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QUESTION: What is your agency’s understanding and practice regarding shared meals in Supported Living environments? We have not found anything specific in the Waiver regulations or in the Waiver manual about this. However, there is an understanding that sharing food is not allowed, and that agencies allowing the sharing of food could be required to pay back the individuals in the home for the food? In our agency, each individual purchases his/her own food. Each individual has storage areas for their own purchased food that are labeled, including cold storage. Most of the individuals in our agency have different diets, so there is not sharing of any food. There is also the issue of sharing food purchases when food stamps are involved. *** Our agency does have individuals that live together and purchase meals together. They make out menus and grocery lists, splitting the cost of the food off of the menus across the number of individuals in the home. *** Our agency allows the sharing of food as long as they share the cost equally. Agencies have to be careful when food stamps are involved, as Medicaid redeterminations ask the question if the individual is purchasing food for a household or an individual. In the Waiver setting, our agency does not allow support staff to eat food purchased by the individual(s). *** Our agency does allow the sharing of food, as long as the cost of the shared food is split evenly among the individuals. If individuals in a home buy items specific to their choice or diet that cannot be shared by others, that cost is not shared. 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.
In our agency, each individual purchases his/her own food. Each individual has storage areas for their own purchased food that are labeled, including cold storage. Most of the individuals in our agency have different diets, so there is not sharing of any food. There is also the issue of sharing food purchases when food stamps are involved.
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Our agency does have individuals that live together and purchase meals together. They make out menus and grocery lists, splitting the cost of the food off of the menus across the number of individuals in the home.
Our agency allows the sharing of food as long as they share the cost equally. Agencies have to be careful when food stamps are involved, as Medicaid redeterminations ask the question if the individual is purchasing food for a household or an individual. In the Waiver setting, our agency does not allow support staff to eat food purchased by the individual(s).
Our agency does allow the sharing of food, as long as the cost of the shared food is split evenly among the individuals. If individuals in a home buy items specific to their choice or diet that cannot be shared by others, that cost is not shared.