What is The Arc Network?​

The Arc Network is designed to provide parents and caregivers who are members of The Arc Eastern Connecticut a list of qualified direct care professionals. The list is comprised solely of employees in good standing at The Arc Eastern Connecticut who are interested in being hired directly by families to provide respite support in the family home.

The Arc Network will provide families with a pool of people who have been trained, undergone a background check and have experience working with people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. Families will contact staff directly and will be hiring staff independent of their employment with The Arc Eastern Connecticut.

​

Membership in The Arc Eastern Connecticut entitles you to:

• A complimentary subscription to our newletter, The Arc News

• A discounted fee at Camp Harkness

• One year membership in The Arc Network

 

Membership is for one (1) year from the date that your application is processed. Membership in our local chapter entitles you to membership in The Arc Connecticut and The Arc United States, as well as The Arc Network.  

 

(*NOTE: Participation in The Arc Network is subject to acceptance of the Terms of Service)

​

​

The Arc Network Access Agreement*

Please read the following Access Agreement carefully.

​

What is The Arc Network?

​

The Arc Eastern Connecticut maintains a list of direct care staff who voluntarily wish to pick up additional hours outside their regular work schedules for the purpose of providing direct care services on a contract basis to Arc Member families requiring additional supports outside the scope of Arc contracted services (The Arc Network.) Member families directly negotiate with and contract with the employee on an agreed hourly basis for agreed hours of service. The employee is not considered an Arc employee for the duration of these non-contractual hours, nor is the employee on The Arc payroll during non-contractual work. The employee will not accrue overtime, benefits, etc., in the scope of picking up hours that fall beyond the scope of Arc contracted services to Member families. Arc employees wishing to participate in The Arc Network will be required to sign a Service Agreement prior to commencing the employment with the Member families that pledges to avoid any and all competition with The Arc New London County and grants permission for contact information provided by the employee and information regarding employee availability to be posted on The Arc Web site in an area available to Arc of Eastern Connecticut Members only.

Why Is an Access Agreement Necessary?

​

This Service Agreement protects The Arc Eastern Connecticut ’s commitment to recruiting, training and providing the very best-trained service professionals in Southeastern Connecticut. Employees at The Arc Eastern Connecticut are rewarded for embracing empowerment philosophies as well as for enrolling in training beyond the standard curriculum required by the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services. These efforts and investments include, but are not limited to: Training employees in a full curriculum of health, safety and empowerment philosophy classes**; providing financial incentive for employees to obtain Arc Certification in empowerment and skills training***; performing background checks on pre-employment; performing a drug test pre-employment; and engaging in resourceful recruitment measures to optimize client service. All initiatives involve substantial financial commitment and professional effort on the part of The Arc Eastern Connecticut and its leadership team. In the interest of supporting families throughout Southeastern Connecticut, and in the interest of supporting our own Direct Support Staff, The Arc provides The Arc Network to connect well-trained staff with families in need. As a result, it is necessary for The Arc to protect its resource investment for locating, hiring and retaining this professional support network. While we encourage families to contract directly with our Support Staff for additional supports, we cannot permit families to utilize this support network in lieu of their own personal staffing, training, and recruitment investment.

​

Access Agreement

​

I appreciate the time and money The Arc Eastern Connecticut expends on choosing, training and evaluating its employees.

​

I appreciate the opportunity to access and contract for private service a network of trained service professionals through The Arc Network.

​

The Arc Network is a valuable member service to me, and I realize that if I utilize the Network to permanently employ an Arc-trained employee such that the employee no longer works for The Arc but only works for me, then The Arc will be disadvantaged by providing access to its employees through the Network.

​

Therefore, as a condition of accessing this valuable member service, I agree that I will contract with any caregiver identified through direct association with The Arc Eastern Connecticut only on an as-needed basis and will not in any way seek to sever that individual’s employment ties with The Arc Eastern Connecticut by permanently employing such individual to provide caregiver services only to me. 

​

If I violate this service agreement, I acknowledge that I will be permanently prevented from accessing The Arc Network in the future and further, I agree to pay liquidated damages in order to fairly compensate The Arc Eastern Connecticut for the loss of its training investment in the amount of twenty five hundred dollars ($2,500.)

​

*I understand that my $25 annual membership fee to The Arc Eastern Connecticut satisfies membership dues for one-year and provides Arc Network access for the same length of time. Further, I understand that The Arc Eastern Connecticut in no way guarantees the availability of individuals offering services on The Arc Network or individual satisfaction with the service provider.

​

NOTE:  The Arc Network exists to serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  We are sorry but we cannot accommodate families looking for other supports.  The Arc reserves the right to rescind membership and refund the membership fee.

​

​

**The Arc’s State-mandated Training Includes:

• CPR

• First Aid

• Physical/Psychological Management Training (PMT)

• Physical/Psychological Management Training (PMT)

• Water Safety Training

• Workplace Safety

• IP (Individualized Plan) or Planning and Provisions

• Abuse & Neglect Prevention

• Values: How to fill out IRs (Incident Reports)

• Blood-borne Pathogens

• Defensive Driving

• Fire Safety

• Site-specific Fire Safety

• Signs and Symptoms

• EPI pens (epinephrine / allergic reactions)

• Dysphasia

• Vital Signs

• Seizures

• Head Trauma Protocols

• Nail Care

• Medication administration practicum

​

*** The Arc’s Empowerment Curriculum:

• Individual Rights and Choices

• You’ve Got a Friend

• Positive Behavior Supports

• Community Inclusion

• Safety at Home and in the Community

• Everyone Can Communicate

​