02(A)(5)","summary":"Protects clients' money and belongings: what staff may and may not do with client property and funds, how errands and purchases with a client's money are handled and receipted, the liability insurance and written theft or damage claim instructions the Agency keeps, and how a suspected theft or a claim for loss is handled.","sample":false},{"ref":"OH-HC-ETH-03","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/compliance-program-and-prevention-of-medicaid-fraud/","title":"Compliance Program and Prevention of Medicaid Fraud","category":"Ethics","citation":"OAC 5160-1-17.2","summary":"Sets the Agency's compliance program for Medicaid and other public funds: the compliance lead, written standards, training, a way to report concerns without retaliation, auditing and monitoring, discipline, and correction, including how the Agency prevents and responds to fraud, waste, abuse, kickbacks and overpayments under Ohio and federal law.","sample":false}],"copy":{"reviewed":"2026-11-08","intro":"For Ohio agencies licensed by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) to provide nonmedical home health services with their own aides. The manual has 49 policies and 65 forms, with the forms for clients in English and Spanish. It is written to ORC Chapter 3740 and OAC Chapter 3701-60, the licensing rules, and, where your agency takes part, to the Ohio Department of Aging's PASSPORT rules (OAC 173-39) and the Ohio Department of Medicaid's waiver rules (OAC 5160-44). Each policy opens with a plain-English summary and names the rule it follows, and every one is filled in with your agency's name and details. You get Word and PDF files to keep, and your staff read and sign each policy on their phone.","rulesTitle":"What Ohio's rules ask your policies to cover","rules":[{"head":"Background checks.","text":"Each direct care applicant is checked against six databases and through a BCII criminal records check, with FBI information where the rule requires it. Employees are re-checked at least every five years.","cite":"OAC 3701-60-05; OAC 3701-60-06"},{"head":"Conditional employment.","text":"The BCII check is requested within five business days after conditional employment begins, and the job ends if results other than FBI are not received within sixty days.","cite":"OAC 3701-60-07"},{"head":"The license.","text":"It lasts three years. A renewal is on time only if filed at least ninety days before the license expires, and ODH gets written notice within ten days of a change in application information.","cite":"ORC 3740.05; OAC 3701-60-03"},{"head":"Adult abuse reporting.","text":"Every employee reports suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation of an adult aged 60 or older immediately to the county department of job and family services.","cite":"ORC 5101.63"},{"head":"PASSPORT aide supervision.","text":"For ODA-certified personal care, a supervisory visit at least every sixty days by a registered nurse, or a licensed practical nurse under a registered nurse, with at least two in-person visits a year.","cite":"ORC 173.525(B); OAC 173-39-02.11(C)(4)"},{"head":"Waiver incidents.","text":"For clients on an Ohio Medicaid waiver, incidents go to the case management agency or managed care plan immediately on discovery and no later than one business day after.","cite":"OAC 5160-44-05"}],"asks":[{"ref":"OH-HC-HR-02","title":"Criminal Records Check Policy: Database Review, BCII and FBI Checks, and Conditional Employment","category":"Human resources","q":"Show me your written criminal records check policy. Is it the version you filed with your license application?","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/criminal-records-check-policy-database-review-bcii-and-fbi-checks-and/"},{"ref":"OH-HC-ANE-01","title":"Recognizing and Reporting Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation of Adults","category":"Safeguarding","q":"If an aide thinks a client's son is taking her money, what must the aide do, and how fast?","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/recognizing-and-reporting-abuse-neglect-and-exploitation-of-adults/"},{"ref":"OH-HC-SP-02","title":"Scheduling, Missed Visits, and Back-Up Plans","category":"Service delivery","q":"What happens when an aide calls off an hour before a visit to a client who lives alone?","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/scheduling-missed-visits-and-back-up-plans/"},{"ref":"OH-HC-GOV-03","title":"Nonmedical Home Health Services License: Application, Renewal, Changes, and Closure","category":"Governance","q":"Show me your current license. When does it expire, and when is the renewal due?","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/nonmedical-home-health-services-license-application-renewal-changes/"},{"ref":"OH-HC-EP-01","title":"Emergency Preparedness and Continuity of Services","category":"Emergency preparedness","q":"A winter storm closes the roads. Which clients do you call first, and how do you know who they are if your computer system is down?","path":"/policies/ohio/home-care/emergency-preparedness-and-continuity-of-services/"}],"faq":[{"q":"Is this the right manual for my license?","a":"It is for agencies with an ODH nonmedical home health services license that employ their own aides, including those certified by ODA for PASSPORT or serving Ohio Medicaid waiver clients. Agencies with a skilled home health services license need the Ohio home health manual, and hospices need the Ohio hospice manual. Self-employed (nonagency) providers are not covered."},{"q":"Ohio's license rules say little about client care. What does the manual do?","a":"Ohio's nonmedical license rules (OAC 3701-60) cover licensing and background checks. Where Ohio sets no rule, such as which tasks an aide may do, the policy states an agency standard and labels it as your agency's own choice, so you can change it. ODA and ODM rules are added where your agency takes part in PASSPORT or a Medicaid waiver."},{"q":"What do the 49 policies cover?","a":"Client rights (3), service delivery (13), clinical tasks (1), safeguarding (4), infection control (2), emergency preparedness (1), records (2), privacy (3), human resources (8), governance (4), quality (2), business (3) and ethics (3)."}]},"guides":[{"path":"/guides/home-care-agency-policies/","h1":"What policies does a home care agency need?"},{"path":"/guides/abuse-neglect-exploitation-reporting/","h1":"Abuse, neglect and exploitation policies: what each state requires"},{"path":"/guides/infection-control-policy/","h1":"What should a home care infection control policy include?"},{"path":"/guides/staff-policy-acknowledgment/","h1":"Staff policy acknowledgment: how read-and-sign works in home care"},{"path":"/guides/how-to-write-policies-and-procedures/","h1":"How to write policies and procedures for a home care agency"},{"path":"/guides/how-often-review-policies/","h1":"How often should policies and procedures be reviewed and updated?"}]}