Interns-do their hours count toward the 5%?

[Diane Klebanow]

 

This is my question...are we able to count (toward our 5%) hours put in by interns (i.e. anyone getting school credit for their experience)?

 

Another Volunteer Coordinator within our company had indicated that she thought that we were not able to count their hours toward the 5%, and thought she had read it in either Medicare guidelines or in a NHPCO publication.

 

Also, I have two high school students volunteering this summer (a typical down time for hours by others) through a program offered by the school district where they earn a stipend.  My colleague also thought that these individuals also would be disqualified from the 5% since there is an incentive (money, much like the course credit serves as incentive for interns.)

 

If we are not able to count these hours, what about people who do "community service" hours for a class or a job? 

 

This seems to be some gray area...any clarification or reference to where I could find this information would be much appreciated!

 

Thanks! 

Diane

[Greg Schneider]

The purpose of the use of volunteers, outside of the obvious, is to save the hospice money.  A volunteer's hours can be counted if paid hospice staff would otherwise be doing the task of the volunteer.  Whether or not a student volunteer receives a stipend is irrelevant.  The key is that the hospice is paying nothing for the services of the student volunteer.

 

I believe the same applies on the use of interns.  I would suggest contacting Yolande Adams [[e-mail] [phone]] at the Hospice of Petaluma in Petaluma, CA.  I know that she often uses interns for her children's bereavement program.  She can tell you if the hours of the interns count.

 

Greg Schneider
HCF Creator
President, HVA