Program Management Book
This should be your Go-To Book! Get a large 3” binder and label it “Program Management Book”; divide into sections: Budget, Staffing, Supplies, Food/Meals, and Inspections/Maintenance, whatever else you want. Print out monthly budget reports, staff reports, meal count forms and whatever other agency budget related documents and file in your book. Make it point, and schedule time, to review your program’s monthly expenses at least once a month if not more often. Staying on tops of costs is the best way to avoid budget shortfalls. Keep grocery receipts in a top loading sheet protector. Keep a running list of all staff working in the programs, and have their phone numbers listed as well. Always have a list of guardian names and numbers.
Client Meeting Book
A larger binder with dividers for each client in your program. In each section, keep copies of relevant docs you might need to reference at meetings (Service Agreements, Protocols, MARS, etc.). Add in sheets of lined paper for note keeping. This book should be with you at all times so you have access to it for unplanned meetings that get scheduled on a moments’ notice.
Client Books
Residential programs must have client training binders. The purpose of these books is to give staff the info they need to work with their assigned clients. Client books should contain all pertinent information on the client:
- Demographics- name, age (DOB), guardian info and contact
- Diagnoses
- Medications
- History/Most Recent physical
- Health care proxy/DNR if applicable
- Copies of all programs, protocols and services staff are expected to deliver
Managers can set this system up in two ways:
- Have one big binder, with a section for EACH client. This method saves shelf space and manager time with book management, however it might limit staff ability to review info on clients.
- Individual binders for each client:
Set them all up the same! Makes audits easier. Assign staff to maintain books- to do monthly paperwork turnover and keep copies in the book.
At the end of each month, paperwork is removed from binders, reviewed, progress notes written, MARS and QA reports completed and the documents filed away by the 5th of the next month.
Purchase expandable files to hold previous month paperwork- one for each client. A 5” file will hold a years’ worth of documents. Purchase cardboard document/file boxes to store all the old paperwork- an average file box with hold 2-3 years’ worth of paperwork.
Color Coding Books
In many group homes I have managed, client books are COLOR CODED. Client A will have all blue books. Client B would have all Green Books. And so on. In many homes, each client has a MEDICAL INFO book, a CLIENT INFO book and a MAR. Color coding the books to a client helps staff find information quickly. Remember, we’re not managing books for ourselves. We are providing staff with tools to do their job effectively. We are not doing this to make our jobs easier. However, if we can combine both goals to a workable and efficient system, all the better for everyone!
NEVER KEEP MARS in Client Books. MARS SHOULD BE KEPT IN A SEPARATE BOOKS.
