As previously mentioned, all individuals supported require a Service Authorization to receive support from providers. A Service Authorization is completed by the Case Manager once the individual supported and you, the Recreational Therapist, have notified the Case Manager that supports will be beginning. The Case Manager will obtain a signed Pick List from the individual or their guardian. We cannot begin support with an individual until a Service Authorization had been submitted by the Case Manager.
Information on a Service Authorization
On the Service Authorization you will see the individuals name, budget start date, budget expire date, all supports they receive, and all units allotted to each support. Please see a Service Authorization Example here. In this example, you see ASSISTED INDEPENDENCE LLC, 2225 Central Ave, Suite 4; (RETH) - Recreational Therapy with units listed below highlighted in yellow. This means the Service Authorization has been submitted and support is able to start!
Units on a Service Authorization
On a service authorization you will see “Current Units” and “Unit Size”. For Recreational Therapy, units are counted by the quarter hour meaning 15 minutes is equal to 1 unit. It takes 4 units to equal 1 hour of Recreational Therapy. You as the therapist and the individual must decide how many hours a week you will be providing Recreational Therapy to accommodate both of your schedules, as well as what their budget allows.
How to Read a Service Authorization
In the Service Authorization Example, there are 384 units listed for budget year 07/01/2023-06/30/2024.
This equates to 96 hours of Recreational Therapy that can be provided for this individual from 07/01/2023-06/30/2024.
This breaks down to roughly 1.75 hours (1 hour and 45 minutes) of in-person and documentation time per week from 07/01/2023-06/30/2024.