MFAW Guidebook
Responsible Party/Alternate Contact Person
In an effort to maintain lines of communication, a responsible party and an alternate contact person shall be identified for each program participant. The SC will request the participant/family identify both a responsible party and an alternate contact person during the initial interview, on an annual basis thereafter, and as needed to ensure the information remains accurate. Contact information shall be submitted to designated staff for entry in the SHCN Information System.
Responsible Party
The responsible party is a person with whom sensitive health information can be shared by the Service Coordinator, or designated representatives of SHCN. The responsible party is a person whom:
- Shares protected health information with the SC or designated representatives of SHCN;
- Completes and signs all SHCN required forms;
- Provides documentation verifying legal custody, guardianship, or relative caregiver; this documentation must be placed in the participant’s legal record and noted in the SHCN information System.
The responsible party is determined as one of the following:
- A participant 21 years of age or older who is his/her own person
- Any parent or legal (court appointed) guardian for the participant
- An individual having “physical” custody of participant when living with, other than both parents
(Note: A step-parent/step-grandparent cannot be listed as the responsible party and therefore is not approved to sign SHCN documentation authorizing the MFAW Program for the participant unless they have been awarded legal guardianship.)
Alternate Contact Person
The alternate contact person is someone who will know how to get in touch with the participant, parent(s) and/or responsible party(ies) and can assist in facilitating contact with the family. Protected health information may not be shared with the alternate contact person unless a release of information has been signed by the participant, parent(s) and/or responsible party(ies) authorizing this type of communication with SHCN.