Frequently Asked Questions
Is my assigned DSP, my employee or a 1st Choice employee once working in my home?
All DSP's are direct employees of 1st Choice. They are required to follow all 1st Choice rules and regulations. They are required to have continued education with 1st Choice each year. They are required to have regular communication with the office staff.
Can my DSP help with my kids homework?
All support provided through 1st Choice is specific to what is written on the clients service plan. That plan has been created by the service Coordinator and family. Our employees are legally only allowed to provide supports as listed in that plan. HOMEWORK, school work, tutoring is never part of the clients plan. It would be considered Medicaid Fraud to provide that type of support. The school districts bill for their own funding to provide those services.
Can my DSP work with my other children while I run errands?
We can only bill for time that is spent one on one with a client. Our DSP"s cannot be responsible for anyone other then the client. It would be considered Medicaid Fraud for our employees to clock in for time while doing anything other then providing one on one supports. They must always be with the client while clocked in.
Our DSP said that they did not have gas money to come to our home. Can I just have the DSP clock in at their home so that they get paid to drive to my house?
We can never clock in without the client. We must get sign off at both clock in and out. We understand the issue of transportation being a barrier for some DSP's, when the clients live out of the same city. 1st Choice does provide additional wages for any DSP that drives more than 20 miles out of their home area. Please speak with us if you feel like this might be a concern, but never encourage clocking in when the DSP is not with the client.
Can I take my DSP on vacation with my family?
If your plan has respite hours written in, we can provide respite while you go on vacation. You can also private pay the DSP personally to go with you if you do not have respite. The wages you agree on for private pay is between you and the DSP.
What if it is not working out with my DSP? How do I tell them it is not working out?
We strongly believe in everyone being comfortable while working. That means both you and the DSP should feel comfortable.
It can be difficult to think about replacing a DSP, especially if you have gotten close to the. But this is a job placement and we will work with you and the employee to find the right placement. We will pull the DSP and find them a new client as soon as possible. There are processes in place for you to not worry about their financial health.
If a DSP becomes uncomfortable in the clients home, we may call you to let you know that we need to find you another DSP due to the current DSP not being the right fit. This can be a very sensitive topic for all involved. Please just know that we are working behind the scenes for everyone involved to have the best experience possible.
Am I guaranteed to have a DSP when I chose to work with 1st Choice?
We do our best to find the right fit for every client. We will never send just anyone to the clients home. Because we take great care in matching our DSP's with clients, we can never guaranty coverage. Please know that as we hire and train employees, we keep the list of unmatched clients up to date each month. We will call you as soon as we believe we found your match.