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QUESTION: When clients want to attend special events that are pricey such as a concert or sports game and staff must accompany them, how are members paying for the staff’s ticket? Does the client pay for the staff’s ticket as well as their own? Does the agency pay for the staff’s tickets? Do members have any guidelines around this? This had been a long-standing problem for some of the consumers in our residential programs (who had very limited funds) and for the staff who needed to accompany them to concerts and other costly events. So several years ago we began submitting grant requests to various foundations and other sources to cover the cost of events for consumers with very limited funds and to pay the admission cost for staff members who accompany consumers to events. We have a line item in our budget that is strictly income from those grant sources and the funds are only used for these purposes. When the fund gets low, we submit additional grant requests. It has worked well for us. When a consumer wants to attend an event, staff members help them submit a written request for funds for the consumer (if they need funds) and for the staff who plan to accompany them. The residential supervisor, the residential financial coordinator, and sometimes the Program Director (depending on the amount requested) must approve the request before it’s authorized. Our agency has access to a donor fund and Auxiliary fund and through donations we pay for the staff ticket. The request has to be documented and has to be for an event that the person has identified as a goal and is working towards saving for themselves. Typically, our rule of thumb is if we plan a group outing event, we pay for the staff ticket and our clients pay for themselves. For example, we plan an annual Community Group to a local baseball game and we pay for our staff tickets. If the client makes a request for a specific community outing that costs money, however, then they will likely pay for staff to accompany them. For example, we have a client who likes to attend a pricey summer concert every year and he pays for both himself and his staff to attend. We also try to seek out and partner with local businesses to allow our staff to enter without paying, when possible. Our local movie theatre will let staff come in with a client, as long as they show identification that they work for us. Our local science center also participates in a program like this. We pay for staff’s ticket. Anything over $15 has to be pre-approved. We also attempt to get staff in for free, this never works for concerts. It does work for amusement parks, movies and museums. The agency pays for the staff ticket. If the individual requires assistance or chaperoning, it is proper for a person’s ABLE account (or trust account) to pay for a person to accompany. This should be documented. It is inappropriate for the person’s account to pay for friends or additional staff. Nonetheless, the circumstances need to be taken into account and the person’s own needs. This is especially important when the person is participating in a group outing where peers are also paying for their own tickets. If it is required that staff accompany clients to any event, then the agency is responsible for paying for the staff. We pay ours through the expense reports through AP, the staff attaches receipts and gets reimbursed as an AP expenditure. If funds are available in the clients Rep-Account or Personal Account then they can do the event as long as there are no stipulations in regards to their ISP or behavioral plan. When an individual wants to attend a special event such as a concert, they are to pay for their own general ticket and our agency will pay for staff's general ticket out of "petty cash". If the individual wants to upgrade and get better seats, the individual will pay for their ticket - the agency will pay for the staff's general ticket, but the individual would have to spend their own money for the cost of the upgrade staff's ticket. i.e. Concert general ticket is $10 - individual pays $10 / agency pays $10. Upgrade tickets are $25 - individual pays $25 for their ticket / agency pays $10 (general ticket price) for staff / individual pays another $15 to cover staff's upgrade. We try first to use ADA and see if staff can get in for free. Staff have sometimes volunteered to pay as they too want to attend an event. We have also had circumstances where individuals or guardians/parents have paid and/or will get like a season pass that allows for a guest. We have also paid for things such as parking. This information is a compilation of suggestions, ideas, and opinions shared by INARF Members in response to the featured question. This information should not be considered official interpretation or guidance of State or Federal Policy. Additionally, statements within this document do not necessarily reflect an official position or opinion of INARF.